Uzbekistan’s president visited BYD’s Shenzhen headquarters on January 25, and together with the NEV maker’s chairman remotely witnessed the start of production at the plant.

BYD’s (OTCMKTS: BYDDF) plant in Uzbekistan has started production, which is expected to support the Chinese NEV (NEV) maker’s overseas sales.

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited BYD’s Shenzhen headquarters on January 25 and met with the NEV maker’s chairman and president Wang Chuanfu, according to content shared yesterday by semi-official BYD Weibo account 

Mirziyoyev and Wang participated remotely in a production launch ceremony at BYD’s Uzbekistan plant, and witnessed the first vehicle produced at the facility — a Song Plus DM-i — roll off the assembly line.

At the same time, Wang delivered to Mirziyoyev BYD’s 10,000th NEV in Uzbekistan, a Yangwang U8.

Yangwang is BYD’s premium brand launched in January 2023, with the first model, the Yangwang U8, going on sale in China in September 2023 at a starting price of RMB 1.098 million ($153,000).

Mirziyoyev said he expects BYD to increase production at its plant in Uzbekistan to further deepen the cooperation.

BYD signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Uzavtosanoat JSC (UzAuto) in February 2022, agreeing to study the feasibility of co-producing electric passenger cars and electric buses in Uzbekistan.

BYD made its brand debut in Uzbekistan on March 16, 2023 and introduced three models to local consumers: the Han EV, a pure electric sedan; the Song Plus DM-i, a hybrid model; and the Chazor DM-i, known as the Chaser 05 in China.

($1 = RMB 7.1786)