BYD has showcased its range of EVs heading for Europe at the Paris auto show, teasing what’s to come to the continent including the highly anticipated 2023 BYD Seal sedan. There is also a hint that the BYD Dolphin may make its way to Europe too.
What does this say about BYD’s lineup and the possibility of Australia getting some of these affordable EVs?
BYD Seal heading to Europe
BYD has unveiled the recently released Seal, a ground-up EV sedan, at the Paris Auto Show according to Automotive News Europe. It’s expected to be launched in the European market in 2023.
The Seal has been a fairly successful EV in the local Chinese market so far with September marking the reporting of its first sales. During the month, BYD sold 7,473 according to company reports.
With production ramping up across its whole EV range, BYD is gearing up for not only the Seal but for its more affordable EV hatchback, the Dolphin for exports. It’s smaller in size which could be ideal for many European cities.
Dolphin hatch ideal for Europe and possible on the cards
During the Paris Auto Show, BYD’s head of sales in Europe, Pere Brugal, also indicated that the NEV (New Energy Vehicles) leader was considering bringing the Dolphin hatchback EV to the European market.
Compact cars are quite popular in Europe, more so than in Australia or the US. This makes Europe an ideal market for the Dolphin. The Dolphin also sits on BYD’s 3.0 EV platform.
BYD is already selling in many markets in Europe including Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. It has also recently added Germany, France, and the UK to the list for first NEV deliveries before the end of this year. In 2023, the brand also will aim to enter Italy and Spain.
Outside of Europe, BYD continues to launch new products in markets it has been in for over 12 months. In the last 24 hours, BYD has announced launching the BYD Atto 3 in Mongolia and Nepal too.
BYD’s EV rollout in Australia continues
The BYD Atto 3 became the third-best-selling EV brand in Australia during its first full month of deliveries in September. The popularity of affordable EVs in our local market is at an all-time high which makes it ideal for newer models from the brand over the coming months.
Models like the Dolphin would fit quite well amongst fleets today that are purchasing Hyundai i30 and Toyota Corolla ICE vehicles. Hatchback EVs are also great for our inner cities and for ridesharing services, like Uber, Go Get and Flexicar.
One thing is for sure, the demand for EVs is only heading in one direction. EV-only brands like Tesla and BYD will continue to launch in new markets and expand in those they currently dominate.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.