BYD has begun loading approximately 7,000 electric vehicles onto its fifth car carrier, the BYD Xi’an, for shipment to multiple European destinations, the company said on Wednesday.
The BYD Xi’an, which was delivered earlier this month in Yizheng, Jiangsu province, is embarking on its maiden voyage to the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Belgium. The 219.9-meter vessel has a capacity of 9,200 vehicles and features 16 decks. It is named after Xi’an in Shaanxi province, home to one of BYD’s largest automotive production facilities.
Images shared by the company show NEV models including the BYD Seagull and the Song Plus DM-i awaiting loading. BYD did not disclose additional shipment details.
The launch of the BYD Xi’an strengthens the company’s in-house shipping capabilities, joining four existing vessels — BYD Explorer No. 1, BYD Hefei, BYD Changzhou, and BYD Shenzhen — the latter also capable of carrying up to 9,200 vehicles.
The move highlights BYD’s continued efforts to expand its presence in the European passenger vehicle market, where the company officially launched in September 2022. In April 2024, BYD’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations in Europe reached 7,231 units, surpassing Tesla for the first time, which logged 7,165 units, according to market research firm Jato Dynamics.