The rise of electric cars in the last decade has led to an increase in vehicles from Chinese brands on our continent. Among the most promising stands out BYD Auto, an automobile company whose nomenclature hides a most poetic message.
It was born in the mid-90s, and at that time the company was dedicated to the development of mobile batteries. After being bought by Quinchuan Vehicle Factory, in the early 2000s, it entered the motor world, where the effort has ended up paying off; and its own initials BYD refer to a message that would be coming true.
The Chinese company made its claims clear from the beginning by calling its car brand BYD, from English 'Build your dreams', an expression that translates into Spanish as 'Build your dreams', something that it is fulfilling.
Despite the fact that in its beginnings, it plagiarized models from other firms -more Asian brands have also done so-, it is currently committed to its own designs with the aim of landing in European markets with quality vehicles. The first countries to enjoy their products have been Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
The brand confirmed its arrival in Spain last summer, with three electric models: two in SUV format (Atto 3 and Tang) and a saloon (Han). Its cars will be sold through the large distribution groups Quadis, Astara and Caetano Retail Spain. It will also have two "Pioneer Stores" stores: one in Barcelona (Aragó, 29) and Madrid (Calle Concha Espina, 20).
It is an electric compact SUV, powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) and 310 Nm motor. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. Its autonomy reaches 565 km per city (420 km in combined cycle). This model is available in two versions. The Comfort has two-way charging (V2L), a panoramic sunroof, electric regulation of the front seats, a navigation system, vegan leather upholstery or the 12.8-inch central rotating touch screen. Its price is 41,400 euros. The Design, as a top of the range, adds, among other things, an electric tailgate, a purification system for air conditioning and a 15.6” screen. Its price is 42,900 euros.
It is a 7-seater electric SUV, with a large 12.8-inch multimedia screen on the dashboard. It is equipped with two motors, one on each axis, which develop a combined power of 380 kW (517 hp) and 680 Nm of torque. This all-wheel drive car goes from zero to one hundred in 4.6 s. It is only available with the Flagship equipment for a price of 69,990 euros.
It is the flagship of the range. It has an elegant and sporty design that, thanks to elements such as the flush door handles, offers good aerodynamic efficiency (Cx 0.23). The interior is Premium. Rear passengers enjoy a 7-inch multimedia screen integrated into the central headrest that allows them to control the climate control system, activate the panoramic sunroof or choose from the 31 available shades for ambient lighting. This all-wheel drive car mounts two electric motors that also develop 380 kW (517 hp) and allow it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Its maximum autonomy is 662 km. It is available from 69,990 euros. There is also a limited series of launch BYD Han Emerald Edition that costs 74,000 euros.
