Unlike its regional neighbors Jordan is not an oil rich nation, the country does have considerable phosphate resources and potentially large resources of oil shale however the kingdom still relies on imports to keep its cars on the road. From 2005 onwards the government slowly rolled back subsidies on gasoline, diesel and kerosene to liberalize Jordan’s energy market, previously Jordan was spending 3.5 billion USD per year on maintaining its fuel imports.

BYD are working with their local partners, ONYX International Trade & Investment Company, and the Jordanian government to promote electric bus and passenger vehicles as an energy-saving alternative to help Jordan achieve energy independence and protect the environment.

BYD exclusive partner in Jordan Engineer Khaldoun Madi the Managing Director of Onyx International Trade & Investment Company stressed that Jordan will become the first Arab country to introduce electric cars, added that the vehicle was launched in China in October of 2011 and will be launched in Jordan in 2013.

The MOU between the government and BYD also focuses on providing incentives and infrastructure to encourage an electric vehicle mass market in the Kingdom. Under the agreement, a working group will be formed to explore renewable energy potentials for electric vehicles and bus’s, such as the use of solar energy for battery charging.