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Why Electric Buses Made in China Are Roaming the Streets of London
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Why Electric Buses Made in China Are Roaming the Streets of London

Jia Lei
Caijng Wuji, 2019
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In 1934, China imported the first double-decker buses from the United Kingdom. When they started touring Shanghai, the gathering onlookers blocked the traffic. Eight decades later, the United Kingdom now imports advanced electric buses from China. The introduction of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2013 has boosted Chinese automobile manufacturers interest in foreign markets. Finance blogger – and unabashed Chinese patriot – Jia Lei uses Chinese automaker BYD’s success story as a springboard to explain how Chinese car manufacturers position themselves to capitalize on the growing market of new-energy vehicles. 

Summary

The London government has been replacing traditional buses with electric vehicles manufactured by Chinese car company BYD since 2013.

Great Britain had the first mass-produced busses in the world. Its capital London has always had a huge demand for buses, and today, six million people commute by bus every day. But people began criticizing the famous red double-decker buses for their exhaust emissions and environmental impact, compelling the local government to search for new-energy vehicles. None of the new-energy vehicles made in England were up to par. 

The London government sets high standards for their red buses, a symbol of British conservatism. When Chinese automobile manufacturer BYD made a bid to London to become its bus provider, London was skeptical. But after an on-site inspection of the BYD factories, the government officials remarked that BYD’s models with their built-in batteries, electric motors and core technologies surpassed the models of...

About the Author

Jia Lei is a writer for Caijing Wuji, a WeChat account that offers interesting takes on business and financial news. 

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