Investing.com -- BYD Co. has applied for membership in the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, according to a spokesperson for the lobby group. The application would make the Chinese automaker the first from China to join the organization if approved.

The Brussels-based ACEA currently has 17 members, primarily European manufacturers, along with companies from outside the region including Ford Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. The lobby group represents the automotive industry in discussions with European Union institutions. A decision on BYD's membership has not yet been made.

The membership bid comes as BYD, the world's largest seller of electric vehicles, faces EU import tariffs on its vehicles. The company manufactures the Dolphin hatchback and competes with European automakers including Volkswagen AG and Stellantis NV in the region.

BYD is constructing a manufacturing facility in Hungary, its first production plant in Europe. The company plans to begin mass production at the Hungarian site this quarter. The local production is expected to help the automaker avoid the additional EU tariffs on imported vehicles.

Chery Automobile Co., another Chinese manufacturer, is already assembling vehicles in Barcelona.