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Cape to manufacture electric buses

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 07 Dec 2016
In 2018, Cape Town will become home to BYD's first electric bus manufacturing plant in Africa.
In 2018, Cape Town will become home to BYD's first electric bus manufacturing plant in Africa.

Electric bus manufacturer BYD will open an electric bus manufacturing plant in the City of Cape Town in 2018.

In a statement, Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille says after a competitive bidding process earlier this year, the city awarded BYD the contract to manufacture the first fleet of electric buses.

The buses will be partly assembled in Cape Town and BYD will also source some components from local suppliers, which will create a number of jobs, adds the statement.

The mayor says: "With this, Cape Town becomes the first city in Africa to use electric buses for our MyCiTi public transport system.

"As a progressive city committed to enhancing our climate change action projects, this is a major step on our journey to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the green economy.

"The acquisition of electric buses will also help us save money as it comes with reduced maintenance and operating costs."

De Lille previously noted the city's decision to introduce electric buses is part of the Energy 2040 Strategy, as well as a way to show commitment to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions.

Commenting on the partnership, BYD chairperson Chuanfu Wang says: "BYD is really glad to collaborate with a leading city like Cape Town in your climate action efforts. In the near future, we are planning to establish a local production plant for our electric buses in Cape Town. This is not only to help protect the environment, but will also provide jobs to people in Cape Town."

Various BYD products, including electric buses, sky-rail, and renewable energy products such as solar panels will be manufactured at this plant.

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