比亚迪BYD

Who owns BYD? BYD's stake and the ownership chain

Facts checked Chinese holding 100%

BYD is Chinese. BYD Company Limited was founded in Shenzhen in 1995 as a battery maker and bought its way into cars in 2003; it is listed in Hong Kong and Shenzhen and is one of the largest private carmakers in China. The BYD badge is its mass-market brand, sitting below Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang.

BYD is the company behind the BYD marque; the brand is the group's own marque, not a subsidiary.

The short answer

Controlled by BYD
Stake100%
Sincenot published
Kindbrand
OriginCN
Name in Chinese 比亚迪 Bǐyàdí “BEE-yah-DEE”
Top of the chainLü Xiangyang
Is it Chinese? Yes

The chain, step by step

  1. Lü Xiangyang holds a stake in BYD since February 1995.

    Wang Chuanfu's cousin, BYD's co-founder and early financial backer; he has held BYD shares through Guangzhou Rongjie Investment. The current percentage was not verified.

  2. BYD owns BYD at 100%.

    BYD is the company behind the BYD marque; the brand is the group's own marque, not a subsidiary.

Every holding above this entity, with the stake and the date it began.
Holder Holds Kind Stake Since
Lü Xiangyang BYD holds a stake in not published February 1995
BYD BYD owns 100% not published

BYD: questions people ask

Is BYD Chinese?
Yes. BYD Company was founded in Shenzhen, Guangdong in February 1995 and the cars are designed and mostly built in China. It has no foreign parent.
What does BYD stand for?
The letters are the pinyin initials of the Chinese name 比亚迪 (Bǐyàdí), which has no literal meaning. 'Build Your Dreams' was attached to the letters later for English-speaking markets, around BYD's 2008 Detroit auto show appearance.
Who owns BYD?
It is a public company listed in Hong Kong (SEHK 1211) and Shenzhen (SZSE 002594). Founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu is the largest shareholder. Berkshire Hathaway held about 10% from 2008 but had sold out entirely by 2025.
Can I buy a BYD in the United States?
No. BYD sells no passenger cars to American buyers. Its US operation builds electric buses and trucks in Lancaster, California under the RIDE name.
Why do BYD cars have different names in different countries?
The Chinese line-up uses dynasty and sea-creature names that do not travel well. The Yuan Plus is sold abroad as the Atto 3, the Sea Lion 07 as the Sealion 7, and so on. The car underneath is the same.

Related

Sources for BYD

  1. CnEVPost, BYD's 2025 net profit drops 19% as domestic price war bites. Read . 2025 sales and financial results
  2. Internet Info Agency, BYD Reports Slight Revenue Growth but Falling Profits in 2025. Read . 2025 overseas passenger-car and pickup sales
  3. Wikipedia, BYD Auto. Read . Qinchuan purchase, the F3, the Dynasty and Ocean series, overseas plants and market list
  4. Legal Planet (UC Berkeley / UCLA law schools), A Tour of BYD's Factory in Lancaster, California. Read . US status: buses and trucks yes, consumer cars no
  5. Wikipedia, List of automobile manufacturers of China. Read . BYD Auto listed among major private Chinese manufacturers, with Denza, Yangwang and Fangchengbao as its brands.
  6. Wikipedia, BYD Company. Read .