BYD Celebrates 20 years in Europe

A ceremony was once held nowadays in Schiedam, the Netherlands to have a good time BYD Europe’s twentieth anniversary. Schiedam, part of the higher Rotterdam region, is a metropolis in South-Holland the place BYD’s European HQ has been based totally because December 1998.
Speeches had been delivered with the aid of Isbrand Ho, Managing Director at BYD Europe, Mr. Guosheng Zhang, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, and Mr. Cor Lamers, Mayor of Schiedam. The latter spoke additionally on behalf of the City of Rotterdam. Ms. Barbara Kathmann, Vice Mayor of Economic Affairs for the Municipality of Rotterdam joined the reception, collectively with clients, suppliers, and different enterprise members of the family of the company.
Isbrand Ho, Managing Director at BYD Europe, stated today: “It is all phase of the brilliant future for BYD’s “new power solutions” throughout Europe, pushed by using the battery technological know-how and the want to easy up the air we breathe – some thing in which you, BYD and our clients have a essential function to play. In the Netherlands we had been the first to introduce our verified significant emissions free buses 5 years ago. We will proceed to be an enterprise innovator, working in shut co-operation with academia, our clients and the applicable authorities and non-government bodies. We have the potential continue to be a chief even in the face of intensifying competition.

“We are dedicated to the Rotterdam region, to the Netherlands and to Europe. BYD Europe is no longer solely celebrating 20 years, however extra importantly in this city. We sense welcome here, with the non-stop help of the government, and the assist of you: our partners, customers and suppliers.”

Guosheng Zhang, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, said: “During these 20 years in the Netherlands, BYD has made some great achievements. Starting off as a battery provider with solely a few employees, you have now improved into a quickly developing enterprise with extra than 60 employees, representing solar, electricity storage and electric powered vehicles, and have been awarded the “Invest in Holland” certificates by way of Dutch government. We are proud to witness that you have grown into an essential contributor to the Dutch financial system and a precious member of Dutch society. BYD is a high-tech business enterprise committed to technological improvements for a higher life. Indeed, the revolutionary high-tech corporations like BYD no longer solely symbolize cooperation possibilities for our two countries, however additionally the riding pressure for China’s economy”.
Cor Lamers, Mayor of Schiedam: “Our area and the metropolis provide accurate services and possibilities for corporations to establish. In this enterprise park, on the border of Rotterdam, BYD can proceed to develop. I would like to emphasize ‘continue’, due to the fact the company’s song file is already impressive. Not surprisingly, BYD is one of the pinnacle 5 Chinese traders in the Netherlands. The institution of the employer right here helps the positioning of the Rotterdam area as an fascinating region for modern sustainability companies. This matches the Schiedam profile well.”

In December 1998 BYD Europe was the first overseas subsidiary of the Chinese-based BYD Company and started importing BYD batteries. A few years later it expanded business with solar panels and from 2012 it added electric buses, forklifts and taxis to its key businesses. Today it also has a growing energy storage business and very soon electric trucks will be included in its portfolio.

Following the success in the pure electric bus business, BYD is the number one supplier of electric buses in Europe with over 650 ebuses sold. It decided two years ago to move its bus production for Europe from China to two plants in Europe: Hungary and France. The Komarom, Hungary-based factory has since then delivered ebuses to Dutch clients Connexxion and Syntus, and to the Swedish operator Nobina. It is also producing the 12m specialized airport ebuses for Brussels Airport Company and chassis for customers in the UK. The plant in Beauvais, France, serves mainly as an assembly plant for the French market and has since its opening in November last year delivered ebuses to three cities in France.

The co-operation between BYD and Alexander Dennis, Britain’s largest coach and bus builder, has led to 60% market share in the UK market. It has also won Transport for London’s and the UK’s first ever electric double deck bus order. 37 BYD ADL buses will be delivered later this year.

The forklift division has been expanding in Europe and this year will be adding France, the Nordics and Poland to its network, already covering nearly the whole of Europe. It currently has over 50 dealers and registered a 40% increase in forklift orders last year. This week it also reached the milestone of its 1,500th forklift delivery to a customer in Europe, with the aim to double this figure in 2019.

Last year BYD Europe established a new market: a market for electric on-highway trucks and commercial vehicles. Two prototype electric trucks, a yard tractor designed for airport, port and distribution centres and a 7.5 tonne electric truck were already brought to Europe in 2018 and have been successfully tested. A sales team is being set up and a dealer network is being built. The launch is planned later this year.