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Business Insider Editor in Chief Jamie Heller sits down with BYD Executive Stella Li at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. In the interview, the two discuss how the Chinese manufacturer's business has grown and plans for future expansion in more global markets. Heller asks Li about upcoming ventures and partnerships, as well as Li's prediction that home robots will be a reality within the next three years.
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00:00Hello, I'm Jamie Heller. I'm the Editor-in-Chief of Business Insider. I'm so glad to be here with
00:05Stella Lee, who is the Executive Vice President of BYD, the global car giant out of China.
00:14Stella, you're on a mission right now. How would you describe it?
00:18Just to make BYD not only a global company, but localize ourselves. So in the next three to five
00:24years, that will be our focus, to put the BYD R&D, put the manufacturer in different regions.
00:30We'll have very strong business over there. And then the second mission is to tell BYD's story
00:36that the whole global understand. BYD is an engineer company. We have 120,000 R&D engineers.
00:43We file like 52 patents per working days. Exactly. So this is the story you need to tell everybody.
00:51And they're also building BYD brand. I think BYD is a giant green tech company globally.
00:57So let's just go over the numbers. Last year, you sold over a million cars globally?
01:034.6 million cars in the overall, but overseas, more than one million.
01:08Overseas, more than one million. And your goal for this year, 50% higher, right?
01:13Yeah.
01:13That's your goal. Okay. And what do people not know and why not?
01:16I think first, we're a new brand to a lot of regions. Even in China, we're super big.
01:23We have close to one million people. And then we're number one, very dominant market.
01:28But in overseas, we're newcomers, so they don't understand. So then this is what we're doing now.
01:35And country by country, region by region, we build our local team. Then we build our marketing team.
01:40Then we hire the best, like a dealer to work for us. So this is like the work.
01:47Is it all?
01:48In two to three years, every place you go, a lot of people will know BYD. For example, Brazil.
01:53If you go to Brazil, you ask 10 people, 9 people, or maybe even 10 people will know BYD.
01:58So is it all organic growth? Are you going to do some M&A to expand, like buy up other
02:04companies?
02:05No, everything is organic.
02:06And why is that? Why wouldn't you do it any other way?
02:10BYD is a unique company. We are, even we are joining the company now, but we are like a kind
02:16of a technology engineer.
02:17And the way we operate a company is more like a startup and entrepreneurial company.
02:24So every day we're talking about something is out of the box.
02:28And then the speed we're moving is just like back to 30 years ago, we just started.
02:34We have a big dream. We want to do something more exciting. We just do it.
02:37And then this kind of like a culture, speed, we call it culture, is BYD union culture.
02:45It's also the secret, the recipe where you can be successful.
02:48But it's not work for other like a well-built up, very slow move and a slow decision-making legacy
02:56company.
02:57So I think it's very hard.
02:59So if you came into another culture, like let's say you were able to break into the United States,
03:04like how would you retain that culture?
03:05Give me an example of something that makes you guys feel sure.
03:07BYD already very strong in U.S.
03:10So in California, in the Lancaster, we have big, largest electric bus manufacturer in Lancaster.
03:17We hire like more than like 800 union workers there.
03:21Then like we are also a bigger player for battery storage, a bigger player for solar.
03:26Then also we are one of the most important like a vendor for a lot of high-tech companies,
03:31produce the IT devices for them.
03:35Such as Apple, right?
03:36You're an Apple producer?
03:38Yeah.
03:38Besides Apple, we have many other customers too.
03:41So BYD in this field, we are the second largest EMS producer.
03:46So we will be very strong there.
03:48So for us, go to U.S. is not like a...
03:52But what about the auto brand?
03:54Auto brand, now it's too complicated.
03:57I think we are not prepared and decided to go to U.S. yet.
04:03Yeah.
04:03Okay.
04:04So let's talk about the different business lines.
04:06So from what I can tell, you've got cars and then you're also a huge seller of car batteries.
04:13Yeah.
04:13Right?
04:13To other companies.
04:14Yeah.
04:14Yeah, exactly.
04:16We supply the battery to other like a competition and to be their main supplier for battery.
04:22But at the same time, BYD is the leading player for battery storage.
04:25Storage.
