What are BYD’s cheapest cars that arrive in Europe? Chinese giant BYD is coming to Europe with a plethora of electric cars that are cheaper than those from other manufacturers. In this article, we will present the models of the cheapest cars of the giant BYD.
The year 2023 promises to be a tidal wave of European Chinese electric car manufacturers. We already knew that the world’s number 2 electric car manufacturer, BYD, was heading for Europe. The latter has finally revealed the European price of its three electric cars, the Han, Tang, and Atto 3. BYD’s cheapest cars arrive in Europe.
BYD ATTO 3: A SUV FOR 38,000 EUROS
The BYD Atto 3 is an electric SUV with a length of 4.455 m, a trunk capacity of 440 litres, and a range of 420 km with its LFP Blade battery of 60.48 kWh. In terms of power, it will have to rely on 150 kW sent to the front wheels to achieve 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds with a speed limit of 160 km/h.
It will be available in Europe for 38,000 euros, excluding the bonus. This is an attractive price because it competes for head-on with the Kia Niro EV and Hyundai Kona Electric, sold respectively at 44,490 euros and 41,700 euros for autonomies of 460 km and 484 km.
BYD HAN: A MODEL S FOR 72,000 EUROS?
The BYD Han is a long electric sedan (4.995 m), which wants to attack the premium segment, like the Mercedes-Benz EQE or Tesla Model S. It has a 380 kW motor that powers the four-wheel drive, allowing it to go from 0 to 100 km in 3.9 seconds. The trunk size is small for the category, with only 410 litres. Its combined WLTP range is announced at 521 km (LFP Blade battery of 85.4 kWh), and its speed is limited to 180 km/h.
Inside, there’s a luxurious feel, including two rear screens for passengers to adjust the recline of the Nappa leather seats, manage the opening of the sunroof flap, the ambient light or the ventilation. This is a far cry from the rear screen of the new Tesla Model S Plaid, which allows rear passengers to play with it. A small plus: the suspensions are controlled.
The price, announced at 72,000 euros, seems quite well positioned compared to the competition. However, this will have to be verified during a dynamic test drive.
BYD TANG: A 7-SEATER SUV FOR 72,000 EUROS
Finally, the BYD Tang is a large seven-seater SUV with three rows. The engine is similar to the BYD Han, with a 0 to 100 km/h that takes 4.6 seconds and a range down to 400 km with its LFP Blade battery of 86.4 kWh. As for the trunk, the car offers 235 litres in the seven-seat version and 940 litres in the five-seat version.
The BYD Tang is in direct competition with the Tesla Model Y at 49,990 euros (but where is the seven-seat version in Europe?), the Mercedes EQB at 58,200 euros, and the Tesla Model X at 110,000 euros. Therefore, the Chinese newcomer’s price positioning is a bit stranger than for the other BYD vehicles.
READ MORE: BYD arrives in Europe with 3 electric cars
COMMON FEATURES OF THE THREE BYD CARS
The three electric cars of the Chinese manufacturer all have a panoramic roof and a heat pump as standard to increase the range in cold weather also used to heat and cool the battery, guaranteed eight years. There are also many driving aids to offer a semi-autonomous driving level 2.
The prices indicated may vary according to national markets, as these are the prices for Germany. This is the first market to be served, along with Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries, with the first deliveries starting at the end of the year. It will be possible to place orders in the next few days, after the Paris Motor Show, where the brand will present the three models and the special prices for each country.
For France and the United Kingdom, it will be necessary to wait until next year, in 2023, for the first deliveries.
THE WEAK POINTS OF BYD CARS
The main drawback of the BYD Han, Tang, and Atto 3 is the recharging power: between 120 and 130 kW at the most, translating into about 30 minutes to go from 30 to 80 percent. A constraint when the competition goes from 10 to 80 percent over the same period, or even 18 minutes for cars using an 800-volt electric architecture like the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Porsche Taycan.
