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Portugal Latest Country for BYD’s Pure Electric Ebuses

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New energy company BYD has entered the Portugal market for its pure electric ebuses.

Portugal joins Spain as an operator of the proven BYD ebus.

The Coimbra Municipal Public Transportation Service, SMTUC, has placed an order for eight pure electric 12 metre BYD buses. The contract for this order was signed today by Manuel Augusto Soares Machado, President of the Coimbra Municipality, and Isbrand Ho, Managing Director of BYD Europe, in Coimbra — a city north of the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

It is the first purchase order in Portugal for BYD’s pure electric buses and follows a successful test by SMTUC of a BYD 12 metre ebus last year. With the confirmation of this order for Portugal, BYD is expanding its European presence to 10 countries and now has more than over 400 orders for its electric buses in Europe.

The ebuses will service several routes in the city centre of Coimbra, becoming the city’s first fleet of 12 metre pure electric buses. Delivery of the eight vehicles is planned in the beginning of 2019.

Manuel Augusto Soares Machado, President of the Coimbra Municipality: “I am honoured to announce that these BYD buses are the first full size 12 metre pure electric buses in the one hundred year history of SMTUC. I am also happy to announce that new tenders are being prepared to reinforce electric public transportation in Coimbra.”

Isbrand Ho, Managing Director at BYD Europe: “We are delighted to be able to add this important market, Portugal, to our client portfolio. From north to south Europe, we have become a competitive player across the Continent covering all the climatic conditions from the cold north of Scandinavia to the heat of Italy, Spain and now Portugal, not forgetting the more moderate conditions of Benelux and the UK. The results of the tests with our ebus here were promising and we are confident that our ebuses can deliver reliable and safe services and help to improve air quality – whatever the weather!”

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, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

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

© 2018 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.

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Minority Stock Positions Stock Portfolio

BYD Lauded as One of the Most Innovative Companies

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New energy technology company BYD has been named one of the year’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company for the fifth time since 2009.

This year, Fast Company is honoring BYD as one of its Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Energy.

BYD was selected from a list of fifteen hundred companies.

The Fast Company accolade continues a legacy of recognition for the most-awarded electric bus manufacturer in the world. BYD has now been honored more than a dozen times by international media outlets, government agencies, nonprofits and trade associations for its work in clean air, energy, transportation and technological innovation.

“At BYD, we never stop working to transform the world. We strive to create innovative ways to power and move the world with safe and sustainable technology,” says Stella Li, President of BYD North America. “We are honored to be recognized for our contribution worldwide.”

In addition to being a global leader in rechargeable-battery manufacturing, BYD is the world’s largest manufacturer of battery-electric vehicles for the third year in a row. BYD is also the largest manufacturer of battery-electric buses in North America.

All of these industries are built on BYD’s proprietary Iron-Phosphate battery -— a fire-safe, completely recyclable and incredibly long- cycle technology.

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, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

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

© 2018 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.

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Warren Buffett on a stock buy so good, “that I’m actually starting to remember that it was my idea.”

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Berkshire Hathaway’s investment in Chinese new energy company BYD has worked out so well that it’s now among the company’s top fifteen stock holdings.

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has grown almost ten-fold in just a decade.

Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.

Whose idea was it to purchase a stake in the company?

“Charlie (Munger) called me one day and says, ‘We’ve got to buy BYD. This guy that runs it is better than Thomas Edison,’ Warren Buffett explained while appearing on CNBC’s Squawk Box. “And I said, ‘That isn’t good enough.’ And then he called a little later and said, ‘He’s a combination of Edison and Bill Gates.’ And I said, ‘Well, you’re warming up but it still isn’t good enough.’ Anyway, Charlie wanted to do it. Now, it’s worked out so well that I’m actually starting to remember that it was my idea. As it’s coming back to me. I think I persuaded Charlie. But unfortunately I’m on the record that it’s his deal. But BYD, Charlie’s in love with the company, and it’s done very well. And the fellow that runs it, you know who’s autos and batteries, but he’s got big, big ideas and he’s very good at executing. So, but I leave it to Charlie.”

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

© 2018 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.

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Minority Stock Positions Stock Portfolio

BYD Receives Prestigious Energy Storage Award

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German energy consultancy EuPD Research has awarded new energy technology company BYD with the “Top Brand PV Seal 2018” for energy storage manufacturers, the first for a Chinese company.

