BYD Surpasses Ford in NEV Sales as It Targets North American Access via Mexican Plant

BYD has notched a historic win in the electric-vehicle race, eclipsing Ford in NEV deliveries. But the company isn?t resting on the laurels of this milestone: a high-stakes move for a plant in Mexico could unlock quicker access to the North American market and help bypass existing trade hurdles.

A Mexican manufacturing target stands at the center of BYD?s strategy. Reports point to BYD being among the finalists to acquire the COMPAS plant in Aguascalientes. The site, formerly a Nissan?Mercedes-Benz joint venture, can produce about 230.000 vehicles per year and is slated to be available from May 2026. Acquiring an already-built facility would sidestep protracted approvals for new construction and accelerate localization of the supply chain. The deal, however, is far from assured: Geely and VinFast are also in the running, with the plant viewed as a pivotal gateway to circumvent high US tariffs.

The global market picture is shifting in BYD?s favor. Fresh figures show BYD selling more than 4,6 million New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) in 2025, edging out Ford, which delivered 4,4 million NEVs. This puts BYD into sixth place among the world's largest automakers by volume.

A key growth driver for BYD is its expanding international footprint. While China?s domestic market showed seasonal softness, new registrations in Germany surged year-over-year in January 2026, rising by more than 1.000 percent to 2.629 vehicles. Citi analysts remain constructive and project 1,6 million sales outside China for the current year.

In Hong Kong trading, BYD shares were last seen near 97,90 HKD. Investors are weighing whether the elevated capital outlay for the Mexican expansion is justified by the potential strategic advantages of a deeper foothold in North America.