BYD Launches New Car Carrier ‘Xi’an’ as Part of Global Expansion Strategy
Accelerating its global expansion efforts, China’s plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has launched its latest roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) car carrier, the BYD Xi’an.
On April 2, 2025, the company shared three images on Weibo—a Chinese microblogging platform—featuring two of its car carriers in the same frame. In the post, BYD announced the launch of BYD Xi’an and revealed that its next newbuild, BYD Shenzhen, was preparing for its maiden voyage.
BYD Xi’an is now the sixth vessel in the company’s growing fleet. This pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) is named after Xi’an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province, where BYD operates a manufacturing facility.
In 2022, BYD committed to a CNY 5 billion (approximately $687 million USD) investment to build an eight-ship RoRo fleet. Each vessel is designed to transport over 7,000 vehicles. The company placed two orders with Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited, while the remaining six ships were ordered from CIMC Raffles Shipyard.
All of BYD’s newbuilds are equipped with dual-fuel propulsion systems, capable of operating on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and conventional marine fuels.
The first ship, BYD Explorer No.1, was delivered in January 2024, becoming the first domestically built car carrier used to export Chinese-made vehicles. Its delivery marked a significant milestone for China’s rapidly expanding automotive export industry.
The second ship, BYD Changzhou, followed in December 2024. Both vessels were ordered by UK-based Zodiac Maritime and leased to BYD. The third ship, BYD Hefei, launched in January 2025, became the first PCTC owned directly by BYD.
BYD Shenzhen, launched in January 2025, and BYD Changsha, unveiled in March 2025, each have a vehicle capacity of 9,200 units.
The BYD Shenzhen measures 219.9 meters in length, 37.7 meters in width, and has a top speed of 18.5 knots. It is currently believed to be the world’s largest car carrier.
BYD aims to complete its eight-ship fleet by 2026, targeting an annual shipping capacity of over one million vehicles.
