AssetID: 54901248
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: China's BYD to Begin EV Assembly in Brazil Amid Rising Tariffs, Labor Scrutiny
Caption: China's BYD to Begin EV Assembly in Brazil Amid Rising Tariffs, Labor Scrutiny. Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is set to begin assembling EVs at its new plant in Bahia, Brazil, as early as this month, a top executive said, aiming to produce 50,000 units this year from imported kits. The move comes as Brazil reimposes import tariffs on EVs starting July 1. Final regulatory approvals are still pending, but vehicle imports for the year are complete, with around 22,000 cars shipped from China in the first five months of 2025 to beat the tariff deadline. The Camacari plant—on the site of a former Ford facility—will operate on a "complete knock down" (CKD) assembly model until full local production begins in July 2026. BYD expects the complex to create up to 20,000 direct and indirect jobs once fully operational. However, the rollout has faced criticism and legal challenges. In December, labor inspectors accused Chinese contractors of abuses, including "slavery-like conditions." A federal lawsuit followed in May, after settlement talks broke down. BYD says it aims to resolve the matter and has "always sought to respect Brazilian law and human dignity.” Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Motoring,BYD,EV assembly,Brazil,Bahia plant,50,000 units,import tariffs,July 1,22,000 cars,China,Camacari,former Ford site,CKD model,local production 2026,20,000 jobs,labor scrutiny,legal challenges,slavery-like conditions,labor inspectors,federal lawsuit,settlement talks failed,Brazilian law,human dignity.
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