Central Chinese city emerges as key NEV hub

Automaker BYD’s Zhengzhou branch in Central China’s Henan Province plans to recruit 20,000 employees in the first quarter of this year, attracting a surge of applicants following the Spring Festival holiday.

The recruitment drive spans multiple fields, including technological R&D and manufacturing, and aims to expand the company’s talent pool, according to Ren Yongbin, personnel manager at the Zhengzhou branch.

To accommodate job seekers, a fixed recruitment site features a luggage storage area. Candidates who pass their interviews and medical checks will sign contracts, complete onboarding procedures and move into staff dormitories promptly.

Many applicants expressed their optimism about BYD’s growth prospects and employee benefits, which include social insurance and access to a housing fund for frontline workers, as well as free dormitory accommodation and a subsidized canteen.

By early February, about 60,000 people were employed at BYD’s Zhengzhou branch, over 90% of whom are from Zhengzhou or its surrounding areas. The plant is BYD’s largest contiguous vehicle production base, producing 545,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2024 — a 169.8% year-on-year increase.

This photo taken on April 24, 2024 shows a new energy vehicle (NEV) assembly line of BYD, China's leading NEV manufacturer, at the plant of BYD in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province. Xinhua

The expansion of BYD epitomizes Zhengzhou’s rise as a core NEV hub. Official data shows that the city’s NEV output grew 98% in 2024 — among the fastest output growth nationwide — as supply chains expanded and industry clusters took shape.

“Centered around the plant, we aim to develop a NEV hub integrating manufacturing, services and exports,” said Zhang Hongliang, an official of the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, where the plant is located.

Zhengzhou has also become a key base for another Chinese automaker, SAIC Motor, hosting its biggest passenger car production, data and export operations in China. In October last year, SAIC Motor’s NEV battery plant, with a total investment of 2 billion yuan (US$278.92 million), began production with an output capacity of 300,000 power battery sets.

In 2022, Henan’s government issued guidelines to accelerate NEV development, centering the industry in Zhengzhou. And in its work report this year, the government pledged support for automakers like BYD, SAIC Motor, Chery and Yutong, aiming to facilitate the production of 2 million vehicles, including 1.4 million NEVs.(Xinhua)