AUTOMOTIVE
“ We’ re not modifying our vehicles for this market. We want South African consumers to experience the latest technology, just like people in other countries.”
This approach aligns with the brand’ s broader goal of making electric and hybrid vehicles more affordable and accessible. While the high costs of EVs have historically been a barrier in the country, BYD offers products that don’ t compromise on quality.“ Our mission is to bring international products to local consumers at a price point that doesn’ t break the bank,” says Chang.“ We want consumers to have the same access to cuttingedge technology as anyone else.”
Entering the market: a strategic move The company’ s official entry into the South African market came just over two years ago, which Chang describes as a strategic decision based on identifying an opportunity.“ Our chairman always says, if you find a market with half a million vehicles sold in a year, that’ s where you want to be,” he says.“ Whether or not a market is ready for electric vehicles and hybrids is something we had to figure out.”
Despite the early challenges – particularly in educating consumers and developing the necessary infrastructure – BYD pressed ahead.“ We started selling electric vehicles while the market was still catching up,” recalls Chang.“ It was a challenge, but we knew we had to start somewhere.”
Addressing infrastructure challenges One of the most significant hurdles facing the EV market in South Africa is the lack of charging infrastructure. To address this, BYD has formed a strategic partnership with Eskom.“ We signed a Memorandum of Understanding( MOU) with Eskom to collaborate on the rollout of charging stations across the country,” says Chang.“ The key is understanding where the demand for charging stations is, and building infrastructure that meets those needs.”
“ We need to know where our customers are, and then we can help Eskom identify the areas where we need charging stations,” Chang explains. This strategic collaboration aims to ensure that charging stations are located where they are most needed, ultimately making electric vehicles a more viable option for South Africans.
The role of the private sector While other companies in the EV space have partnered with private sector players to develop charging networks, BYD has not pursued such partnerships, citing concerns over pricing and accessibility.
“ The private sector charging tariffs are often too expensive for the average consumer,” Chang says.“ When you buy a vehicle from BYD, it comes with a home charger, so most customers charge their EVs at home.”
The vehicles are designed with everyday convenience in mind.“ For example, our vehicles can be charged from 20 % to 100 % in under three hours at home, at a cost similar to what you would pay for standard electricity,” Chang says.“ If public charging stations are too expensive, people simply won’ t use them.”
The company’ s plans for the new year include having 30 dealerships and 200 to 300 charging stations in operation.“ We are very focused on building a sustainable future for our business and for South Africa’ s transport ecosystem,” Chang states.
BYD’ s social commitment According to Nomonde Kweyi, Marketing Director for BYD South Africa and the Middle East, the company’ s mandate goes beyond just selling cars.“ We want to lead the new energy framework in South Africa, not just from a brand perspective, but from a commercial and social perspective.”
Kweyi emphasises that BYD’ s technology solutions are designed to address the country’ s unique challenges, including concerns over range anxiety, charging infrastructure and sustainability.“ Our vehicles offer a total solution,” she explains.“ We’ re not just offering a car – we’ re offering a complete ecosystem for mobility that answers the needs of South African consumers.”
In addition, the company is planning significant Corporate Social Investment( CSI) initiatives, including technology education and skills development programmes aimed at empowering local technicians and the youth.“ We aim to create opportunities for the South African people, and that includes providing access to training and technology solutions that help with the country’ s long-term development,” says Kweyi. �
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