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BYD Revolutionizes Brazil with the Arrival of 5,459 Electric Cars on the Ship Explorer 1, Powered by LNG. Discover How the Brand Is Leading the Sustainable Transformation in Transportation
The Chinese manufacturer BYD keeps surprising. Last year, the brand became the top seller in its home country for the first time, established itself as Tesla’s main threat in the electric car world, and just unveiled its first hybrid pickup. A good example of its prowess is its ship, which docked a few days ago in Brazil.
Delivered in January at the port of Yantai, in the Shandong province of China, the Explorer 1, the brand’s official ship, docked for the first time on the American continent, bringing electric and hybrid cars to Brazil.
The Ship Explorer 1
The ship that docked on Monday, May 27, at the Port of Suape, in Pernambuco, measures 199.9 meters in length and can carry up to 7,000 vehicles. Although there are other ships with similar capacity, it is uncommon for all cars traveling on such a ship to belong to the same manufacturer.
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This was only the Explorer 1’s second voyage, which lasted 27 days from China to Brazil and will soon return to its home country. The ship also has 23 crew members, most of whom are of Bulgarian origin.
According to the Chinese company, the ship is equipped with an innovative dual propulsion system of LNG (liquefied natural gas) and conventional fuel. It is expected that in the next two years, seven more ships will be added to the fleet, all integrating energy storage battery technology and generator systems powered by a BYD axle, significantly reducing pollution.
More Than 5,000 Cars at Once
With the largest movement of automobiles in the history of the Port of Suape at one time, the ship brought 5,459 vehicles to supply the Brazilian market, aimed at meeting the high demand consumers have shown for BYD’s electric and hybrid cars.
In just the first five months of the year, the Chinese brand has already registered over 25,500 units, a 43% increase compared to all registrations in 2023 (17,900).
In April, the company became one of the members of the elite top ten sales in the Brazilian market, after ranking ninth overall among all brands, according to data from Fenabrave (National Federation of Motor Vehicle Distribution).
Focus on Import and Domestic Production
However, the company’s focus is not only on imports. According to Alexandre Baldy, the brand’s special advisor, “Brazil is currently the largest market for BYD outside of Asia. Therefore, the construction of our factory in Camaçari is advancing at a rapid pace. By the end of this year, we will begin assembling vehicles in Bahia, and starting next year, we will produce the most efficient and technological vehicles on domestic soil.”
In addition, Baldy highlighted that Brazil, “which has one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world, has all the potential to become an example of fleet electrification, and our sales growth shows that Brazilians are increasingly concerned about green and sustainable mobility.”
BYD Market Leader in China
BYD, which stands for “Build Your Dreams,” is also the absolute leader in sales in the Chinese automotive market, even surpassing combustion cars. Sales of the brand’s passenger cars continue to rise.
In April, the growth was 49% compared to the same period in 2023. To put it into perspective, BYD’s sales increase from 2020 to 2023 in China was 626.4%, rising from 416,337 units to 3,024,417 passenger vehicles.
Exports are also on the rise. Last year, BYD was responsible for exporting 242,765 vehicles, a number that allowed for an annual growth of 334.2%. On an industrial scale, it is currently present in over 70 countries and contributes to a global operation of great reach and impact.
“We believe that it is possible to maintain sustainability and technology in all our green mobility solutions, and we are increasingly committed to contributing to the strengthening of green and smart international logistics. And Brazil is undoubtedly one of our biggest bets, in every sense,” stated Tyler Li, president of BYD Brazil.
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