site.btaChinese Electric Vehicle Company BYD Debuts in Sofia

The Chinese electric vehicle company BYD presented its brand and models on the Bulgarian market at an event in Sofia on Thursday. Among the highlights of the presentation were new fast charging solutions that allow for a significant increase in range in a short time, and the development of so-called "super hybrid" technologies that effectively combine electric and conventional drives.

The company's regional director, Maggie Zhou, said the company continues its rapid global growth and ranked among the top 100 in the Fortune Global 500 for the first time in 2025, placing 91st. She added that last year, BYD sold more than 4.6 million electric vehicles globally, up 7.7% compared to the previous year. She stressed that the company remains the largest manufacturer of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with sales of all-electric vehicles alone reaching 2.3 million units.

She noted that BYD is positioning itself not just as an automaker, but as a technology company that relies on its own research and development capacity. According to her, the company has hundreds of thousands of engineers and is developing innovations in areas such as battery technology, artificial intelligence and intelligent vehicle systems.

Sales Manager for Bulgaria and Romania Viorel Eremia stated that the company's entry into Bulgaria is a strategic step that goes beyond the presentation of a new car brand and includes the building of a complete ecosystem for electric mobility. He indicated that initially the company will start with a presence in Sofia through partner dealerships, with plans to expand the network with new locations in Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas.

Eremia also presented the model range with which the company is entering the Bulgarian market. Among the main models are the fully electric SUV Sealion 7, aimed at customers looking for high class, space and dynamics, as well as the plug-in hybrid Seal U DM-i, which offers a combination of electric drive and greater flexibility on long trips. According to him, the company will also offer a wider portfolio of models – from compact city cars to family and SUV solutions, to meet different consumer needs.

Eremia said that BYD is entering the Bulgarian market with prices of around EUR 19,400 for base models, around EUR 29,200 for mid-range and approximately EUR 39,800 for higher-end electric vehicles. For plug-in hybrid models, prices currently start at around EUR 28,500 and reach over EUR 33,000 depending on the configuration. He added that the company also offers long-term warranty terms, including up to 6 years for the vehicle and up to 8 years for the battery, which aims to increase customer confidence in electric technologies.

At the end of the event, some of the participants had the opportunity to test drive various car models of the company.