BYD appoints two distributors for its electric heavy goods vehicles
CHINESE electric vehicle (EV) brand BYD has appointed two distributors – Inchcape+ and Build Your Trucks – for its heavy goods vehicles in Singapore.
Each distributor will handle a specific type of heavy vehicle.
The appointment of Inchcape+ was revealed last week in a social media post by BYD Singapore. BYD and Build Your Trucks will sign a distributorship agreement on Wednesday (Nov 29).
ST Engineering will remain as the authorised distributor of BYD’S light goods vehicles such as vans, while Vantage Automotive remains the distributor for BYD’S passenger cars. BYD Singapore did not release an official statement on the appointments and declined to provide comment.
Inchcape+ is a new subsidiary of Inchcape Singapore that was set up in September this year.
According to an Inchcape+ representative, its distributorship will cover only the BYD T9R electric heavy truck model “for now”. It is still unclear if the distributorship will expand to cover other BYD heavy truck models in future.
Inchape Singapore’s managing director Ng Khee Siong said that the move was part of the company’s efforts to provide sustainable transportation solutions to meet the changing demands of customers, and that it would strengthen Inchcape’s market position.
Inchcape Singapore also holds the distributorship for Hino, Lexus, Toyota and Suzuki, and is one of the major agents for commercial vehicles through its sales of Hino and Toyota. BYD is its first Chinese brand.
In Europe, Inchcape is a dealer for BYD passenger cars in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Build Your Trucks will distribute BYD’S fully electric prime mover. The specific model is yet to be revealed.
A company representative described it as an “affiliate” of Call Lade Enterprise, which is a supplier of labour for port operations (chiefly to PSA) and operator of heavy vehicle car parks.
Two individuals, Yeo Yong Huat and Tan Dengqi, hold directorships and are shareholders in both companies.
Under Land Transport Authority regulations, goods or commercial vehicles here are classified into three categories by maximum laden weight (MLW).
Light goods vehicles (LGVS) have an MLW of up to 3,500kg, heavy goods vehicles (HGVS) have an MLW from 3,501 kg to 16,000 kg, and very heavy goods vehicles (VHGVS) have an MLW of more than 16,000 kg.
BYD’S electric heavy vehicles could be classified as either HGVS or VHGVS, depending on their configuration. BYD has the largest fleet of electric heavy trucks here, with around 40 units of the BYD T9 operated by waste companies Sembwaste and 800 Super.
Inchcape+ aims to launch the BYD T9R truck in the first half of 2024. An upgraded version of the T9 with BYD’S latest “Blade” battery, it has various configurations including a lorry, refrigerated transport or garbage truck.
BYD intends to expand its range of EVS in Singapore further in 2024. On Nov 25, it was awarded an LTA tender for 240 fully electric buses in a contract worth around S$108.1 million.