The Chinese city of Shenzhen was the scene for last week’s deal, described in a press release by Bergé as “evidence that both companies are clearly committed to alternatives for sustainable mobility”.
The automotive division of Bergé, which began operations back in 1979 and started to expand internationally in 2000, represents a total of 28 vehicle brands (in both the distribution and retail markets) and is present in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Mexico. Meanwhile, BYD, which manufactures rechargeable batteries for different applications (mainly Li-ion), began operating in the automotive industry in 2002 and is currently one of China’s leading manufacturers with sales in China alone of 30,000 units per month. BYD’s objective is to become the most important Chinese vehicle manufacturer by 2015.
According to last week’s press release, the first step taken in this new business venture was BYD’s participation in the Movele Project, including the addition of the F3DM and e6 models to the catalogue of electric vehicles published by Spain’s Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade. The Movele Project in Spain aims to introduce 2,000 electric vehicles of various categories, and with a variety of features and technologies, across a broad range of companies, institutions and private individuals, for use in urban environments, and to set up 500 recharging points for these vehicles, all within two years.
In addition, BYD has created the Institute of the Electric Vehicle in 2006, focused on the development of electric vehicles based on safer and more affordable Fe batteries and the combination of this system with other types of propulsion (Dual Mode or hybrid vehicles).
Bergé Automoción and BYD are also studying the possibility of expanding their collaboration to new business areas, such as recharging stations, logistics and maintenance associated with battery distribution, as well as the mass storage of electricity in batteries for use in the renewable energy industry.
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