ES approaches relationships with Chinese vehicle manufacturers

The first day of work of the business mission in China to publicize and promote the potential of the Espírito Santo automotive market was a visit to the headquarters of Zhongtong Bus, an electric bus and truck manufacturer located in Liaocheng, 450 kilometers from Beijing.

With 40 years in the market and more than four thousand workers, the Zhongtong company has the capacity to produce 30 thousand units per year and already exports to 100 countries.

“This is a strategic visit. The company has exports to Argentina, Chile and Colombia and wants a presence in Brazil. We are here to confirm that Espírito Santo is in the running to receive operations from the corporation. Electric Vehicles! We show executives the attractions and comparative advantages in our State in relation to other states in the federation to enable imports and even have an industrial base for the automaker in Espírito Santo territory”, highlights the vice-governor and Secretary of Development of Espírito Santo, Ricardo Ferraço .

“They are keeping an eye on the Brazilian market. They import lithium from Brazil, which is even exported through ports in Espírito Santo. We present the potential of the State, our efficiency, the quality of labor and human capital, geographic position, logistics and port infrastructure, incentives and the first private Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Brazil to work on attracting this large investment , aiming to generate jobs and opportunities for the people of Espírito Santo”, adds Ricardo Ferraço.

The favorable conditions in Espírito Santo have made the State the most efficient gateway for imported vehicles into Brazil, with emphasis on electric vehicles. In 2023, more than 223 thousand units were unloaded through the Espírito Santo port complex, nationalized in bonded automotive centers and distributed to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia and others.

“In addition to the well-connected logistics hub and with short distances between ports and nationalization and distribution yards, the State offers very attractive tax incentives to make operations very competitive. And this has a decisive impact and stimulus on the generation of revenue, jobs and income in Espírito Santo”, highlights Ferraço.

According to the Federation of Transport Companies of the State of Espírito Santo do Espírito Santo (Fetransportes), just with the unloading and distribution of imported vehicles, more than 1,200 workers are involved in the operation of the fleet of 380 trucks, which generates thousands of indirect jobs. at gas stations, dealerships and other specialized companies in the segment.

In addition to Zhongtong Bus, members of the business mission will visit the companies Geely, GAC, NETA, Zeekr, Farizon and SAIC and BYD and GWM, which are already operating in Espírito Santo.

The business mission is coordinated by COMEXPORT, a company with a continuous presence for more than three decades in China.