The BYD (EV) Thread

BYD will launch the Seal and its Denza premium brand in Europe next month

BYD will use the IAA Mobility 2023 auto show in Munich as a platform to launch its premium Denza sub-brand in the European market.

BYD will also bring the Seal to Europe at the show next month with sales expected to begin in the fall.

The premium saloon will reportedly come in two configurations - with a 71.8 kWh BYD Blade Battery with a range of 420 km (WLTP) and in Comfort trim, and with an 87 kWh battery with a range of 500 km (WLTP) in the Design trim. The Seal U SUV is also expected to go on sale in Europe in the fall.

The pair will join the BYD Atto 3, Dolphin, and Tang, which are already on sale across Europe.

 
BYD Song L goes official - the new kid on the electric SUV block

Step aside, Tesla and Audi! The electric vehicle market is seriously getting crowded, and this time it’s BYD’s Song L throwing its hat in the ring. This new electric mid-size SUV has been teased before and finally it was unveiled with flair at the Chengdu Auto Show, and it’s turning heads for more reasons than just its eye-catching design.

In a market increasingly cluttered by "me-too" electric SUVs, the Song L seems to be pulling away from the pack. The options are enough to make any potential buyer feel like a kid in a candy store. You want power? You got it. You can choose from a single motor with 308 horsepower or go all out with a dual-motor variant cranking out a staggering 510 horsepower. But for those hoping for an autobahn slayer - this isn’t the car for you. The top speed is limited to a breezy but not really the "break-the-sound-barrier" 201 km/h.

The Song L is built on BYD's latest EV e-platform 3.0 - it’s the foundation of what makes this SUV tick. BYD’s newest electric SUV will feature an LFP Blade battery, manufactured by BYD’s very own subsidiary, Jinan Fudi Battery Co. (which goes by the more millennial-friendly name, FinDreams). This isn't just any battery - the battery cells are integrated into the chassis, a feature first introduced in BYD's electric compact sedan, the Seal. So, we’re talking about a solid marriage between cutting-edge platform and efficient battery tech.

With frameless windows and hidden door handles, this SUV says ‘modern’ without even trying. It also features a blacked A-pillar and a large panoramic glass roof, which almost makes you feel like you’re driving in a sleek glass box. For added looks and aero improvements, there’s the pop-out tails spoiler, because, why not?


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BYD is outpacing the competition with over 1.25 million cars sold in H1 2023

BYD, the Chinese automaker, is not just another name in the crowded automotive world; it's a force to be reckoned with. While the auto industry in China saw a slowdown in the first half of 2023, BYD was busy setting records.

The company reported an operating income of €33.41 billion, a year-on-year increase of nearly 60%. Their net profit? A cool €1.41 billion, up by a jaw-dropping 181.47% from last year. But let's not get carried away; after all, numbers can be deceiving. Or can they?

BYD sold 1.25 million vehicles in the first half of this year, nearly doubling its performance over the previous year. Now, let's put that into context. The entire new energy vehicle (NEV) market in China, which includes electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), saw a year-on-year increase of 40% and 41.7% in production and sales, respectively. BYD alone accounted for a significant chunk of that, with a year-on-year increase of 88.81% in new energy vehicle sales. On top of that, BYD recently celebrated the production of its five millionth plug-in vehicle, making it the world's first automaker to reach this milestone.

It's not just about churning out cars like there's no tomorrow. BYD has been pumping money into research and development like it's going out of style. It invested a whopping €1.78 billion in R&D, exceeding even its net profit for the same period. For those keeping score at home, that's more than Tesla spent on R&D.

 
BYD Seal review

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?

“BYD will have to rely on competitive pricing for the Seal to have a proper USP and truly get its rivals in a flap”
The Seal is a solid entry in the EV saloon market, and pending official pricing, we’re pretty impressed by it. If not wholly bowled over. The Tesla Model 3 has made itself almost annoyingly ubiquitous while the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Polestar 2 represent well-priced, individually styled alternatives and the BMW i4 staunchly defends driving thrills.

While nowhere near as packed as the EV crossover marketplace, the plug-in saloon pack are much more talented, and BYD will have to rely on competitive pricing for the Seal to have a proper USP and truly get its rivals in a flap. However smartly styled it is or deftly it drives, there’s no surfeit of charm or character to win your heart; this’ll be a head-based buy.

