Everything you need to know about BYD cars

The Chinese automotive sector is on the rise globally, and here in Australia. The likes of MG, Haval and GWM have arrived in recent years and are already making their mark on the sales charts.

BYD may be the next emerging Chinese automotive brand to make an impact in Australia, with the company setting up shop to sell its range of electric cars. 

While the brand may be new to Australia it has some major international support. US investor, Warren Buffett, took a stake in the firm back in 2008 and has seen it expand beyond its native borders.

Here’s everything you need to know about this new carmaker.

What are BYD cars?

BYD Auto stands for ‘Build Your Dreams’ and the company is headquartered in Xi’an, China. It was only founded in 2003 but has already become a global player in the automotive industry.

It’s part of a wider BYD Company that specialises in electronic and battery-powered vehicles. 

The current range consists primarily of electric cars, including the D1, e1, e2, e3 and e6. The D1 is a compact people-mover built exclusively for ride-sharing services, while the e1, e2 and e3 are privately available small and mid-size cars. The e6 is an older people-mover that dates back to 2009 but is still on sale today in selected markets.

Do BYD make only electric cars?

The BYD Atto 3 is named Yuan Plus in other markets.

No, the brand also has the ‘Dynasty Series’ of models which are available either as an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid. These models include the BYD Qin small sedan (similar to the e3), larger Qin Pro and Qin Plus as well as the Tang and Song models which are SUVs.

BYD Auto also makes buses, trucks, forklifts and electric bicycles, while the other side of the business makes mobile phone batteries. BYD is also one of the world’s largest producers of batteries for electric vehicles.

Have BYD been successful in China?

Yes, BYD cars is very successful in China and the brand was the 10th best-selling brand in the country in 2021. The company also claimed to have become the biggest electric vehicle maker in the world in the first half of 2022, selling 641,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids, to overtake Tesla. 

Where in the world are BYD cars currently being sold?

BYD has been exporting cars from China for more than a decade with a presence in Africa, South America and the Middle East. It also sells cars in Norway and has established an office in the USA to sell its electric buses and trucks, with the cars expected to follow in the near-future. 

What is unique about BYD cars?

The Seal will compete with the Tesla Model 3.

What makes BYD electric cars special is that the company manufactures both the cars and the batteries, rather than sourcing the batteries from an outside supplier. BYD Company CEO, Wang Chuanfu, is a chemist by education and his personal knowledge of battery chemistry has allowed him to grow both sides of his business. 

Its latest ‘Blade Battery’ uses a special design that allows the battery packs to use the way the cells are laid out to form a stronger structural element, which in-turn helps reduce weight and costs.

The company also claims the Blade Battery has greater thermal stability, which makes it more resistant to fire and safer if involved in an accident.

Are BYD cars coming to Australia or currently in Australia?

There are already a small number of BYD cars in Australia, predominantly the older e6 people-movers and the T3 van. Sydney residents may see bright pink BYD e6 people movers driving around as the company has a partnership with the Sydney Sixers cricket team.

There are plans for the brand to begin selling more models in partnership with local distribution company, EV Direct. The initial models will be the Atto 3 small SUV with plans for the Seal sedan and Dolphin hatch (both are likely to have different names) to follow.

The Atto 3 was approved for local sale in July 2022, so deliveries are set to begin by the end of August 2022.

Why does Australia want BYD cars?

The Dolphin will reach Australian shores before the end of 2024.

The electric vehicle market is growing in Australia, with sales of electric cars, SUVs and light commercial vehicles up more than 300 per cent in the first six months of 2022 (according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data).

Where and how will they be distributed/sold?

EV Direct is using an online sales model, with cars available to order at its website and then delivered to customers either via a ‘BYD Experience Centre’ or a personal delivery service (which adds an additional fee).

The first BYD Experience Centre is located in Darlinghurst, Sydney but EV Direct has announced plans for more around the country, with 11 more expected to open “surprisingly quickly” according to the company’s local head, Luke Todd.

How accessible will BYD cars be?

The e6 is an older people-mover that dates back to 2009.

BYD says it will be able to provide test drives at its Experience Centres, with priority given to those who have placed an order already. There’s no timeframe on when the other Experience Centres around the country will open, but potential customers can contact the company via the EV Direct website.

Do we know how much BYD cars will cost? 

Yes, at least the first one. EV Direct is already advertising the Atto 3 for $44,990 drive-away on its website. With the MG ZS EV not available at the time of publication, that makes the Atto 3 the most-affordable electric vehicle on sale in Australia.

How many cars will there be?

The T3 van is already available in Australia.

EV Direct has confirmed there will be at least five BYD models available in Australia by the end of 2024. Following the arrival of the Atto 3 the local operation says the Dolphin and Seal models will be the next into Australian showrooms. These are part of the ‘Ocean Series’, with the Dolphin a small hatch similar to the Nissan Leaf and the Seal a small sedan, comparable to the Tesla Model 3. 

What can be expected in the future with BYD cars in Australia? How will BYD cars impact uptake of electric cars in Australia?

EV Direct boss, Luke Todd, has grand plans for the brand in Australia, declaring: “BYD will be the brand that will bridge the gap to make electric vehicles accessible to the mainstream in Australia and New Zealand.”

That’s a possibility, assuming the local models follow the pricing trend set by the Atto 3. This would make electric cars more affordable and could help increase the uptake, compared to more expensive rivals from Tesla, Polestar and even Hyundai and Kia.