Chinese electric vehicle leader BYD will invest 300 million reais ($56.9 million) to build an EV research and development facility in Brazil.
The new facility is near to Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attended the event announcing the project last week.
Construction is scheduled to begin this year, with the facility due to open in 2028.
The R&D center will include a test track where vehicles will be assessed on speed, power output and durability. The site will also include a circuit for testing off-road performance and a large pool for testing the buoyancy of vehicles.
The design of the facility will resemble that of the EV testing circuit BYD opened in Zhengzhou, China, in August last year, according to the company.
BYD began Brazilian operations last year at a passenger vehicle plant in the city of Camacari. The factory is able to make 150,000 vehicles a year.
BYD is trying to expand sales beyond China, where its growth has slowed. The company sees South America as one of its key regions.