The honor was determined after German PV installers rated BYD highly across a range of categories including brand satisfaction, loyalty, quality and distribution strength.
BYD, headquartered in the Chinese innovation hub of Shenzhen, has won numerous international accolades for its advancement in the energy storage sector.

Last November, pv magazine named BYD as the winner of its global innovation award because of the company’s breakthrough technology in its residential and commercial battery energy storage system the B-Box (high voltage).

In the same year, two BYD energy storage products were jointly nominated at the ees (Electrical Energy Storage) awards, an unprecedented achievement for a company since the award began in 2014.

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 is now worth roughly $1.8 billion.

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

© 2018 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.

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Minority Stock Positions Stock Portfolio

BYD ADL Pure Electric Buses Continue to Conquer London

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On Saturday, February 3, a fleet of BYD ADL pure electric buses took over operation of a fourth London bus route.

Route 153, operated by Go-Ahead London on behalf of Transport for London (TfL), runs an intensive service from before 05.00 to after 23.00 six days a week (with a slightly later start on Sundays). The Route spans many of the City of London’s most congested streets between its termini at Finsbury Park in the north to Moorgate in the heart of the financial district.

The new fleet consists of 11 of the 10.8m BYD ADL Enviro200EV single deckers, similar to others operated by Go-Ahead and now a familiar sight on London roads. The well proven zero emission vehicles entered service successfully and operate from the Northumberland Park Garage in Tottenham, north London. The new buses marked the transfer of the route to Go-Ahead from CT Plus. BYD has supplied the depot with its own-designed and manufactured charging points.

The other three ADL BYD serviced London routes, all with Go-Ahead, are the 521 and 507 from Waterloo and the 360 from Camberwell. Other routes and operators will receive fleets of BYD ADL electric buses in the coming months following tender wins by the partnership.

“We are delighted to make another significant step in the electrification of London’s bus routes and to be in the vanguard of the transformation. At Go-Ahead we have developed considerable practical knowledge of electric bus operation, gained over six years, and are well positioned to contribute further to the improvement of the capital’s air quality”, said Richard Harrington, Go-Ahead Group’s Engineering Director.

“The smooth switch on of our electric buses to operate another intensive London route is a testament to the strength of our overall offering – not just the proven and reliable buses themselves but of the back up and support of our partners in planning and installing the necessary equipment to make electric bus operation successful from day one”, said Frank Thorpe, UK Country Manager for BYD UK, speaking on behalf of the ADL BYD partnership.

BYD sold over 14,000 electric buses globally in 2017 and, in partnership with ADL, single deck market leader in the UK, its fleets in London, Liverpool and Nottingham have already accumulated well over a million miles of emissions free operation on UK roads.

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 is now worth roughly $1.8 billion.

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

© 2018 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.

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Egypt Chooses BYD’s Electric Buses

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Egypt’s first pure electric bus will begin plying the streets of its second largest city Alexandria in the first half of the year under a new deal signed with BYD. Under the agreement, BYD will deliver 15 units of K9 12-meter pure electric buses and 18 charging poles, to accelerate the transition of local public transportation electrification.

The company won a competitive tender to provide its K9 pure electric buses after a call for submissions was made in April 2017. Countries such as Australia, the USA, UK, Japan and Italy operate the K9 in various scenarios. Powered by BYD’s proprietary battery technology, the K9 has a range of 250 kilometers.

BYD is ramping up its expansion across global markets as cities around the world shift towards more sustainable practices. In the Egyptian capital of Cairo, BYD’s sedan accounts for 40 percent of the city’s taxi fleet; its sports utility vehicle S5 is scheduled for a local launch in March.

Also in the pipeline are plans to assemble electric buses and electric cars in Egypt, construct a BYD SkyRail monorail through Alexandria’s congested city center and possibly develop the country’s solar energy sector.

“The tide is turning towards a greener way of living. We need to give ourselves a fighting chance if we are to mitigate the effects of climate change,” said AD Huang, General Manager of BYD Middle East and Africa Auto Sales Division.

BYD’s new energy vehicles span private, public and industrial use. The footprint has landed in more than 200 cities across 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 is now worth roughly $1.8 billion.

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

© 2018 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.

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13 BYD Pure Electric Midibuses for Italy

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Four city operators in the Piedmont Region of Italy have placed orders for a total of 13 BYD pure electric Midibuses, a new model which BYD only unveiled at the Busworld Show in October.

