One of the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturers is muscling in on Tesla’s turf Down Under.
Build Your Dreams (BYD) is coming to Australia this year with a range of all-electric cars, backed by the bold claim its cars will be at “price parity” with internal-combustion cars.
The cars will be sold through an online shop called EV Direct, run by a company called Nexport.
It’s not yet clear how servicing, repairs, and after sales will be handled in Australia.
Although the “long-term” agreement is currently to import and sell BYD vehicles in Australia, CarExpert understands there are plans to eventually manufacture vehicles locally.
Not only will Nexport distribute BYD cars in Australia, it will run an Asia Pacific operation headquartered in Sydney.
It’s not yet clear which BYD vehicles will be sold in Australia.
Reports suggest the first products coming Down Under haven’t yet been revealed in China, although BYD already offers a range of cars that would fit into the Australian market, from the Han large sedan to the Tang SUV.
CarExpert understands the company is planning to sell a family car for around $50,000 but what form that will take is unclear.
“Electric vehicles are here to stay and the deal struck between Nexport and BYD will see Australia move from the laggard state it is in regards to EV take up to being a global leader,” the company said in a statement.
Nexport is promising to announce a “major further partnership agreement regarding charging infrastructure which will facilitate the mass take-up” of electric cars in Australia.
BYD is the world’s second-largest electric vehicle manufacturer. Based in Shanghai, the company was founded in 2003 and sold more than 460,000 cars globally in 2020.
Underpinning the company’s product range is the Blade Battery, which uses a unique cell layout to allow for greater power density and better prevent thermal runaway if the pack is pierced.
Unlike the batteries used in most mainstream rivals, the BYD range uses lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) technology.
Claimed range for the brand’s current flagship, the large Han sedan, is more than 600km, and it’ll dispatch the 100km/h sprint in just 3.9 seconds.
BYD will be joining a growing electric vehicle car parc in Australia.
Along with Tesla, buyers Down Under will soon have a number of new all-electric options from Hyundai, Mazda, and Kia, joining the current range of cars already here from Nissan, Hyundai, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