 
2023 BYD Tang is a €31,700 600 km and 7-seat electric SUV

BYD, the Chinese automaker, has just pulled the curtain back on its 2023 Tang EV, and it's turning heads for all the right reasons. This electric SUV is not just another pretty face in the crowded EV market. It's a seven-seater with a range that rivals some of the best in the business, and it comes with a price tag that's more "weekend getaway" than "second mortgage."

The 2023 Tang EV comes in three flavors: a 600 km range model for €32,000, a 730 km range model for €35,100, and a 635 km four-wheel-drive version for €38,300. You can go from point A to point B, and maybe even to point C and back, without having to stop for a recharge. And if you're worried about the cost, don't be. These new models are actually cheaper than their 2022 counterparts. So, you're getting more car for less money. How often does that happen?

The all-new dancing and singing Tang EV is not just about range and affordability. It's also about style and substance. The vehicle sports new 20-inch wheels and comes equipped with the Disus-C intelligent damping body control system. In layman's terms, it's like riding on a cloud that also happens to look really cool.

Connectivity? Check. All models are 5G-enabled, so you can stream, navigate, and tweet (what is tweeting called these days?) to your heart's content without any lag. And speaking of space, this SUV is roomy. With dimensions of 4,900 mm in length, 1,950 mm in width, and 1,725 mm in height, you won't have to play a game of human Tetris to fit everyone and everything in. In fact, the new Tang is only 15 mm shorter than the new Audi Q8 e-tron - and that is a large SUV.


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BYD Seal U electric SUV confirmed for UK sales

Taller and wider sibling of Seal electric saloon to bring competitive range and more interior space

The BYD Seal U will be sold in the UK, the Chinese brand has confirmed at the Munich motor show.

A slightly taller and wider sibling to the electric Seal saloon, the SUV is sold in China as the BYD Song Plus Champion Edition, with either a plug-in hybrid or a battery-electric powertrain.

The latter is expected to be the sole UK offering, with the choice of 71kWh or 87kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries.

These yield a range of 323-376 miles on the Chinese CLTC test cycle, according to local media reports, but these figures are expected to change when the model undergoes European WLTP testing.

Charging capabilities are yet to be detailed, but the Seal saloon – based on the same e-Platform 3.0 – can replenish its battery at rates up to 150kW. This is on a par with many current models, although it falls short of the 350kW offered by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

 
The BYD Seal and Seal U SUV appear at IAA Mobility 2023, European release imminent

As promised, BYD is bringing its two Seal models to the international market, starting wtih Europe. The BYD Seal all-electric sedan and the Seal U fully electric SUV are both showcased at this year's IAA Mobility in Munich, Germany. If everything goes to plan, the two vehicles should debut in Europe by the end of this year or in early 2024.

Both EVs are already selling in China and from what we can see, their European versions retain the same design, except that the "Build Your Dreams" at the back of the Seal is now gone. Another interesting thing to note is that the Seal U is known as the Song Plus Champion Edition, but that name is obviously too much for western markets, so BYD went with something shorter and easier.

Unfortunately, we don't know which configurations will make their way to Europe, but the entry-level Seal with 204 hp, 61.44 kWh battery and 550 km of CLTC rating will likely make the cut. The long-range model has a bigger 82.5 kWh battery for 700 km autonomy. This model is powered by a single 313 hp motor. The most powerful option offers 650 km of range and a 530 hp dual-motor setup.

 
BYD has another record-breaking month in August

We recently reported on BYD's record-breaking first half of this year in terms of sales, and now the Chinese company is celebrating yet another milestone.

In August, it sold 274,386 "New Energy Vehicles" (NEVs), which is Chinese for "things that can be plugged in" - keep in mind this includes pure EVs as well as plug-in hybrids and extended-range hybrid EVs.

That's a record number for one month for the ever-growing company and it's worth praising. Year-on-year growth is 57.5% (so compared to August 2022).


 
BYD’s YangWang U6 takes the throne for best aerodynamics

YangWang U6, the latest addition to BYD’s growing portfolio slides through the air with greater ease than any other production car out there. Officially announced at the Academic Annual Conference Of the Automotive Aerodynamics Committee of China, this new electric sedan boasts an eye-popping drag coefficient of 0.195 Cd.

For the non-car geeks among us, that's basically the aerodynamic equivalent of Superman donning a sleek, slim-fit suit. And yes, that’s better than industry giants such as the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Tesla Model S Plaid, which sport drag coefficients of 0.20 Cd and 0.208 Cd respectively.

