Chinese e-bus manufacturer wins African contract

BYD Co. has won a bid to provide Cape Town (pictured) with a fleet of 11 battery-powered electric buses, writes Automotive News China. It is the Chinese manufacturer's first contract to supply electric vehicles in Africa. The South African city will use the buses to service routes of up to 40 km. 

 

BYD is China's largest EV producer, with several plants in China itself, as well as assembly locations in California and Scotland, and an agreement to build another one in Brazil. Earlier this month, BYD announced it would build a €20-million plant in Hungary to assemble electric buses and forklifts for sale on the European market. 

 

The company, partly owned by U.S. investor Warren Buffett, has built more than 10,000 e-buses to date.