04:27So underestimate the battery storage potential.
04:29Well, I see Ford stock is rising on that too, right?
04:32I mean, that's a new area for autos right now with the data center boom.
04:37Exactly.
04:37For data centers, this will give a lot of opportunity for the battery company like us.
04:43Then because we can have a 140 feet container and have 10 megawatts hours like a battery.
04:53It's very high efficiency, the best like a structure designed container-based battery.
04:59So this will make the, we can do the turnkey solution to our customers.
05:03The turnkey?
05:04Yes.
05:04It means we can move faster and more effectively.
05:07So this is another area in the next several years.
05:11I think BYD will play a very strong role.
05:14And then it's not only in U.S., in global, in every place, then we need this battery storage.
05:21So we've got cars, we've got car batteries, we've got energy storage, electronics manufacturing,
05:28working with Apple, right?
05:29Yes.
05:30Okay.
05:30And then robots too?
05:32Are that part of the lineup?
05:32That's the future.
05:34So that's what I explained to you.
05:35I joined BYD 30 years.
05:37Every day, it's like an adventure.
05:39I feel like it's the beginning of the timing for the big future.
05:43Even today, each time I went back to China, I need to learn a lot of new stuff.
05:49Then the big learning, I'm still in the process, is a two area.
05:53One is autonomous driving.
05:54The second one is the robotics.
05:56So imagine BYD is the big, like a user for the robotics.
06:03Then we have the huge facility globally.
06:06And then we have a lot of, we are not only produced car.
06:0970% of the components for the car are produced by us.
06:14So that's-
06:14You're a vertical manufacturer.
06:16Very deep vertical integration.
06:18So then we have all kinds of robots in different component manufacturing and also funnel car sampling.
06:25So then we set up a very strong R&D team, we invest a lot of money already, secretly, and
06:32then to develop the, like a robotic for us.
06:35But our number one focus is the industry robot.
06:39This means you don't need to look like a human being, a human body.
06:43You can just like it, just like it, just like it, effective.
06:45And then industrial, industrial, you can have multiple hands, you can have like a, like a, the feet is just
06:52the block, you can move.
06:54Then by this way, it's more effective.
06:56And then, oh, for my own idea, I think in the next three to five years, will be a lot
07:02of revolution here.
07:03Maybe we will can start have some manufacturing, it's no human being, and then the robot is going to run
07:09facility.
07:10So then at that time, which region, and the electricity cost is the cheapest one, then they have competitiveness.
07:19So then, but in order to make the electricity to be competitive, you need a battery storage to build, it
07:25all helps, it all comes together.
07:26It's like an ecosystem.
07:28But you're saying it's not important for the robots to have a face or to smile or be, be human.
07:34You just want them to be effective in industry.
07:37Yeah, this is like, for robotics, it's two directions.
07:41One is using for the industrial, that's the direction.
07:44But another one is to the family, to service.
07:48For example, in today, in Chinese family, we have four seniors, and then one young couple, and then they have
07:56children.
07:56It's impossible for them to be able to take care of the senior people.
08:00Now we need, the family needs the robot to clean the house, to be a nanny, and then to cook,
08:06and then take care also.
08:08Do you see that as a market for you, home?
08:10It's a huge market.
08:11Even I tell my dealer, they're saying, like, for example, when I move to Europe here, we have a very
08:17good traffic, good sales, but then we don't have enough salespeople in the store.
08:21Then, I think, to hire the people in Europe, you know, it's so challenging.
08:26It will take four months to six months to get people.
08:28The labor laws and the labor laws there?
08:30No, it's just the process.
08:32The process is always...
08:33Why it's in Europe different from other countries, you find?
08:36That's the culture.
08:37We don't know why.
08:38We're also challenging them.
08:40Why you only can join us up?
08:41Learn as you go around the world?
08:42Yeah, every place.
08:44Why can you join us the next day?
08:46In the U.S., in China, they were saying it's a good opportunity to quit, right?
08:49But he said, now I need three months notice, then I need to clean up or something, then it's four
08:54months.
08:55So that says it did not work on the speedway, then, and now it's not only for us, I went
09:01to all the robotic manufacturers to challenge them, saying, if you make some robot can help me work in our
09:09store, I'm going to order, like, maybe 5,000 to 10,000, like, a robotic from you, one order.
