In 2024, BYD threw a big event in Mexico.
The Chinese electric vehicle company was celebrating one year in the country.
Executives took the stage to announce a new model.
And the CEO of BYD Mexico talked about a hybrid SUV that sold out in the country in just a few weeks.
He also set a big goal to sell 50,000 BYD cars in Mexico by the end of that year.
These days, industry executives estimate that BYD is selling closer to 80,000 cars a year in Mexico,
capturing a huge chunk of the country's EV market.
Chinese vehicles overall make up a quarter of total car sales there.
But if you're in the U.S., you might have missed the hype.
That's because here, all of these cars are effectively banned.
Still, as more Chinese vehicles show up in America's backyard, more U.S. drivers are taking notice.
These cars aren't sold here right now, but what's clear is there is more interest.
Our colleague Ryan Felton covers the auto industry.
There's routinely sightings now of these cars in border towns.
And so you just kind of have this small pocket
of the U.S. that is not just being exposed to these cars online,
but like they could actually see them around town on American streets, even though they can't buy them.
Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business and power.
I'm Jessica Mendoza.
It's Wednesday, June 3rd.