Who Makes BYD Cars, And What Does The Acronym Mean?

These days, there are still hurdles that electric vehicles need to tackle before the tides truly turn, especially when it comes to price. There are manufacturers who are stepping up to the challenge, like Chinese automotive brand BYD. Founded in 1995, Wang Chuanfu initially created the company to take on the Japanese rechargeable battery industry.

With time, BYD did just that and went on to become one of the largest global battery manufacturers. Recently, we reported on a teardown between BYD and Tesla batteries that revealed the Chinese automaker's battery system wins in several aspects, such as overall efficiency and price. However, Chuanfu wasn't satisfied with just being a leader in this segment.



With a mission to transition towards the new energy vehicle market, Chaunfu acquired Tsinchuan Automobile Company in 2003. That same year, the company launched its automotive arm, BYD Auto , with a focus on developing the next generation of electric and hybrid vehicles. While the majority of the company's ownership remains with Chuanfu, some investors who have joined the vision include the likes of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and BlackRock.

Given its roots, it's no wonder that BYD has been consistently dominating the EV battery market , alongside many other Chinese brands, like CATL and CALB. But, what does the BYD acronym actually stand for? In 2024, CNN Business shared that apart from differentiating itself from the competition, the letters didn't mean anything at first. Today, BYD confirms that its acronym stands for "Build Your Dreams".

Wang Chuanfu is a true rags-to-riches icon, who was orphaned at a young age before becoming the leader of the global manufacturing company. Since its inception, BYD has also dipped its feet in several industries, from renewable energy, electronics, and even railways. While it can take time to fix a lot of the EV-related concerns, we've mentioned before that the most critical pain point in the industry is actually its price.

While Elon Musk once waved the Chinese automaker off, BYD has repeatedly proven that it can give Tesla something to sweat about . In April 2025, reports indicated that Tesla's attempts at affordable EV models, like the Model 3, had been floundering, while BYD was thriving with record-breaking sales overseas. BYD hasn't slowed down in developing impressive features that could also potentially revolutionize road safety and how we drive.

BYD's Yangwang U9 EV supercar was able to not just jump, but also work even when a wheel goes missing..