Words: Autocar
Published 15 June 2026
BYD Auto New Zealand general manager Warren Willmot has moved to reassure waiting customers, acknowledging that shipping constraints are pushing out delivery times by up to three to four weeks.
In a video update addressed directly to those who have ordered a vehicle, Willmot says more than 2000 BYD cars are built and ready in China, waiting for passage to New Zealand.
“I have over 2000 vehicles sitting in China. They’re built, they’re ready, they’re waiting to make their way to your driveways,” he says.
Willmot says the enthusiasm for the brand in New Zealand has been extraordinary, but that the same surge in demand is part of the problem. He says the delays stem from a shortage of ships calling at New Zealand at a time when demand is climbing sharply across both New Zealand and Australia.
He says part of the squeeze comes from Australian distributors booking out vessels bound for New Zealand, using Auckland as a transhipment point before the cars continue across the Tasman.
“What’s happening is that the Australian car companies are filling up the boats destined for New Zealand just so they can ship their cars from China to Auckland and then over to Australia,” he says.
The result, Willmot says, is delays of up to three to four weeks beyond the delivery times customers were initially given.
He says the company is not standing still on the issue, with the team working to secure additional shipping capacity and exploring alternative options to get vehicles to New Zealand sooner.
“We’re not going to leave any stone unturned,” he says.
Willmot says customers will receive their vehicles, and points them to their local dealer as the best source of up-to-date information.
“They will let you know the very moment that your vehicle is loaded onto a ship,” he says.
