BYD has opened its first store in Suriname and introduced four models -- Dolphin, Seal, Yuan Plus and Song Plus DM-i -- to local customers.

BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has opened its first store in Suriname, as the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker expands its presence in South America.

BYD has opened its first store in Suriname's capital Paramaribo, marking the brand's first foray into the Surinamese market, according to a press release yesterday.

The move is another milestone for BYD in South America, and the store's opening was witnessed by local officials, including Suriname's Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk.

BYD has launched four models in Suriname -- Dolphin, Seal, Yuan Plus and Song Plus DM-i.

The Chinese NEV maker is expanding internationally to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the global electrification transition.

In South America, Brazil is BYD's most important market.

The 100th BYD dealer store in Brazil opened on May 23, BYD announced in May this year.

The company plans to bring the number of its dealer stores in Brazil to 250 by the end of this year.

BYD ceased production and sales of cars powered entirely by combustion engines in March 2022, switching to focus on producing plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles.

The company sold a record 373,083 NEVs in August, up 35.97 percent year-on-year and up 8.97 percent from July, according to data it released on September 1.

In August, BYD sold 31,451 NEVs in overseas markets, up 25.69 percent year-on-year and up 4.79 percent from July.

In January-August, BYD sold 264,869 vehicles in overseas markets, up 125.46 percent year-on-year, contributing 11.38 percent of its total NEV sales of 2,328,449.

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