China's BYD EV's To Cuba For Projected Tourist Boom

• EDITOR'S NOTE: There is no reason for America to re-new diplomatic relations with Cuba or to allow unrestricted visits by Americans directly from the United States. Cuba remains a communist dictatorship that has impoverished all but the dictator, his family, and close associates. The only accomplishment that Castro can claim is that he brought corruption up to all new highs.

Moreover, giving attention to Cuba (in all manners) detracts from the attention that other Caribbean nations should be receiving for their loyalty and friendship. This is particularly true of Puerto Rico, which is a part of the U.S.

Keep in mind that although American citizens were banned from visiting or trading with Cuba, other nations did not have these restrictions. For example, Canadians, British, French, Germans, the Soviet-bloc countries, and all of Scandinavia could and did visit and trade. So, although it was claimed that the U.S. was "starving" Cuba, nothing could be further from the truth. Cuba had ample opportunity to prosper. The general population of Cubans were deprived because the communist leaders were enriching themselves, as is typical with all communist nations (look what the communists did in oil-rich Venezuela). Ties with Cuba should only come after the Castro brothers are gone, and all anti-American programs are discontinued.

With Biggest Order in Cuba, BYD Leads Country’s New Tourism Wave

HAVANA, Cuba, July 3, 2015: As a gate to the Gulf of Mexico, always bustles with tourism. Recent news from this island country is that it plans to purchase a fleet of fuel cars to support its tourism business development, and place an order for its first 719 vehicles with Chinese leading automaker BYD Co. Ltd. Not only is this Cuba’s first fleet of tourist rental vehicles, but also BYD’s largest vehicle order in the Cuban market. It has been reported that all vehicles in the fleet will be BYD models, namely the sedans Suri, L3 and G6, the SUV S6, and the MPV M6.

Mr. Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, and Mr. Xu Qin, Mayor of Shenzhen witness the contract signing.

“We warmly welcome Chinese brands like BYD coming into Cuba to provide us with reliable products, and also welcome more and more Chinese and foreign friends to come visit Cuba”, stated Mr. Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment. The Mayor of Shenzhen, Xu Qin, witnessed the project’s signing ceremony during his visit to Havana. He stated that this 719 fuel vehicles procurement project signed today is another milestone in the economic cooperation between Shenzhen and Havana, meaning another Chinese auto brand successfully entering the Cuban market. “We believe that under China’s “going abroad” policy of friendly relationships and support, China and Cuba will further expand cooperation in other areas, and jointly push the Cuban economy forward,” he added.

Mr. Xu Qin, Mayor of Shenzhen and Ms. Marta Hernández Romero, Mayor of Havana, at the meeting.

BYD has made big progress in Cuba since it started developing its market in 2014. The company has successfully made it to the Cuban government procurement catalog and become the second Chinese passenger car supplier in Cuba. In November last year, BYD debuted its F3 sedan and S6 SUV at the Havana International Expo, catching Cuban’s widespread attention and praise. The S6 model even won the Exhibition’s Design Award. Also last year, the Cuban government purchased the first 40 BYD passenger cars. Cuban Government’s orders with BYD have increased substantially this year. At present, all BYD vehicles exported to Cuba will be used to develop tourism in the country, and in the near future, the vehicles will also expand to government official vehicles and the private car market. With this procurement project, BYD plans to build a flawless after-sales service system in Cuba to provide complete vehicular tech support, as well as seek further development of its new energy vehicles.

Mr. Wang Chuanfu, CEO of BYD, delivers a speech during the signing ceremony.

Most people tend to associate Cuba– the largest of the Caribbean islands – with cigars, but the country is a very popular tourist destination, with more than half of its revenue coming from tourism. It has recently been reported that an increasing number of Chinese tourists are flocking to Cuban beaches, leisure resorts and golf courses, and their visits to this old socialist ally are expected to increase even more. The Cuban Government invests hugely in tourism every year, as with this purchase of the BYD vehicle fleet to be used in car rental services for the tourism industry. With a boom in development opportunities in Cuba, an increasing number of Chinese companies are focusing their attention on the island.

About BYD

BYD Company Ltd. is one of China’s largest companies and has successfully expanded globally. Specializing in battery technologies, their green mission to “solve the whole problem” has made them industry pioneers and leaders in several High-tech sectors including High-efficiency Automobiles, Electrified Public Transportation, Environmentally-Friendly Energy Storage, Affordable Solar Power and Information Technology and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) services.

As the world’s largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries, their mission to create safer and more environmentally friendly battery technologies has led to the development of the BYD Iron Phosphate (or "Fe") Battery. This fire-safe, completely recyclable and incredibly long-cycle technology has become the core of their clean energy platform that has expanded into automobiles, buses, trucks, utility vehicles and energy storage facilities. BYD and all of their shareholders, including the great American Investor Warren Buffett, see these environmentally and economically forward products as the way of the future.

BYD has made a strong entrance to the North, Central and South American markets with their battery electric buses, and lineup of automobiles. Their mission lies not just in sales growth, but also in sociological integration and local job creation as they have poured incredible investments into developing offices, dealerships and manufacturing facilities in the local communities they now call home, truly a first for Chinese companies.