China's BYD hires engineers for Europe EV battery plant

BEIJING, March 17 (Reuters) - China's electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD 002594.SZ is hiring engineers for its first overseas battery plant in Europe, the company backed by Warren Buffett said on Wednesday, as it pushes to become an EV parts supplier.

Batteries are key components of EVs. BYD, based in the southern city of Shenzhen, which also makes semiconductors for EVs, sold 426,972 vehicles last year, among them 189,689 EVs.

"The planning of the factory is to prepare for supply to European automotive customers and to prepare for the further expansion of BYD's overseas business," a BYD representative told Reuters, without detailing location or manufacuturing capacity.

Chinese makers of EV batteries, including CATL 300750.SZ, are adding production facilities in Europe, where automakers from Volkswagen AG VOWG_p.DE to Daimler AG DAIGn.DE are expanding their lineups of electric vehicles.

(Reporting by Yilei Sun and Tony Munroe; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

((Y.Sun@thomsonreuters.com; +86 10 66271262; Reuters Messaging: y.sun.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))