BYD: Its Chinese electric cars coming soon to France

Second-largest electric car manufacturer in the world after Tesla, BYD will make an appearance at the Auto Show before its launch in France.

BYD’s history began with batteries, nickel-cadmium (used in early hybrid cars), where it holds the majority of the market share, then with lithium-ion batteries. In the 2000s, the manufacturer became an automaker, producing hybrid and electric vehicles. But as a non-governmental company (unlike SAIC, for example), it struggled to find its place.

However, its quality and expertise in batteries have paid off over time. Today, BYD is the #2 in electric cars, behind Tesla. It has sold 323,519 units, far from the 567,743 of its American rival. Including plug-in hybrids, the total reaches 640,000 units. The enthusiasm for these vehicles even led to the discontinuation of gasoline models earlier this year. This is a significant volume but still heavily centered on China. In 2022, it has now expanded to Japan, and soon Australia.

Already in Norway since 2021

Of course, Europe is on the agenda. BYD has confirmed its participation in the Paris Motor Show in October. This confirms that the Chinese manufacturer has ambitions for the continent and France. And this time, it’s serious—unlike the appearance in 2008 at the Geneva Motor Show with its plug-in hybrid sedan F3DM.

The company had already started its adventure with Norway, selling an electric SUV there as early as 2021. The BYD Tang is the first model available on this market. Measuring 4.87 meters long, similar in size to BMW iX or Audi e-tron, it features an 86 kWh battery offering 400 km WLTP range. A rather low figure, and slow charging compared to competitors. It offers only 110 kW peak power, compared to 150 to 200 kW from German brands.

Its performance is high, with a power of 380 kW (510 hp), enabling 0-100 km/h acceleration in 4.6 seconds. However, the price of 619,900 crowns (€62,000) is closer to the lower category, such as the Tesla Model Y.

Next, the large electric sedan Han is expected to follow. Like the Tang, this BYD Han is large, sharing its engine and batteries with the SUV.

Which BYD electric cars in France? And when?

But which models will we see blooming in France? Since the models launched in Japan could be better adapted to the French market. On the archipelago, customers can choose between the compact Dolphin, the sedan Seal, and the smaller SUV Atto 3 compared to the Tang.

There’s no precise launch date yet for France, although BYD announced that sales would begin during “fall 2022”. Better to be cautious—likely in 2023 at the earliest.

Read also: Test Seres 3: On the Road with the Chinese Electric SUV