09:17So, then, my goal is to bring maybe two robots, three robots to every single store, so they can explain
09:24to the customer, they can have fun, they can even show the car, demonstrate the car.
09:28So, you will be amazed.
09:30This kind of stuff, I think, in the next one or two years, will be available.
09:35And then, I told you...
09:36So, you actually plan to create robots that you will put in your actual dealerships to help be, like, maybe
09:43the first conversation to help people understand the cars?
09:46Not only that, they can even sell the car, demonstrate the car, that's the challenge, to have a robot dancing
09:53to tell the car's back is available now, but my ambition is they need to also open the door and
09:59then to show the car.
10:01It's almost like 50% of the work salespeople should do that.
10:0550% of the work, yeah.
10:06So, you could see, because I would have maybe thought salespeople would be among the final people to be replaced
10:13by robots, because it's so much personality and...
10:16Yeah, and that can be possible.
10:16That can be possible, but in the end, this is still where human being, we need this emotional connection.
10:22You still need the people to know the name, watch your eyes, then shaking the hand, then, oh, you're the
10:29guy I can rely on you next five years, you will do good service for me.
10:33So, we still need the people, but now, with this robotic, we can make our service to be better.
10:39So, this is our target.
10:41Then, you know, very interesting, I tell all my dealers in here, I say, I heard from, because we're working
10:46with all the top, like a robotic company, then they tell me, Stella, in three, in their, like a roadmap,
10:53they strongly believe in three to five years, all this kind of human being robot can enter into the family
11:01to really take care of cleaning house and then cooking food.
11:05Sign me up.
11:06Sign me up.
11:06Sign me up.
11:07You want to get this one.
11:08I would love it.
11:08But, you know, in Europe, they wanted to do this one, too.
11:12Then I think, our dealer store, now you sell the car, now you can also sell the robot.
11:17But do you really think it's three to five years?
11:19I mean, I've talked to a bunch of robotic experts, and they feel like the home is the last frontier,
11:24that what you talked about in an industrial use of robots is closer in time.
11:28Now, some people in China, they're more aggressive.
11:31They think it's three to five years.
11:33Three to five years.
11:33But then if you see today in the CCTV, so this year we have four to six robotic company, it's
11:39not only dancing, they play the like a roll over.
11:42It's like the whole kung fu, right?
11:44And then last year, it's just like to dance.
11:47So just one year.
11:49It's a huge difference.
11:51And then I saw the robot like in Shenzhen.
11:54And then they operate like a policeman, working together with police, police officer to walk on the street.
12:02So this is already happening now.
12:04Now they just need to solve some like battery consumption, energy consumption issue, and make this robot work longer time.
12:13And then also the brain, I call the software, and AI technology to make this happen quickly.
12:20But the industry has grown through the chipset, through the software, through the like a global world model, and then
12:28through the like all this hardware.
12:31Everything is improving rapidly, and also a lot of investment here in different angles.
12:37Then this will push the industry very rapidly.
12:40Okay.
12:40Are you doing business with other robotics manufacturers?
12:43Yeah.
12:44We do.
12:45Because BYD is very open.
12:46Are you working with Tesla?
12:48No, I cannot share the name, but the best one in China.
12:52But we're working with all the best ones.
12:54Because BYD is an open platform.
12:56And then we even, our principle, always like this.
13:00Even we produce these products by ourselves, besides the battery.
13:04Then we're always open to buy from the best in the industry.
13:09Then our own parts, the maximum is only 70%.
13:13So we never can go do 100% besides battery.
13:17See?
13:18And then...
13:18Is that, that's like a rule you...
13:20That's the rule.
13:22The rule is to keep BYD, even what John, the company, we can be always innovative.
13:27And then to be always, keep us to be the strong.
13:30Because even...
13:31But 70% is why your product is maximum what?
13:35In-house.
13:35Yeah.
13:35In-house supply.
13:36Then 30% BU.
13:38But there's some component, some other critical, like we're working with Nvidia.
13:42We use their chip.
13:43Then for the premium cost, they're almost 100%.
