Category: Minority Stock Positions

BYD Canada has announced that ten zero-emission, 40-foot K9M battery-electric buses will be put into service by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), in Toronto, Ontario.

TTC is Canada’s largest and North America’s third largest transit operator.

“This is an important milestone for the city, for the province and for BYD and we can’t wait for Torontonians to see what BYD’s combination of best-in-class technology, and Canadian know-how can deliver for their city,” BYD Canada Vice President Ted Dowling said.

“We know of course that this moment, this kind of innovation, doesn’t just happen – it takes leadership and real champions at the table to make it work. On behalf BYD, I’d like to thank Mayor John Tory, Minister Catherine McKenna, TTC Chair Jaye Robinson and CEO Rick Leary and of course Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong for their strong commitment to a clean, green future for Toronto, and their investment in good, Canadian jobs to get it done.”

This is a significant a milestone for BYD, as these ten buses are the first to hit the road from BYD’s 45,000-square-foot assembly facility in Newmarket, Ontario; the first new electric bus plant to open in the province in a generation. The assembly of these buses created 30 jobs and are the first buses built in Ontario since Orion closed its plant in 2012.

“Beyond the jobs they create, these ten buses delivered to Toronto will help remove nearly 8400 metric tonnes of GHG from the atmosphere over their lifetime –just imagine what we could do with more. We’re proud to be a partner in helping make Toronto’s vision of an emissions free transit system– and we look forward to continuing this wonderful partnership for many years to come,” continued Dowling.

The Toronto Transit Commission is one of several customers in Canada purchasing zero-emission, battery-electric BYD buses. This order represents a significant advance toward TTC’s goal of purchasing all emission-free buses beginning in 2025 and completing a fleet conversion by 2040. Each of these new buses will remove approximately 9 Metric tons of nitrogen oxides, 159 kilograms of diesel particulate matter, and approximately 1,530 Metric tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere over the 12-year lifecycle of the vehicle.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost twenty-fold.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a 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.

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Chinese battery and vehicle manufacturer BYD was selected by the State of California to be a supplier of motor coaches, giving customers the convenience and competitive pricing of a pre-established contract.

Under the purchasing contract, entities can buy three BYD models: the K10M 45-foot low-floor coach and the C9M 40-foot high-floor coach; and the C10M 45-foot high-floor coach.

BYD’s buses are assembled at its plant in Lancaster, California.

The statewide purchasing contract was created to assist transit agencies meet the California Air Resources Board’s Innovative Clean Transit regulation, which requires that all public transit agencies transition to zero-emission buses, with all new bus purchases to be zero-emission by 2029 and the goal of complete fleet transition by 2040. There are over 200 public transit agencies in California operating more than 14,000 transit buses.

The statewide contract will also be available to governmental entities outside of California.

“This is a big win for transit agencies and operators throughout the United States,” said Patrick Duan, Vice President of BYD North America. “By leveraging California’s purchasing contract, transit agencies benefit from the convenience of an existing contract and competitive pricing. BYD will supply its zero emission U.S-made coaches to California and America with pride.”

BYD had a net profit of 1.66 billion yuan (roughly 242 million U.S. dollars) for the first half of 2020. The net profit rose 14.29 percent over the same period in 2019.

BYD is the world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It is an investment that has paid off handsomely, as Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost twenty-fold.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, 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.

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Chinese battery and vehicle manufacturer BYD had a net profit of 1.66 billion yuan (roughly 242 million U.S. dollars) for the first half of 2020. The net profit rose 14.29 percent over the same period in 2019.

Through June 30, BYD had revenue of 60.5 billion yuan, down 2.7 percent year on year, according to BYD’s financial report filed with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Despite the global pandemic, BYD projects 2.8 billion yuan to 3 billion yuan of net profit in the first three quarters of this year, which would be an increase of 77.86 percent to 90.56 percent from the same period of 2019.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost twenty-fold.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a 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.

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Chinese battery and vehicle manufacturer BYD has delivered 33 battery-electric buses to the island nation of Barbados, opening up an exciting new chapter in the region’s efforts to tackle climate change.

The buses were delivered to the Barbados Transport Board, providing zero-emission operations and improving the efficiency of public transportation. Two more of the 30-foot buses will be delivered by December.

The bus delivery is an important milestone for the Barbados National Climate Change Plan, which sets a goal of 100% renewable energy and carbon neutrality by 2030.

According to BYD, it has sold its pure electric buses to more than 300 cities in over 50 countries and regions.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost twenty-fold.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a 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.

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BYD has delivered three more American-built K7M buses to the Kansas City International Airport (KCI), which (by the way) was the first in the nation to use battery-electric buses for its passengers and visitors.

The 30-foot K7M buses will serve as parking lot shuttles, bringing passengers to the airport terminals. The buses will join four other K7Ms at KCI.

Members of the Sheet Metal Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Union, Local 105, built the buses and the rest of KCI’s electric fleet at BYD Coach and Bus in Lancaster, California, USA.

“We’re honored that the forward-thinking leaders of KCI have once again chosen BYD buses to serve its passengers,” said Patrick Duan, BYD Vice President North America. These battery-electric buses will help keep Kansas City’s air clean, lower the airport’s operating costs and at the same time provide customers with a quiet, comfort ride.”

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely, as Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost twenty-fold.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, 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.

