It took BYD 13 years to reach its first 1 million NEVs produced, and a year and a half to see that number increase from 2 million to 3 million.

(Image credit: BYD)

BYD is about to see its 3 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) roll off the production line, another milestone in its history.

BYD's 3 millionth NEV is about to roll off the assembly line, and the company will celebrate the occasion at a live event on November 16 at 10:30 am Beijing time, according to an invitation shared by several auto bloggers.

BYD is currently China's largest maker of NEVs, but its rapid rise in the segment has only been in the last two years.

It took BYD 13 years to see its NEV production reach its first 1 million units. After that, its production rate accelerated significantly and it produced a second 1 million NEVs in just 1 year.

From the 2 millionth to the 3 millionth NEV rolled off the production line, BYD took only half a year.

On May 19 last year, BYD held its 1 millionth NEV roll-out ceremony, becoming the first Chinese brand to sell more than 1 million NEVs.

BYD sold 217,816 NEVs worldwide in October, the second consecutive month in which it exceeded 200,000 units.

The company's retail sales of passenger cars in China in October were 205,789 units, contributing 11.2 percent of all passenger car sales in the country, according to data released Wednesday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

BYD stopped the production and sales of cars powered entirely by internal combustion engines in March.

From January to October, BYD's cumulative NEV sales were 1,397,870 units, up 233.92 percent from 418,619 units in the same period last year.

BYD's year-to-date sales of pure electric passenger vehicles were 685,286 units, up 202.75 percent from 226,356 units in the same period last year.

It has sold 707,553 plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles this year, up 283.61 percent from 184,445 units in the same period last year.