Background: BYD – the new electronic power from China
Strong coming
BYD electric platform
© press-inform – the press office
When it comes to electric cars, hardly anyone is talking about the Tesla models that are getting on in years. Another manufacturer has long been setting the tone worldwide: BYD – Build Your Dreams.
Anyone driving on the streets of Chinese metropolises such as Shanghai, Beijing or Ghuangzhou can hardly ignore the automotive supremacy of BYD. European mid-size and luxury sedans used to dominate here, but more and more vehicles are sporting the brand logo with the three letters BYD – Build Your Dreams. The Chinese automaker has turned its own dreams into reality in recent years. Founded in February 1995, the car manufacturer from Shenzhen has meanwhile blossomed from a battery supplier for Motorola and Nokia into number one in China, pushing the Volkswagen Group into second place after almost four decades. Founder Chuanfu Wang started with 20 employees – but just five years later BYD was the market leader for rechargeable batteries in China. In 2003, Wang Chuanfu diversified his company and started developing electric cars. BYD now has around 290,000 employees, more than 30 industrial parks and more than 40 branches worldwide. BYDE is listed with three companies on the Chinese stock exchanges in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
What many do not know is that BYD has also been present in Europe since 1998 – albeit with little attention and hardly any significant quantities on image-boosting markets such as Germany, Italy, France or once England. That should change by the end of the decade. The small Chinese sub-manufacturer has long since become a major electronics number in many markets. With more than 4.1 million vehicles sold (as of April 2023), BYD is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electrified vehicles, at times overtaking Tesla as the largest manufacturer of pure electric vehicles. Build Your Dreams is not just about the car industry, because the Chinese conglomerate now plays an important role in the automotive, electronics, renewable energy and rail transport sectors in 70 countries and 400 cities.
In itself, the Barcelona Motor Show does not attract anyone from behind the stove and even for the northern Spaniards the motor show is not particularly important. Among the international manufacturers, the Spanish performance show is not even in the second league. The situation is very different for the Chinese car manufacturer BYD, which recently became the world number one when it comes to electric cars. The Chinese not only showed the new BYD Dolphin, a hatchback from the compact class, but also the Seal, which competes in the upper middle class as a classic sedan against the mostly European competition. For the first time the BYD Dolphin and Seal were presented to the Spanish audience. With the 4.29 meter long Dolphin, BYD wants to celebrate its entry into the Spanish market and not only put pressure on the home players of Seat and Cupra, but also on their core brand Volkswagen and the Stellantis Group with its broad product portfolio. BYD meanwhile also means electric. The Dolphin is a pleasing hatchback that offers plenty of space, up to 1,310 liters of cargo space and three electric drives in all four trim levels. Even on the price-sensitive Iberian market, only a few are likely to opt for the 70 kW / 95 hp basic version, which starts at just under 30,000 euros. Customer interest is likely to focus on the 130 kW / 177 hp boost variant, which costs just 30,690 euros. Above that is the 150 kW / 204 hp top model, which has a top speed of 160 km/h. With all drives, the customer has the choice of whether to opt for the small 44.9 kWh battery pack or the larger version with at least 60.4 kWh, with which the Dolphin models can travel over 420 kilometers. The weak charging speed of 88 kW remains a problem. Market launch is in September.
The 4.80 meter long BYD Seal is poaching in the segment that the higher-class VW ID7 wants to take over as the successor to the Passat. In terms of engine performance, however, the electric Seal is in a different league, because the basic version already has 230 kW / 313 hp and the 390 kW / 530 hp top model scratches on a Tesla Model 3 or a BMW i4. Thanks to a battery capacity of 82.5 kWh, the version with rear-wheel drive can cover up to 570 kilometers. Unlike the smaller Dolphin, the Seal uses cell-to-body technology, meaning the battery is integrated directly into the chassis beam without having to be placed in a battery pack. The blade battery uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) as the cathode material, has inherently excellent thermal stability and is also cobalt-free. In addition, LFP material is very durable and robust. In addition, the CTB technology provides more interior space and improves the aerodynamics of the vehicle, while at the same time ensuring greater torsional rigidity in the event of a collision. This means that BYD’s portfolio in Europe has grown from three to five electric cars, which hit the hearts of the various segments. The electric models Atto 3, Tang and Han are already represented on various markets. The next model to be announced is the BYD Song L, which is visually reminiscent of the Kia EV6. Last but not least, BYD caused a stir with a large fleet deal. Chinese automaker and rental car giant Sixt has agreed to deliver 100,000 electric cars over the next six years.
BYD made its grand entrance at Auto Shanghai in mid-April – much more impressively in front of the home crowd than in Barcelona two weeks later. It wasn’t just the classy off-roader Yangwang U8 that caused a stir, but also the spectacularly designed electric sports car Yangwang U9. Both models are based on the newly developed E4 platform. In addition to the battery pack, this platform is equipped with four individual electric motors, which should enable particularly delicate control of the drive torques. “The Yangwang brand will be the first to adopt BYD Group’s cutting-edge technologies, providing customers with the highest level of safety, performance and experience even under extreme driving conditions,” said Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD.
But Build Your Dreams does not just focus on the higher segments, but wants to make electric models affordable for everyone worldwide, especially with the small Seagull. The starting price of less than 79,000 RMB – the equivalent of little more than 11,000 euros – is an announcement to models like the future VW ID2, which Volkswagen has announced in two years for around 25,000 euros. Despite being in the entry-level segment, it is equipped with the latest blade battery technology and runs on the e-platform 3.0, which is also the home of the Dolphin. For markets where hybrid models still play a role, the BYD Chaser 07 will be available, at least temporarily, from the summer. The compact class sedan is currently the only model with a plug-in hybrid drive available on the home market at prices between 200,000 and 250,000 RMB electric ranges of up to 200 kilometers. But in general, BYD has switched completely to electric models since mid-2022 and is the driving force behind the global China offensive.