BYD’s third 7000-car carrier goes into operation, accelerating its global EV expansion

BYD Hefei set sail today, as Shenzhen EV maker unleashed its third ro-ro vessel with the capacity to carry 7,000 cars. BYD plans to have a fleet of eight carriers by the beginning of next year.

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BYD pushes its vertical integration on all fronts. Besides making cars, it also produces its own battery packs and cells, owns lithium mines, and operates an EV insurance company in China to cover all parts of the EV supply chain and points of touch with customers.

Last January, BYD took another step by putting into operation its first vessel, called BYD Explorer No.1. It was followed by BYD Changzhou, which entered into operation in December 2024 by sailing to Europe with 5,000 EVs onboard.

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BYD Hefei finished construction in September 2024, when the undocking ceremony was held. After trial sails, joined the BYD fleet today. The car carrier is currently sailing under the flag of Hong Kong to Shnaghai, according to VesselFinder.

All eight BYD’s car carriers are designed to be ro-ro vessels. A ro-ro vessel is short for roll-on/roll-off, which is a type of ship designed to carry vehicles that are driven on and off the ship via built-in ramps. These ramps may be located at the stern, bow, or sides of the vessel, allowing for efficient loading and unloading without cranes or other external equipment.

The vessel measures 199.9 meters in length and 38 meters in beam, with a design draft of 9 meters. It is engineered to achieve a design speed of 18.5 knots, equivalent to 34 km per hour. It is BYD’s first vessel named after the city where production take place.

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BYD exported 417,204 EVs in 2024 up 71,9% from 2023. The company sold 4.25 million passenger vehicles globally in 2024, which means exports accounted for about 10% of company sales.