Casablanca-Maroc, 9 december 2017 : His Majesty Mohamed VI chaired on Saturday, 09th December 2017, at the Casablanca Royal Palace, the MOU signature ceremony between Moroccan Government and the Chinese Group BYD Auto Industry, to set-up an electrified transportation ecosystem. The MOU has been signed between the Ministry of Industry, Investment, Commerce and Digital Economy, M. Moulay Hafid El Alamy, the Minister of Economy and Finance, M. Mohamed Boussaid and the BYD Chairman, M. Wang Chuanfu.

BYD ecosystem will include electrified transportation (passengers vehicles, bus and trucks), skyrail and battery to solve the current pollution and traffic congestion issues. This major project will create 2500 direct jobs. It will lie at his beginning on a 50 Hectares surface from which 30 hectares covered.

Through this strategic partnership, the Kingdom of Morocco partners a pioneer in electric industry and includes, for the first time in Africa, the spinneret of electric transportation whose production will be destined to export and local market.

The launch of that major project reinforces Moroccan Commitment in Sustainable Development, that constitutes an inseparable pillar of the Moroccan economic model and will contribute to realize international commitments undertaken by the Kingdom in term of decarbonization of transports.

In this regard, the Ministry of Industry, Investment, Commerce and Digital Economy, M Moulay Hafid El Alamy, has indicated “that this innovative project from BYD that will introduce new specialties in the Kingdom, will definitely put our country in the global dynamics consisting to develop new transportation solutions associating efficiency and environment respect”. “The ecosystem organized around BYD”, added Mr the Minister, “will comfort strategic orientations of Morocco, under the leadership of his Majesty the King Mohamed VI”.

With its full range of electrified transportation solutions, as Mr. Wang Chuanfu mentioned, “BYD is also very eager to support Morocco in its effort to develop urban mobility green solution through the full range of electric vehicles (passenger cars, bus and trucks), and light-up urban congestion with innovative rail transit solutions, the Skyrail”. As Mr. Wang Chuanfu added, “BYD is also happy to cooperate with Morocco on this project, and share its experience earned in several countries through the past years to develop electric mobility ecosystem”. Mr. Wang Chuanfu also hopes “that the cooperation between the Kingdom of Morocco and BYD will be a good example for other countries in the world for the application of new energy solutions”.

The Royal visit in China, in may 2016, through which several cooperation agreements have been signed, allowing today Chinese investors to serenely consider their implantation to Morocco, has been a precious catalyst to initiate this project.

This new success can also be granted to several assets of Morocco, notably its positioning as a competitive platform for automotive production and installation of leading operators in cutting-edge sectors, as well as composites, lighting or connectors.

Global electric transport leader, BYD counts 220 000 employees and more than 30 industrial parks around the World. BYD has reached 17 Bn$ turnovers and represents 13% of electric vehicles sold in the World. BYD also holds 30% of the first electric automotive market in the World, China.