On May 30th, 312 city buses delivered by Foton Motor to Madagascar were officially dispatched. As an important outcome of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), this order is not only the largest single bus export project of a Chinese brand in the African region but also a new milestone in the cooperation between China and Africa in the field of green transportation under the Belt and Road Initiative. It marks the entry into a new phase of high-quality development in the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Madagascar.

During the 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit, Foton Motor actively invited President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar to visit the Foton headquarters in Beijing. President Rajoelina pointed out that in the context of Madagascar's national transformation, the improvement of transportation infrastructure has become one of the key factors in driving national economic growth and social progress. During his visit to Foton's new energy buses, he expressed a strong interest in the new energy bus products and looked forward to closer cooperation with Foton.

Foton immediately assembled a team of experts who traveled to Madagascar to conduct in-depth research on the specific requirements for vehicle usage scenarios, working conditions, vehicle performance, product configurations, and seat layouts. Ultimately, Foton developed an integrated solution covering product customization, operational support, and maintenance services. Leveraging its technological advantages in green intelligence and a full-life-cycle service system, Foton stood out in fierce competition.

As a flagship project of the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Africa, the 312 buses delivered this time are designed with innovative smart temperature control systems and anti-corrosion body technology to meet Madagascar's hot and rainy climate conditions. The vehicles have also been optimized for local road conditions, with enhanced chassis clearance and improved seat layouts to effectively improve operational efficiency and passenger comfort.

It is worth noting that the order will be deployed in stages to serve major international events in Madagascar. The first batch of 42 buses will be showcased on the streets of the capital during Madagascar's National Day celebration on June 26th. The remaining 270 main models will serve the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in August, demonstrating the strength of "Made in China" to African leaders and contributing Chinese wisdom to Africa's green and intelligent development.

As an active practitioner of the Belt and Road Initiative, Foton entered the Madagascar market as early as 2012 and has since engaged in in-depth cooperation with local partners. It has introduced a full range of products, including heavy-duty trucks, light-duty trucks, pickups, vans, and new energy vehicles, to meet the diverse transportation needs of Madagascar and jointly promote the achievement of decarbonization goals. In addition to Madagascar, Foton, with its two decades of experience in the African market, has achieved a series of cooperation results in other African markets such as South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, and Ethiopia. It has also launched the Foton Africa Strategy, which aims to enhance the full value chain system capabilities in products, networks, services, spare parts, finance, and talent through a three-year action plan. This will drive breakthroughs in key businesses such as heavy-duty trucks, pickups, and buses, and support sustainable development in the transportation sector of African countries.

Source : www.chinabuses.org

Editor : Olivia

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