Car company shifts production line to protective masks

China's leading new energy vehicle manufacturer BYD has crossed industrial boundaries to produce medical masks and disinfectant, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Production and shipment will be expected on Feb 17. Daily production capacity on the masks will reach 5 million pieces and disinfectant will be 50,000 bottles, per the car maker's Wechat account.

Production will be continued until the novel coronavirus outbreak is relieved or eliminated, the company said.

The masks have not yet been taken off the production line but the capacity is climbing, and pre-sales for individuals have not been started, a source from BYD told Nanfang Metropolis Daily.

At present, the masks will mainly supply severely epidemic-stricken areas, hospitals and anti-novel coronavirus departments and be sold at a fair price.

Other companies, including diaper manufacturer Daddybaby, car maker SGMW, Foxconn Technology Group and Sinopec, have turned factory lines into mask-making units.