Bonus trip · Buildings Walk
BYD Factory
Béketelep · industrial park on the edge of town · 2026
China's BYD is building its first European car factory on the edge of Szeged. The biggest hall is 800 metres long.
In December 2023 it was announced that China's BYD would build its first European passenger car plant in Szeged. The site is an industrial park of about 300 hectares on the north-western edge of the city, at Béketelep, right next to the ELI laser centre.
The local paper called it Hungary's largest industrial investment. According to press reports it costs about 5 billion euros. Foundation work began in February 2024, and in June the first trainload of building materials arrived from China.
The largest assembly hall is 800 metres long and 200 metres wide. No batteries or chemicals are made here.
Production was originally due to start at the end of 2025 but slipped. Trial production began in January 2026, and according to the company series production starts in the fourth quarter of 2026. The first model is the Dolphin Surf small car. They plan 150,000 cars a year at first, later 300,000.
In spring 2026, 960 people worked here, 70 per cent Hungarian, most of them from Szeged. Hungarian workers from Vojvodina have their own fast lane at the Röszke border crossing. According to Világgazdaság, the company chose Hungary after 224 rounds of negotiations.
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- TrueAnnounced December 2023. An industrial park of about 300 hectares at Béketelep, next to ELI.
- TrueLargest hall: 800 × 200 metres.
- TrueTrial production since January 2026, series production from Q4 2026 according to the company. First model: Dolphin Surf.
- AllegedlyAbout 5 billion euros: a press report; we found no official figure.