BYD Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, China, has started operations at its battery factory in Brazil. The factory is the third factory in the country belonging to the Chinese electric vehicle giant, though this will be their first battery factory and will produce lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries primarily for electric buses, Electrive.com reports.
This latest factory involved an initial investment of 2.7 USD and covers 5,000 square metres. BYD says that the plant has a production capacity of up to 18 thousand battery modules per year and even expects to deliver 1,000 battery modules this month.
BYD describes the plant as being “highly automated and robotic”. Tyler Li, responsible for BYD’s business in Brazil, says of the factory that “operation is fast and technical, as here in Manaus we have the infrastructure completely assembled and automated to deliver batteries more quickly and more safely.” He revealed that the new BYD plant is currently “producing 48 battery modules every day.”
The largest electric bus maker in the world is looking to Brazil for an expansion of its activities in South America. “With our investment, we will also be able to partner with companies interested in enhancing the electrification of their equipment,” explains Li.