GTT, the Turin operator is ordering eight Midibuses (which will join its fleet of 20 12m BYD ebuses), AMAG in Alessandria is taking two as is BUSCOMPANY, the operator in nearby Saluzzo and CHIESA in Carmagnola is ordering one.

The buses, which will be built in BYD’s plants in China, are expected to be delivered in the second half of 2018.

“These orders are doubly significant for BYD: they further under line our growing position in the important Italian bus market where we are making progress in the face of strong competition and they also represent a vote of confidence in our latest model, the Midibus”, said Isbrand Ho, Managing Director, BYD Europe.

“In fact, in this month alone we are able to announce orders for our largest ever vehicles – two 18m articulated ebuses – from our most northerly customer, Nobina in Norway, as well as these 13 vehicles – our smallest model – for our most southerly mainland European customers in Piedmont.”

He added: “Whether its maximum capacity in a cold climate or manoeuvrable ebuses capable of servicing confined streets in historic southern cities, BYD has the right product!” Mr Ho added.

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 is now worth roughly $1.8 billion.

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

© 2018 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.

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BYD Brings Its Pure Electric Articulated Buses to Norway

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Norway’s first electric articulated buses, produced by China’s BYD, began service on route 31E in Oslo Norway on 21 December.

Nobina is the first operator in Europe to put the Chinese produced BYD articulated electric bus into operation. Two 18-metre buses are running on route 31 and 31E, Norway’s heaviest duty routes carrying approximately 15 million customers a year and approximately 50,000 daily travelers. The routes are operated by Nobina on behalf of Ruter (PTA).

“We look forward to gaining valuable experience with these climate-friendly and quiet buses. Line 31 is the first route to try such a concept in Norway. In Nobina, we are very pleased to be able to help drive the switch to green buses in Oslo in cooperation with Ruter. This is an innovative contribution to our service in Oslo,” says managing director of Nobina, Jan Volsdal.

Other electric buses are on trial in Norway but, unlike them, the BYD articulated ebuses do not use opportunity charging via pantographs and street facilities, but charge at the depot.

The articulated ebuses running on Line 31 and Line 31E operate between Grorud and Tonsenhagen, a distance of 17 to 24 km.

“We showed off our articulated ebus concept more than two years ago and we are delighted to see it enter passenger-carrying service,” said Isbrand Ho, Managing Director of BYD Europe. “Conditions in Oslo are challenging for electric vehicles but we have every confidence that our ebuses will perform well in this heavily trafficked route even in the deep cold of the Norwegian winter.”

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 is now worth roughly $1.8 billion.

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

© 2017 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.

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Minority Stock Positions Stock Portfolio

BYD Pure Electric Buses Now in Okinawa

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A fleet of 10 pure electric buses manufactured by Chinese new energy technology company BYD is now in service on the Japanese island of Okinawa, marking the beginning of the island’s electrified public transportation initiative.

A total of 10 BYD K9 buses now run a shuttle service to and from the Okinawa Naha Port. BYD is the only Chinese automaker to enter the Japanese market, and only with pure electric vehicles.

This is not the first time BYD has delivered its e-buses to Japan. In 2015, five BYD K9 buses started running in the city of Kyoto. This time, Japan placed the additional order to operate the K9 fleet in the historic city of Okinawa, which hosts millions of visitors each year.

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 is now worth roughly $1.8 billion.

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

© 2017 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.

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Minority Stock Positions Stock Portfolio

BYD Wins Innovation Award

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China’s BYD Co. Ltd., the world’s leading supplier of rechargeable lithium batteries, has received an industry award for its high voltage lithium storage system B-Box HV. The versatile concept and its features for high efficiency have been recognized by the industry experts on a jury panel from pv magazine award 2017 for top innovation.

BYD’s B-Box HV drives progress in three categories: with the modularity, the charging and discharging performance and the efficiency. The efficiency had also been tested in a recent storage system performance test and could show impressive results, surpassing the competition.

The B-Box HV lithium storage system was launched in spring 2017 and employs the successful modular design of the B-Box series with battery capacities ranging from 6.4 to 11.5 kWh, providing more than enough energy for the average household and can be scaled up to 57.5kWh for light commercial. The B-Box features excellent efficiency, delivering higher capacity for the best return on investment. The system supports constant 1C and 2C peak charge and discharge rates, and provides best in class useable capacity ratios. As a result it can support household electric devices longer with more power. An innovative connection system allows for an extremely easy plug-and-play installation without the need to connect cables.

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 is now worth roughly $1.8 billion.

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

© 2017 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.