Chinese automaker BYD announced this week that the Colombian capital of Bogotá will be trialling the company’s all-electric e6 sedan as a taxi.

As well as the 49 e6 sedans that will be put into the capital’s taxi service, Bogotá’s Technology, Science and Innovation Administration will also be getting several vehicles to try out.

“This project will permit us to analyze the behavior of the electric cars, with the purpose of reducing the dependence on fossil fuels,” says Marcela Bonilla, director of urban affairs for the Ministry of the Environment.

The city official says the project in Bogotá will serve as a model for other Colombian cities.

“BYD is very impressed with the leadership in Colombia and their vision to be a part of the new clean technology era with electrified public transportation. We hope to triple our growth and presence in Colombia by next year,” says BYD’s senior vice president, Stella Li.

Meanwhile, closer to home, BYD has signed an agreement to set up a 50:50 joint venture company with Bulgarian company Bulmineral to build electric buses in Europe.

The joint venture, Auto Motors Group, will manufacture all-electric buses in Breznik, Bulgaria in BYD’s first overseas joint venture.

“It is a very important step for BYD and will ensure we are able to move forward with our strategy to introduce our electric vehicles and more green products across Europe,” commented Isbrand Ho, managing director of BYD Europe.

Both BYD’s taxis and buses run on the company’s in-house developed iron-phosphate batteries. According to the company, the 12 m long buses have a range of 250 km on a single charge.

BYD’s buses have been in use in Shenzhen, China over the last year and have amassed over 11.81 million km.

For further information:
www.byd.com

Related stories:
Greentomatocars to put all-electric minicabs on the road in London (25-Oct)
Chinese city of Shenzhen expands electric bus and taxi fleet by 1500 (28-Feb)

Article source: http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/5635/