BYD to unleash four new electrified cars by 2024

One of the world’s biggest car makers has entered Australia and it’s set to rapidly expand its line-up with affordable quality machines.

Booming electric car brand BYD is preparing to unleash a wave of new models in Australia over the next 12 months.

BYD is the second biggest electric car brand in the world behind Tesla and its sales in Australia are skyrocketing.

EVDirect.com CEO Luke Todd pictured with the new BYD Dolphin. Picture David Clark

Luke Todd, the head of BYD importer EV Direct, detailed four new models at the opening of the brand’s new mega store in Alexandria, Sydney.

The first Australian customers will be taking delivery of the BYD Dolphin in about six weeks. It is the nation’s cheapest EV priced at $38,890 before on-road costs.

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“The quality of the BYD product is unparalleled for the price point that you’re paying and we are confident in our product,” says Todd.

The first BYD Dolphins will be on the road in six weeks.

“If you put the Dolphin head-to-head in the market in a comparable spec the Dolphin is a standout in as far as its quality, driveability, space, affordability and you’re getting the best technology now.”

The Dolphin has been engineered to achieve a five-star ANCAP rating.

Following the Dolphin will be the Seal, which is a similar size to the fast-selling Tesla Model 3.

The BYD Seal will arrive later this year.

It’s a slick looking four door with a more up-market feel than the BYD Atto 3 and the Dolphin.

Todd says the exact Seal line-up wasn’t confirmed yet but there would be several options.

“That’s the one thing we are still working through, but obviously we’ll have the top-spec high-performance all-wheel drive model.”

Todd says there will also be a “very competitively priced” entry model that will be rear-wheel drive.

Todd expects both the Dolphin and Seal to be high-volume sellers and says the Seal has already had more than 10,000 inquiries.

There will be multiple variants available of the Seal including a dual motor performance version.

BYD showed off an SUV version of the Seal, dubbed the Seal U, at the Munich motor show earlier this month.

That model isn’t earmarked for Australia as it isn’t being built in right-hand drive yet but Todd says Australia will be getting a similar sized SUV to the Seal U next year.

The mid-size SUV is likely to be revealed in a few months.

Utes are also on the brand’s hit list.

The Seal has a more up-market feel to it than the Dolphin or Atto 3.

BYD will be bringing a plug-in hybrid ute to Australia next year followed by a full electric version.

“These are not hybrids like people in Australia know them. It’s not a petrol car converted and had a battery stuck in it. These are electric platform vehicles that have ultra low emission and small combustion 1.5-litre turbo motors put into them to give people the best of both worlds, so no range anxiety.”

Todd says the ute will be delivered in customers hands by the end of next year and the company is targeting 2025 for the full electric version.

He says some of Australia’s top engineers have been working with BYD and doing testing in the jungle and on proving grounds.

“It is possibly the most exciting vehicle to come to Australia. It is everything you’d want in a ute and pick-up,” says Todd.

Originally published as BYD to unleash four new electrified cars by 2024