The South Korean company -- the world's largest maker of memory chips and smartphones -- told the Associated Press that it sees the investment as a means to strengthening its burgeoning semiconductor business for vehicles.
The company said the talks with BYD will not affect supply deals of Samsung SDI, a lithium-ion battery supplier for electric vehicles.
BYD — the name stands for "Build Your Dreams" — started out in the mid-1990s as a battery developer, founded by engineer Wang Chuanfu and 20 of his co-workers from a state-owned company.
by 2002, the company supplied about half the global market for mobile phone batteries. That same year, it started its electric vehicle business.
Information about the value of Samsung's proposed investment have not been disclosed.
For additional information:
