KARACHI: BYD’s new vehicle assembly plant in Pakistan is expected to begin operations within four to five weeks, by mid-December 2026, management said.

The company is targeting an initial sales run rate of roughly 1,000 to 1,500 BYD vehicles per month as production ramps up, according to management.

Production will initially rely entirely on imported raw materials and components, with localization increasing gradually. The long-term goal is to localize up to 80% of the vehicle, which management said should improve cost competitiveness and reduce reliance on imports.

BYD plans to introduce additional models through a phased approach, focusing on segments capable of generating meaningful sales volumes. Management pointed to changing consumer preferences, saying a newer generation of buyers is increasingly willing to change vehicles over shorter periods compared with the traditional five- to 10-year ownership cycle. Management said it believes there is room for BYD in Pakistan given its competitive pricing and product quality.

As of June 30, 2026, receivables stood at 6.58 billion rupees from NEL, 8 billion rupees from Laraib, 88 billion rupees from CPHGC, 17 billion rupees from TEL and 16 billion rupees from ThalNova.

Discussions with the government over a proposed aluminum smelting project at the Hub power plant are ongoing and expected to take time. Work on fuel storage facilities has also faced slight delays due to the ongoing war.

Management said the data center project has been delayed by high power and technology costs, significant infrastructure requirements and uncertain returns. Management believes dedicated zones with multiple grid connections could improve viability, with a preference for entering at a larger scale of about 100 megawatts rather than 5 to 10 megawatts.

On the COD tariff for Thar power plants, management said the matter is still pending with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, which is working on tariffs for plants that came online earlier.