YangWang emerged as BYD’s luxury NEV brand, launched with much fanfare earlier this year. Come April, the YangWang U8 SUV started its pre-sale dance in China for a cool €149,000. The U9 electric sports car was the second to grace the stage. But then, cue the dramatic music, the sedan ‘U6’ was announced. Contrary to expectations, BYD decided to skip the "U7" nomenclature, favoring the number 6 – seen as lucky in Chinese culture. Sorry, Western superstitions, this isn’t your gig.

Spy shots and EU patent images hinted at the U6’s entry into the luxury scene, positioning it as a contender against heavyweights like the Mercedes-Benz EQS and BMW i7. What made everyone sit up was a deviation from the EU patent images: cameras replacing traditional side view mirrors. Perhaps BYD figured: why stick to convention when innovation beckons? It's also worth noting, and yes, appreciating, the U6’s slick roofline, retractable door handles, and aerodynamic wheel covers. Oh, and let's not forget that active rear spoiler.

 
Mercedes-Benz to tap into BYD's Blade battery prowess

Mercedes-Benz is preparing for the future of electric vehicles and making strategic moves to ensure it stays ahead. A recent report suggests that the company has teamed up with Chinese battery maker BYD to introduce the latter's Blade battery technology into its EV lineup. However, a key question remains: Is this partnership exclusively for the Chinese market, or will it extend globally?

On September 8, a disclosure from the Chinese magazine CBEA, an official publication of the state-funded China Automotive Battery Research Institute (CABRI), claimed that Mercedes-Benz is slated to begin production of electric vehicles equipped with BYD's batteries by 2025. This aligns with the reveal of the Mercedes-Benz CLA Concept at the IAA Mobility Conference in Munich a few days earlier. Though technical details about the concept car remain scant, Mercedes-Benz hinted at a whopping 750 km WLTP range and an advanced 800V MMA platform, with expectations of the car hitting the streets by 2025.

Mercedes-Benz is no stranger to BYD. A decade ago, the companies embarked on a 50:50 joint venture named Denza. The initiative initially faltered, but after BYD assumed a majority stake in late 2021, the tables turned rapidly. Under BYD's leadership, Denza launched three new electric vehicles, witnessing impressive sales figures of over 11,000 units in just one month.

Interestingly, Mercedes-Benz, like many luxury automakers, predominantly uses Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) batteries. These batteries boast a higher energy density than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries but come at a cost – both monetarily and ethically. They rely heavily on precious metals, notably cobalt, whose mining practices have been under scrutiny. LFP batteries, on the other hand, though having a lower energy density, are free of cobalt and are generally more affordable. This perhaps explains the rising trend among EV manufacturers, including industry giant Tesla, gravitating towards LFP batteries. And, not so coincidentally, one of their primary suppliers? BYD.

 
BYD’s Yangwang U8 electric SUV set to launch September 20

BYD’s premium Yangwang brand has let the cat out of the bag and announced the official launch of its first production vehicle, the luxury EREV Yangwang U8 SUV. It's set to launch on September 20, as proclaimed on Weibo. Mark your calendars or don't - depending on how you feel about the ongoing EV onslaught.

A peek into its history shows Yangwang made quite the splash when they kickstarted pre-sales of the U8 on April 18, coinciding with the first day of the Shanghai auto show. The price tag? A cool RMB 1,098,000 - that's just a tad over €140,000. The price might raise eyebrows, but hey, it's a luxury vehicle. And in the age of electric, luxury doesn’t come cheap.

What's interesting, however, is the choice BYD made to offer the U8 in two versions: the Premium Edition and the Off-road Master Edition. They both versions sport the same lofty price tag, but the devil, as they say, is in the details. The Premium Edition offers a more lavishly outfitted interior, while the Off-road Master Edition offers more options for customization. Tailored experiences for all!

The Yangwang U8 isn’t just a pretty face. This beast boasts a whopping 1,100 horsepower and can zoom from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 3.6 seconds. Its CLTC pure electric range is 180 km. Not too bad for a vehicle of its caliber. If you’re worried about running low on juice, fret not. The car has fast-charging capabilities - from a 30 percent charge to 80 percent in just 18 minutes. The U8 is an EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle) and ourtesy of the onboard generator, it has a combined range of 1,000 km - according to Yangwang.

 
Beautiful on the outside ugly on the inside.
 
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