Uzbekistan launches $160 million electric car factory

According to the press service of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, BYD Uzbekistan Factory, a joint Uzbekistan-Chinese venture, has begun the production of its first electric cars.

A $160 million factory with a capacity of 50,000 electric cars per year was commissioned in January 2024. To make the factory’s launch possible, more than two kilometers of railways, a warehouse for spare parts and a logistics center for 1,200 containers were built at the site. Currently, the factory produces two models: Chazor and Song Plus Champion. It is preparing to expand its model range within the next several years.

The government pointed out that the plant is fully automated and even has a lab for precise control of the geometrical shape of electric vehicle bodies.

The second stage of the project anticipates $300 million in investments to boost production to 200,000 electric cars per year and 500,000 cars in the third stage, which would require an additional $500 million in investments.

The country’s authorities are convinced that the more electric vehicles are produced at the factory, the more components will be supplied by local contractors. For instance, they are expected to set up the production of bumpers, vehicle glass, plastic components, batteries, electric engines, aluminum components, tires and seats. Even though the majority of car components are currently supplied from China, the factory has already mastered body stamping, welding and painting.

The factory provides jobs for 1,200 people. Last year, it organized training at UzAuto Motors for 200 of its workers. This year, 92 specialists are expected to take a training course in Xi’an and Chashan. Once all three stages of the project are implemented, the number of employees at the factory will reach 10,000.