One of the major players in the EV industry, BYD Auto, is now currently aiming for its first Brazilian (and first South American) manufacturing plant to open sometime in 2015.
The factory — which is set to be built in the city of Campinas in the São Paulo region of the country — will cover the whole manufacturing and assembly process of the company’s highly touted long-range EV buses, including the recyclable Iron-Phosphate battery packs that they use.
The factory will be built with an investment of around R$ 200,000,000 ($89.5 million), and will result in the creation of somewhere around 450 new local jobs.
“In the first year of operation (starting in 2015), the plant will have a maximum production capacity of 1,000 electric buses as well as all of their batteries,” stated BYD Brazil’s General Manager Tyler Li. “This is the first stage of manufacturing expansion. BYD chose Campinas because of this city’s spirit of innovation and their goal of building a cleaner society. Along with the buses and batteries, our dream is to build solar panels and energy storage systems here to help the region achieve their zero emissions goals.”
BYD’s Founder and Chairman, Wang Chuanfu, echoed that statement: “BYD chose Campinas because of this city’s spirit of innovation and their goal of building a cleaner society. Along with the buses and batteries, our dream is to build solar panels and energy storage systems here to help the region achieve their zero emissions goals.”
The two (as of now) manufacturing facilities will cover about 32,000m2, and 20,000m2, respectively. In addition to said facilities, the planned “second phase” of BYD’s development at the site will include an R&D center for the company’s related businesses (solar PV, smart-grid, and LEDs).
Jonas Donizette, the Mayor of Campinas, chimed in on the subject: “BYD fits very well in our City’s quest to attract investments, it is a company that produces goods and technologies related to the use of renewable energies, and also operates in key segments for the future of cities with sustainable urban mobility plans.”
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