BYD, Grab form alliance for SEA driver-partners

MANILA: BYD and Grab have forged a regional partnership to expand access to as much as 50,000 electric vehicles (EV) to the latter’s driver-partners across Southeast Asia.

Such a collaboration shall also boost the availability of new-energy-powered vehicles to Grab users.

In a statement, the superapp company explained that the cooperation is aimed to provide Grab’s driver partners competitive rates as well as extended warranties on BYD vehicles.

Drivers will be given the option to rent the EV units from Grab’s fleet partners or opt for financing support through Grab’s car ownership schemes.

Grab mentioned that the initiative supports its commitment to help driver-partners accelerate the transition to zero-emission modes of transport.

In countries like Singapore and Thailand, Grab users can also choose to toggle on the “Eco-Friendly Ride” option, which will prioritize allocating green vehicles at no additional charge.

BYD Asia Pacific Auto Sales Division General Manager Liu Xueliang expressed elation over the newfound alliance with Grab.

“We are excited to partner with Grab as the leading on-demand transport provider in Southeast Asia and push forward the transition to electric vehicles in the region. BYD, as the world’s leading new energy vehicle manufacturer, will best integrate our technology with Grab’s, and we look forward to working with them to deliver a unique and unparalleled experience for their drivers and users,” he said.

“We continue to be dedicated to our goal of building a zero-emission ecosystem and we are committed to supporting Grab’s fleet and driver-partners. Through this collaboration, we are working together with Grab to realize the vision of cooling the earth by one degree,” the executive added.

Partnership details

Under the aforementioned partnership, the two brands will unitedly facilitate deep IoT integration between the vehicles and Grab’s platform and services.

Through this, Grab aims to deliver the following:

• Safer ride, more intuitive driving experience: Drivers will get to view their jobs, navigation, and chats at-a-glance on BYD’s head units instead of going back and forth on their smartphones. Sensor and telemetry data from BYD vehicles will also be linked directly into the Grab platform, providing real-time insights into drivers’ driving patterns and behaviors.
•  Improved reliability: Grab will be able to understand conditions such as weather and traffic by getting data from wiper signals and travel speed. This data, when sent into Grab’s algorithm, will be used to guide drivers towards areas where there is likely greater demand for rides. Real-time location data from the BYD fleet will also further boost the accuracy of Grab’s backend system in giving a more precise estimated time of arrival (ETA) for a ride.
• Better navigation routing: Both firms aim to leverage on Grab's hyperlocal map data and services to facilitate more efficient journeys for BYD drivers. This collaboration could also enable Grab to collect valuable road and traffic data from the vehicles, potentially enhancing its mapping services.

Per Grab, the relationship spans Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and covers a range of models such as the following:

• Denza D9
• BYD Atto 3
• BYD Seal
• BYD M6

In addition, Grab intends for Denza (which is set to arrive in the Philippines come the final quarter of 2025) to become the foundation of its GrabExec fleet featuring the D9 luxury multi-purpose vehicle.

 “Sustainable growth in Southeast Asia is a priority for us and we are always looking to improve our offerings to both our driver-partners and Grab users. This collaboration enables us to drive the transition to EVs forward by lowering the financial barriers that are often associated with EVs, and in the long run deliver economic benefits to our driver-partners which may include fuel cost savings. We are confident that a reliable partner like BYD who are committed to delivering high quality vehicles and services allows us to showcase the benefits of EVs and make green transportation an accessible option to everyone,” Grab Group Business Development Managing Director Chuck Kim was quoted as saying.

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