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Chinese electric buses fuel S Africa's green transition

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      China

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      Chinese electric buses fuel S Africa's green transition

      2024-08-09 21:04 Last Updated At:21:47

      A main public transport provider of Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, has partnered with China's electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD to introduce electric buses to its fleet, as part of the country's efforts to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

      Cape Town's Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) signed an agreement to purchase 120 electric buses from BYD, following four years of testing. The deliveries are scheduled to start late this year, with all the vehicles expected to be operational before December 2025.

      Talking about the partnership, GABS said that could help them control fuel costs, while BYD said the move marks a historic shift for its South African partner.

      "It's a first for the whole of South Africa actually having these electric buses in service, carrying passengers every single day, so it's absolutely huge. And obviously there's a lot at stake in terms of making sure our public transport moves forward sustainably. We are facing a lot of problems with the cost of transport, so we needed to also make sure that it's going to be financially viable and all of our projections thus far are showing that it's going to really help to mitigate against that unstable fuel price," said Bronwen Dyke-Beyer, the spokesperson of GABS.

      "We started this working relationship with Golden Arrow and it's three-and-a-half to four years ago. Initially we started piloting two buses with them to try to map out the operation and calculate the savings and then making sure that the electric buses can and will do well with a fleet. This is the biggest fleet change in the company in terms of changing to a different technology. And then it's almost like a historical milestone for them as well," said Steve Chang, general manager of BYD Auto South Africa.

      According to Golden Arrow's estimates, the introduction of 120 electric buses could blaze a trail for its renewable energy transition.

      "We are very excited to have this partnership with BYD and, yes, having 120 buses in the fleet is really going to make a difference because currently having three or four in operation has given us a lot of data, we've done over 200,000 kilometers worth of testing but obviously the real proof of the pudding is really in the testing at scale. So we believe that having these 120 buses in the fleet, which would be 10 percent of our current fleet, is really going to show us the way forward," said Bronwen Dyke-Beyer.

      As for BYD, which started operating its first electric bus in the UK in 2012, the expansion into the South African market marks another step in its journey to increase overseas presence.

      "I think there are some BYD buses that are under operation in Shenzhen that have already achieved 1.5 million kilometers in operation. So I think in terms of building trust, it's not only our operation that's in South Africa. BYD is already the number one EV company in the whole world," said Chang.

      Chinese electric buses fuel S Africa's green transition

      Chinese electric buses fuel S Africa's green transition

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      Six new films set to hit China's big screens on Chinese New Year's Day

      2025-01-23 03:35 Last Updated At:05:17

      The lineup for the 2025 Spring Festival movie season was officially revealed on Wednesday with six highly anticipated films set to hit the big screens in China on the first day of the Spring Festival on January 29.

      The six films -- Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force, Ne Zha 2, Detective Chinatown 1900, Operation Leviathan, Boonie Bears: Future Return, and The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero -- span a range of genres and feature impressive creative teams.

      Since pre-sales began on Jan 19, advanced sales for the holiday line-up were the fastest ever to reach 100 million yuan (about 13.8 million U.S. dollars).

      At a launch ceremony for the Spring Festival movie season, held at the China National Film Museum in Beijing, the cast of each film highlighted the unique selling points of their movie.

      "The viewers will not only uncover the hidden points of plot from the first installment of Creation of the Gods, but also get a real sense of the characters and their evolving relationships through a brand new theme," said Wuershan, director of the movie Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force.

      Adapted from the classic Chinese martial arts novel by Jin Yong, The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero captures the essence of Chinese chivalry with its portrayal of selfless heroism.

      described it as a story with stirring heroism.

      "The soul-stirring and awe-inspiring heroic spirit conveyed by the film will be touching, memorable and romantic as well," said Tsui Hark, who directed the film.

      The animated film Ne Zha 2 continues the adventures of hero Ne Zha -- a beloved Chinese mythological figure -- with a focus on comedy and spectacular visual effects.

      Retaining its signature style, the popular detective series Detective Chinatown 1900 promises twists and turns with big production values and glittering special effects.

      As China's first film about nuclear submarines, Operation Leviathan presents a broader underwater battlefield and more complex combat scenarios, offering a unique perspective on naval warfare.

      The Great Hero -- the last chapter of the "Boonie Bears" sci-fi series -- combines extreme romance and bold imagination to take viewers on a futuristic adventure.

      Different discount and subsidy policies for moviegoers during the Spring Festival were also announced at the launch event with local film authorities across the country organizing special events and promotions to encourage cinema visits.

      Supporting institutions, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China UnionPay, Maoyan Entertainment, and Taopiaopia, are expected to provide at least 600 million yuan (about 83 million U.S. dollars) in subsidies for moviegoers during the holiday season.

      Six new films set to hit China's big screens on Chinese New Year's Day

      Six new films set to hit China's big screens on Chinese New Year's Day

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