BYD Sets Tai 9 Launch Date as ARK Offloads Shares and Overseas Goal Jumps

Fang Cheng Bao, the premium marque under BYD's umbrella, will bring its new Tai 9 flagship to market on November 19, the company confirmed on Friday. The six-seat SUV runs on a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Pre-orders have been open since November 9.

That same day brought a production landmark: BYD announced on its official Weibo account that its 19-millionth new-energy vehicle had rolled off the line — fittingly, another Fang Cheng Bao Tai 9. The Xi'an plant handled the milestone build, according to the company.

ARK Trims Exposure as Hong Kong EV Names Slide

On the investment side, ARK Investment Management sold roughly 219,000 BYD depositary receipts through its ARKQ ETF on Friday. The stock gave up 2.1% in a soft Hong Kong session, closing at €7.60, with other electric-vehicle names listed there also under pressure.

The decline came despite an upgraded outlook. On Tuesday, BYD raised its overseas sales target for 2026 to 1.8 million new-energy vehicles, up from an earlier forecast of 1.3 million. Li Yunfei, general manager for brand management and public relations, set out the figure, which remains a company projection covering foreign markets only.

October Volume Tops 490,000

Speaking at an investor meeting the same day, BYD management reported more than 490,000 vehicles sold in October, including close to 170,000 passenger cars and pickups shipped abroad. For the first ten months of 2026, the group had delivered around 3.62 million new-energy vehicles as of November 1 — a 2.16% decline from the same period a year earlier.

The investor session also covered BYD's fast-charging technology and its blueprint for expanding the charging network worldwide.

Wheel Mix-Up Draws an Apology

Separately, BYD issued an apology on Wednesday after some Tang models were found with incorrectly mounted wheels. The company traced the mix-up between front and rear rims to a coding error at supplier Hubei Boyu Industry.

BYD said its review found no safety risk. Affected owners will receive free inspections and corrections, along with renewed vehicle warranties; the company is also offering transport or reimbursement of travel costs.