A new alternative to established manufacturers is on the way that promises to undercut well-known names with an innovative approach.
Electric car customers will have a new option when BYD opens its doors to customers in the coming weeks.
China’s “Build Your Dreams” will open a local showroom in Sydney at the end of 2021 as part of an agreement with the local importer Nexport Mobility.
The company will offer an electric SUV in 2022 that can compete with MG’s ZS EV or the electric duo Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro.
The machine, which is already being sold overseas as BYD Yuan Plus, combines a 150 kW / 310 Nm electric motor with an impressive battery pack with a range of more than 400 kilometers.
The Yuan Plus is slated to sell for less than $ 40,000 and could become Australia’s cheapest electric car.
Luke Todd, CEO of Nexport, says the introduction of BYD “will be the tipping point where electric vehicles with better price and better vehicle quality will go mainstream”.
“We will be the first to offer high quality electric vehicles at the same price as internal combustion engines,” he said.
“For mainstream electric vehicles to hit the market in significant numbers, vehicles have to be desirable.
BYD initially planned to launch the even cheaper EA1 hatchback, also known as Dolphin, later this year.
The compact machine is available overseas with a range of batteries, including a premium version with 70 kW of power and a range of 300 kilometers.
Todd says the booming popularity of SUVs in Australia makes the Yuan Plus a more relevant machine than the Dolphin.
“We think this will pique the Australians’ interest more than a smaller hatch,” he says.
“We’ll be taking orders this year before we ship in the second quarter of next year. Our adventure center in Sydney will open this year. “
Nexport Mobility will sell cars directly to customers instead of working with established dealer networks.
The company is a major player in the growing electric bus segment and has sold relatively small numbers of BYD machines in Australia.
BYD’s affordable E6 car combines a 70 kW / 180 Nm electric motor with a 71.7 kWh battery and offers a range of up to 520 kilometers for $ 39,990 plus on-road costs, or around $ 43,000. Dollars when driving away.
The BYD T3 commercial van is even cheaper at $ 34,950 plus on-road costs, which is less than $ 38,000 on the road in NSW and Victoria.
Driven by a 100 kW motor, the T3 has a range of up to 300 kilometers and a payload of 700 kilograms.
