Chinese new energy vehicle maker BYD said earlier this month it will launch in Argentina on October 8, expanding its presence in South America two months after starting local passenger vehicle production in Brazil.
The company held a pre-launch event in Argentina late last month, when it opened pre-sales. Deliveries will begin immediately after the October 8 launch.
The lineup in the South American country will include the compact Seagull (also known as Dolphin), the Yuan Up (also known as Yuan Pro) and the Song Pro DM-i (also known as Sealion 5) — two fully electric vehicles and one plug-in hybrid model.
Last month, country manager Deng Yuan noted that BYD plans to introduce a series of models and advance charging infrastructure development in Argentina.
As first reported by the X user ‘Thinercar,’ “five to six” additional models are set to launch in 2026, including the Shark pick-up.
These models are also available in Brazil, the first South American market where BYD began production — first in 2015, with a commercial vehicle plant in São Paulo, and since July with a passenger vehicle factory in the state of Bahía.
The facility is expected to produce up to 150,000 vehicles annually and supply markets across Latin America.
Bahia state labor secretary Augusto Vasconcelos said earlier this year that BYD‘s passenger vehicle plant will be “fully functional” by December 2026.
The first model to be manufactured in the new factory is the Seagull city compact, which has been rebranded as the Dolphin Mini in Brazil and as the Dolphin Surf for European markets.
Production of three models, including the plug-in hybrid Song Pro SUV and King sedan, was set to begin in the following weeks.
The company announced in late April that the ‘BYD Shenzhen,’ previously the largest car carrier ship in the world, set sail for Brazil. It transported 7,292 hybrid and electric vehicles aimed at its South American markets — which included Argentina.
BYD‘s ships support its ongoing global expansion. The Shenzhen-based company is currently the leading new energy vehicle (NEV) brand globally.