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Chinese battery and vehicle manufacturer BYD has delivered the first of 22 pure electric buses ordered by German public transport operator Bogestra.

The BYD e-bus exported to German is 12 meters long and has a maximum passenger capacity of 80 people. It also has an over-200-km mileage on a single charge.

The Chinese automaker received Bogestra’s order in last September. The rest of the buses are expected to be delivered by October and serve in cities including Bochum and Gelsenkirchen in Ruhr region, Germany.

He Yipeng, general manager of BYD Europe, said the entry into the German market indicates recognition of BYD’s technology and products by the local government and the public transport operator.

According to BYD, it has sold its pure electric buses to more than 300 cities in over 50 countries and regions.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a 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.

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BYD all-electric refuse trucks will soon be hard at work providing zero-emission collection services to Jersey City, N.J., the first such trucks on the U.S. East Coast capable of working an entire route.

Hudson County Motors and BYD will provide five all-electric, rear-loader collection trucks to the city. The BYD trucks will go to work on normal daily collection routes previously handled by diesel-fueled trucks.

The BYD 8R is the world’s first commercially available all-electric class 8 refuse chassis that can successfully complete an entire route. The BYD 8R’s core technologies include state-of-the-art batteries, controls and motors, which are designed, tested and built by BYD as an integrated system. This allows the BYD 8R to achieve the highest levels of performance, endurance and reliability.

BYD software optimizes power and torque for superior performance in refuse collection operations. Combined with BYD’s advanced battery chemistry, the BYD 8R holds enough energy to complete an entire route with true zero-emissions.

“Jersey City will be a model for what is now possible with zero-emission refuse trucks.” says John Gerra, Sr. Director of Business Development at BYD Motors. “We look forward to helping provide clean streets and clean air for the residents of Jersey City.”

The project is supported by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Sanitation Equipment Corp. of Totowa, NJ.

Hudson County Motors is BYD’s fully authorized truck dealer for Northern New Jersey.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a 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.

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China’s BYD, a world leader in electric vehicles, monorails, and batteries, is now one of the world leaders in PPE. As COVID-19 spiked worldwide demand for facemasks, BYD pivoted and started making both N95 masks and surgical masks. And with the pandemic resurging in California, the state has signed a $316 million deal with BYD to supply 420 million N95 masks and surgical masks for California.

In June, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California-based BYD North America had received certification from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to produce N95 respirators for the state.

Cal OES had made NIOSH certification of N95 masks an explicit requirement of the contract with BYD so that California’s doctors, nurses and other front-line workers can be confident that the N95 masks they receive from the state are of the highest quality and meet federal health and safety standards.

“Providing California’s front-line health care workers and responders the protective equipment they need is a critical part of our response to COVID-19. This new supply of N95 masks, as well as the surgical masks this contract has already provided, are game-changing and play a crucial role in our state’s public safety and reopening strategy,” Governor Gavin Newsom said at the time of its June combined order for 260 million N95 and surgical masks.

The state has already received hundreds of millions of masks from BYD, and the new order will be significantly cheaper than the previous order. The state will receive 120 million N95 masks for $2.13 per N95 mask and 300 million surgical masks at $0.20 per mask.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a 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.

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BYD has officially launched its new Han EV series, the brand’s long-awaited flagship offering for the global mid-to-large luxury sedan market, including three pure electric models and one hybrid model.

The Han EV will be sold in China at first. Its extended-range version will sell at 229,800 RMB, the extended-range variant of the premium model will be priced at 255,800 RMB, and the 4WD high-performance version will sell at 279,500 RMB. Besides, the PHEV version, Han DM, will sell at 219,800 yuan.

Among its safety features, the car uses BYD’s ultra-safe Blade Battery.

With BYD being no stranger to pioneering in the industry, the Han series continues to break new ground. The Han EV’s long-range pure electric version has a remarkable single-charge range of 605 kilometers (376 miles) based on the NEDC test cycle. The four-wheel-drive high-performance version possesses an acceleration of 0 to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds, making it China’s fastest EV in production, while the DM (Dual Mode) plug-in hybrid model offers 0 to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds, making it the country’s fastest hybrid sedan.

The Han series will create a new global standard for EV technology and quality, shaking up the traditional luxury car market while accelerating the global shift to electric vehicles. Named after one of the most celebrated dynasties in Chinese history, the Han series also demonstrates the country’s growing manufacturing prowess.

The Han has taken ten years from the concept stage to formal mass production,” which Wang Chuanfu, President of BYD, likened to “ten years of sharpening a brilliant sword.” He added, “Through our leading technologies, we have created three benchmarks for flagship EVs in terms of safety, performance, and luxury.”

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a 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.

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BYD has announced that Latin America’s largest fleet of zero-emission buses just got bigger, as Santiago’s RED system added 150 of their buses to Chile’s public transport system.

With a total of 455 buses in operation, BYD firmly leads Chile’s electric bus market.

The buses will run along Avenida Bernardo O’Higgins, the historic central avenue in the Chilean capital and will be operated by Metbus.

“This new fleet of 150 BYD electric buses will bring citizens more quality trips while improving Santiago’s air quality,” said Tamara Berríos, Country Manager, BYD Chile.

Santiago’s electric bus fleet will reach almost 800 units by the end of this year. Chile wants to completely electrify publicnsportation by the 2040.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold.

For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a 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.