50 BYD Electric Buses For Argentina, + A Local Factory

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The China-based electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has secured a new contract to supply Argentina with 50 electric buses, following a bidding process launched there by the country’s Ministry of Environment.

The company apparently beat out 5 other bidders to win the contract.

BYD has been officially recommended to supply 50 ebuses to Argentina. To better satisfy market demands, BYD plans to build a local plant. pic.twitter.com/VZKeh8lrol

— BYD (@BYDCompany) January 9, 2017

The 50 new electric buses will reportedly be utilized by the government in Argentina as part of a pilot program intended to “introduce” the technology to people there. The 12-meter electric buses will reportedly be spread throughout the country, with a number of different cities getting an allotment.

Here’s more from China Daily:

BYD started to promote its technologies in Argentina in 2011 through its local subsidiary, especially those related to electric vehicles and public transport.

The company signed its first MOU with the Ministry of Industry and the Secretary of Transport in Nov 2011.

Argentinean President Mauricio Macri and Minister of Environment Sergio Bergman spoke highly of the introduction of BYD technologies and electric vehicle models to their nation’s public transportation systems.

To better satisfy market demands, BYD plans to build a new local manufacturing plant in Argentina, which is expected to bring foreign investment and jobs to the country.

The company is reportedly hoping to build on this new agreement by providing a number of other “Green City Solutions,” including the company’s recently revealed SkyRail monorail system.

Editor’s Note:

BYD is one of a handful of Chinese companies that has produced thousands or tens of thousands of electric buses for Chinese use.

	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
BEV	523	1136	1904	1672	12760	94260
PHEV		1478	313	2637	16500	23051
HEV	3804	2825	5825	6111	797

However, electric bus sales have been much slower to come along in other countries. BYD and Proterra are the clear leaders in electric bus sales in North America, but the total order would be shamefully small to some individual Chinese cities.

Overall, the electric bus segment just seems to be another one of those parts of the new economy (and urban transport common sense) where China’s form of government and foresight (and overall growth) is resulting in the country and its companies becoming strong leaders, setting the red giant up to increasingly win the 21st century.