“It is my great pleasure to say hello to you in Qatar! Hearing the affirmation of Chinese brands from millions of fans and tourists is my proudest moment!” said Wang Enlong, a service engineer from Yutong bus in the Mideast Pakistan market, who just got off the night shift, could not hide his excitement.
Wang is in charge of the vehicle operation guarantee work for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in Doha, including the daily inspection of the vehicles, the emergency treatment of problems during operations, and the guidance for local drivers.
“Yutong has carried 30% of the passengers in the transportation service guarantee of this World Cup, and drivers and fans are amazed by the pure electric bus. Local drivers and passengers fully appreciate the quiet, smooth and comfortable driving and riding experience from the Chinese manufacturer. They feel like they are in future traffic,”introduced Wang.
Wang is one of 126 engineers sent by Yutong to prepare for the spectacular debut of the Chinese element for up to eight months. Paul Zhang, country head of Yutong Pakistan introduced that, “one of the highlights of the Qatar FIFA is the use of pure electric buses in China by oil powers. After substantial negotiation, organizers were willing to give fans something different to show they were contributing to the environment and reducing carbon emissions.”
Yutong is also working with its Pakistani partner Master Motors on plans to build a new plant in Sindh province for hybrid and electric intercity buses to enhance Pakistan’s public transport system.
Pakistan’s large population demands strong public transport, yet the country’s public transport system is relatively weak. Paul explained that roads account for 80% of the country’s transportation. The main objectives of the new plant are to address public transport issues, increase local production capacity and local employment.
According to Paul, the current market for buses in Pakistan is 560 to 600 units per year. With the completion of motorway and CPEC routes, the demand for passenger transport has risen considerably. The bus market is expected to grow to more than 2,000 vehicles a year. Various bus brands have flocked to the country in recent years, showing the huge attraction and potential of the country’s market.
Yutong partnered with Master Motor Corporation (Pvt.) Ltd in 2014 for local assembly. To date, the company has delivered more than 2,060 buses in Pakistan and has maintained its number one market share for the past five years.
