Chinese electric vehicle giant, Build Your Dreams (BYD), is making big moves in Africa.
After successfully entering Kenya two years ago, the company is now expanding into Rwanda, riding the wave of the country’s commitment to sustainable development.
BYD is a force to be reckoned with in China, holding the title of the country’s best-selling automaker.
Just in December 2023, they sold a whopping 3,024,417 vehicles, marking a significant 45% increase from the previous month and a 61.9% boost from the previous year.
In East Africa, BYD’s impact is felt through BasiGo, a leading electric transit service. BasiGo, already operating BYD buses in the region, expanded its fleet into Rwanda in July 2023, addressing the country’s shortage of electric transit options.
Not stopping there, BYD’s influence extends to Kenya, where Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA) announced plans to assemble 130 BYD electric vehicles in March 2023. BasiGo, in a smart move, partnered with AVA in January of the same year to assemble buses in Mombasa.
Moving further south, BYD made its mark in the South African market in July 2023, introducing the Standard Range and Extended Range versions of its Atto 3 model.
The company initially entered Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces and expanded to the Northern Cape by November, solidifying its presence in the region.