BYD and Raízen Power plan to build 600 new DC charging piles in eight major Brazilian cities.

(Image credit: BYD)

BYD (OTCMKTS: BYDDF) has entered into a partnership with a Brazilian energy company to build a charging network in the South American country.

BYD entered into a strategic partnership with Shell's Raízen Power on February 2, with plans to build BYD-Shell electric vehicle charging hubs in eight major Brazilian cities over the next three years, according to a company press release yesterday.

The eight cities are São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Salvador and Belém, and the move is strategically important for the development and implementation of BYD's charging equipment and battery solutions, the company said.

BYD and Raízen Power plan to build 600 new DC charging piles in Brazil, adding 18 megawatts of installed capacity.

BYD owners in Brazil will enjoy exclusive rights to enjoy BYD-Shell EV charging centers at a more favorable price, according to the company.

Building a robust and widely distributed charging infrastructure is crucial and an important guarantee for driving the growth of clean energy transportation, said Stella Li, president of BYD in the Americas.

BYD and Shell signed a global strategic cooperation agreement on March 23, 2022 to jointly enhance the charging experience of BYD's pure electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) customers.

The two companies would first kick off their partnership in China and Europe, and plan to expand the partnership globally, BYD said in a March 2022 press release.

In September 2023, the two completed a large EV charging station in Shenzhen, where BYD is headquartered, offering 258 fast-charging piles, which is claimed to be the largest in the world.

Brazil is an important market for BYD, with the Chinese NEV maker currently selling six models there, including the Tang EV, Han EV, Yuan Plus EV, Song Plus DM-i, Dolphin, and Seal.

In July 2023, BYD announced that it would set up a large manufacturing base complex consisting of three factories in Brazil with a total investment of 3 billion reais ($600 million).

The industrial complex includes a production plant that focuses on electric bus and truck chassis, a new energy passenger car production plant, and a processing plant that specializes in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery materials.

($1 = 4.9704 Brazilian reais)

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