Government is negotiating with BYD, the Chinese automaker and the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, to possibly open a manufacturing plant in South Africa, Cabinet announced at the end of August.
“This is in addition to the opening of the Beijing Automobile International Corporation (BAIC) manufacturing plant (another Chinese automaker) in South Africa,” said the statement.
The BAIC plant, located in Coega, in the Eastern Cape, and with a reported capacity of 100 000 vehicles a year, has, however, not yet produced any vehicles, eight years after construction started in 2016.
South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), which is State-owned, is a joint venture partner in the multibillion-rand development.
The IDC opted not to comment on the progress towards production, if any, at the BAIC plant.
BYD, or Build Your Dreams, is China’s overall best-selling car brand, having overtaken Volkswagen this year. It focuses on producing hybrids and EVs.
In South Africa, the brand has already supplied Golden Arrow Bus Services with two electric buses for local testing.
The company launched in South Africa earlier this year, with the ATTO 3 passenger EV available at R768 000.
BYD declined to comment on the announcement made by Cabinet.