(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
While Elon Musk touts the future prospects of hyperloops in dealing with future transportation needs, Chinese competitor BYD Co. LTD. is looking towards an existing mass transit technology, the monorail, as part of its answer to urban congestion issues.
According to BYD’s CEO Wang Chuanfu, the BYD’s green mobility platform is not just about cars; the company also plans to promote the implementation of what it calls “three-dimensional green traffic,” and is expanding its reach by entering the monorail industry.
Dramatic Cost Savings Compared to Subways
The electric monorail is a kind of traffic network which interconnects multiple transit backbones in the city at one sixth of the cost of a subway system.
According to Wang, the total market for monorails just in China are in the range of 3 trillion yuan ($450 billion).
BYD is unveiling its first electric monorail with a 4.4 kilometer line at its Shenzhen Headquarters as of September 2016.
The goal is to alleviate the traffic problems of 50,000 factory and management employees.
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares, and today owns roughly 9.1% of the company.
It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million is now worth roughly $1.77 billion.
For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.
© 2016 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.