13:46So they're the best.
13:48Then we're working with Korkan.
13:49So then we're working with all the like global vendor for the, for this, like the best technology
13:56for us.
13:57So it means like for robotic, even for our industry use, if we have better one, we always buy
14:02from them.
14:03Well, you bought a lot of robot from other company.
14:05And then for the human robot, we will do ourselves.
14:09But then I think so far, if they are like, we also open the door to buy from others.
14:15So you're open for business.
14:16Okay.
14:17What's the company's single biggest challenge, would you say?
14:20Yeah.
14:21I think for technology side, we are the best because of, for example, we're launching the
14:26flash charging.
14:27Then...
14:28Oh, the fast charging, right?
14:29Flash charging, yeah.
14:29It's what, like nine minutes or five minutes?
14:32Five minutes.
14:32Five minutes.
14:33And then nine minutes full is from 10%.
14:35Yeah.
14:35Nine minutes to like five minutes to 70%.
14:38Then nine minutes full.
14:39Full, yeah.
14:40But most important in cold temperature, minus 30 degrees C, we still can just add three
14:46more minutes.
14:46That is a revolution.
14:48So...
14:49There's a lot of stories in bad weather in the US, EVs just counting out, right?
14:53Yeah.
14:53Then in China, we call this like a Yangtze river, right?
14:57Then the north is the northern.
14:59Then this electric car never can cross the river because cold temperature could not work.
15:04But now with this, like a flash charger, the second generation blade cell, then we can cross
15:09the industry.
15:10So this is the idea.
15:12BYD is the company.
15:13We are very, very, very like an engineer mindset company.
15:17We always use our technology to change people's mindset.
15:21Then we always study consumers' behavior.
15:25Then we find a solution to them.
15:27But now currently it's geopolitical, like an issue.
15:31I cannot take it.
15:31It's out of a boundary.
15:33Then BYD is a public trade, private owned company.
15:37We have zero influence by government.
15:39Then we have a zero board member from government.
15:43Then...
15:43Like a...
15:44We...
15:44We...
15:44We don't work with any like a sensitive like army or maybe this one because we make...
15:50Because I saw you're on the Pentagon list for that.
15:52Yeah.
15:52Exactly.
15:53I don't understand why they put BYD there.
15:55It's a bunch of Chinese tech companies.
15:57You're good at that.
15:58So this kind of perception...
16:00It's a...
16:01I don't know how to deal with that.
16:03Because we want to open...
16:05I want to invite everybody from DC to come to BYD.
16:09I open the door from you.
16:10You can go to our...
16:11Any dormitory, any corner of there, even the restroom to check every single detail.
16:16You can...
16:16You can be transparent.
16:18But...
16:19When they put the list, there's no reason.
16:21Then road route.
16:23Why they put it there?
16:24So this will make us...
16:26What we're going to do.
16:27We're going to sue government.
16:28Maybe someday we'll have to do that.
16:30Right?
16:30Because we need to protect our reputation.
16:33So that is something is my habit.
16:35Dealing with the geopolitical, that's...
16:37That's the challenge.
16:38There was something nonsense.
16:41Nothing really is fact-based.
16:43Zero fact.
16:44If we made a mistake, it's okay.
16:46You gave me crisis.
16:47I will say, sorry, we made a mistake, we changed.
16:49But this is...
16:50Can...
16:51Well, let's say...
16:51I mean, your cars are a lot less expensive than U.S. cars.
16:54So that's the reality.
16:55But the government should not act as...
16:58The lobby or maybe influenced by the competition.
17:01Like for us, we're technology guys.
17:03We're also working with all the technology guys from California, from U.S.
17:08We respect the culture.
17:09If you...
17:10You lose out, working hard, come back.
17:12Don't play...
17:13Don't do duty.
17:15Don't keep...
17:15Let's just remind people...
17:16What does BYD stand for?
17:17Remind...
17:17Build your dreams.
17:18Build your dreams.
17:19There you go.
17:19Okay.
17:19Thank you so much for being with us at Business Insider.
17:22Fascinating conversation.
17:23Let's stay in touch.
17:24Yeah.
17:25Yeah.
17:26Yeah.
17:26Alright.
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