Wang Chuanfu
Chemist who founded BYD, the world’s largest electric-vehicle maker
- Age
- 60 yrs
- Birthday in 153 days
- Works listed
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- Awards & distinctions
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Wang Chuanfu is a Chinese chemist who founded BYD in 1995 as a battery maker. BYD moved into cars in 2003 and became the world’s largest seller of electric vehicles. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway invested in it in 2008.
Biography
Background
Wang was orphaned as a teenager in a poor farming family in Anhui and was raised by his siblings. He studied metallurgy and physical chemistry at Central South University and worked at a Beijing research institute.
Batteries
In 1995 he founded BYD in Shenzhen, using cheap labour instead of robots to make rechargeable batteries for phones, becoming a leading supplier.
Cars
BYD bought a car maker in 2003. Berkshire Hathaway bought a 10 per cent stake in 2008. BYD made electric buses and plug-in cars, and its Blade Battery (2020) improved safety.
World leader
In 2023 BYD passed Tesla in quarterly electric-vehicle sales and expanded to Europe, South America and Asia.
Timeline
-
1966
Born in Wuwei, Anhui, China
-
1995
Founds BYD
-
2002
BYD listed in Hong Kong
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2003
Enters car-making
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2008
Berkshire invests
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2020
Blade Battery
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2023
Overtakes Tesla in quarterly EV sales
Did you know?
-
1
BYD stands for “Build Your Dreams” in English.
-
2
Charlie Munger called him a combination of Thomas Edison and Jack Welch.
-
3
BYD stopped making petrol-only cars in 2022.
Connections
Related people
Also born on 8 April
Frequently asked
Who is Wang Chuanfu?
Wang Chuanfu is a Chinese chemist who founded BYD in 1995 as a battery maker. BYD moved into cars in 2003 and became the world’s largest seller of electric vehicles. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway invested in it in 2008.
How old is Wang Chuanfu?
Wang Chuanfu is 60 years old, born on 8 April 1966 in Wuwei, Anhui, China.
Where is Wang Chuanfu from?
Wang Chuanfu was born in Wuwei, Anhui, China.
What is Wang Chuanfu known for?
Wang Chuanfu is best known for Founding BYD (1995); rechargeable batteries; electric cars and buses; Blade Battery.
References
- Wang Chuanfu — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Wang Chuanfu (Q716030) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Wang Chuanfu”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Wang Chuanfu.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/wang-chuanfu
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