Lumafield CT scans reveal BYD’s vertical integration strategy amid US trade barriers
Computed tomography imaging of battery cells, switch panels, and chargers underscores the Chinese automaker’s in-house manufacturing model, even as passenger vehicles face a 100% tariff in the United States.
Lumafield has published computed tomography scans of four BYD electric vehicle components, offering a detailed look at the internal architecture of a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery cell, a driver door switch panel, an in-cable control and protection device, and a key fob. The analysis provides insight into the company’s manufacturing philosophy, highlighting a strategy of vertical integration that designs and produces parts in-house to reduce costs and supply chain dependencies.
The battery cell analysis focuses on the Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry, which trades some energy density against the lithium-ion chemistries that dominate Western electric vehicle packs. This chemistry runs cooler, tolerates more charge cycles, and replaces nickel, manganese, and cobalt with iron, providing stability and cost advantages. While Tesla sources cells from Panasonic and LG and most Western automakers buy from dedicated battery suppliers, BYD designs and manufactures its own, from chemistry to finished pack.
The scan of the driver door switch panel demonstrates how BYD consolidates mirror adjustment, window controls, and door locks into a single networked module. This consolidation exemplifies a strategy favouring fewer subassemblies, each designed in-house, with firmware determining how any of it behaves. The internal structure reveals a sparse printed circuit board where processing happens upstream in software, contrasting with the more complex hardware often found in Western equivalents.
The in-cable control and protection device, a portable charger required for every BYD sold in Europe and the UK, contains intelligence to monitor power draw and cut power before ground faults or overcurrent conditions occur. The key fob analysis shows a unified architecture spanning the vehicle lineup, featuring a mechanical backup key for when the battery dies or the radio frequency link fails.
Despite strong global sales momentum and a target for overseas markets to make up 50% of total sales, BYD passenger vehicles face a 100% tariff and security investigations in the United States. The company already operates in the US with electric buses assembled in California, but the passenger car market remains effectively closed for now. The analysis underscores that while the American market is restricted, BYD’s integrated supply chain and own shipping capabilities support its expansion elsewhere.
