BYD Powers Green Mobility Solutions to Mining Indaba 2026

Image: courtesy of motorpress

BYD together with Drive Electric were Discovery Green’s mobility partners for the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026, offering a chauffeur transport solution for delegates in fully electric and plug-in hybrid energy vehicles at the Mining Indaba 2026.

The fleet of BYD new-energy vehicles provided daily chauffeur services to Mining Indaba delegates, speakers and VIPs, replacing a traditional ICE shuttle system with a cleaner, premium alternative. The programme demonstrated how electric mobility can be deployed immediately and at scale within high-demand, time-critical business environments.

The fleet selected for Discovery Green’s service included 10 BYD Sealion 5 models, five BYD Dolphin Surf vehicles, two BYD Shark 6 bakkies and two BYD Sealion 6 SUVs, offering a balanced mix of executive, passenger and utility vehicles to meet the diverse operational needs of the conference.

Mining Indaba brings together global mining leaders, policymakers and investors to shape the future of the sector. Discovery Green’s transport initiative aligned directly with the event’s focus on decarbonisation, energy transition and responsible growth.

Commenting on the initiative, Dan Ginsberg, Executive Director of Discovery Green, said, “This initiative is less about symbolism and more about execution. We demonstrated that electric mobility can operate reliably in a high-demand, time-critical environment like Mining Indaba. If it works here, it can work in many other corporate and industrial settings across South Africa. The real opportunity lies in scaling electric transport alongside cleaner power over time. BYD South Africa’s involvement reflected its position as a leading new-energy vehicle manufacturer and its focus on supporting large-scale, real-world electric mobility deployments.”

“Mining, energy and mobility are deeply interconnected,” said Steve Chang, Managing Director of BYD South Africa. “Through our work with Drive Electric and Discovery Green, we were demonstrating how new-energy vehicles can perform in demanding, real-world business environments.”

Drive Electric was responsible for the operational delivery of the chauffeur service, including fleet management, driver operations and charging logistics throughout the event.

“Discovery Green approached this as a responsibility to advance cleaner, more sustainable mobility, not just visibility,” said Chris O’Connor, CEO of Drive Electric. “They wanted a service that was premium, reliable and measurable in terms of carbon impact, and that is exactly what we delivered.”

Beyond Mining Indaba, this initiative represents a scalable model for decarbonising corporate transport and event mobility across Southern Africa.