BYD now talking 2022

The Chinese budget brand’s Australasian distributor reportedly has a new plan.

EA1 Dolphin hatchback that was cited as a $36k possibility is said to be still on the cards, but now Nexport is citing a small but potentially pricier crossover, the Yuan (below) as its first model.

 MANUFACTURING and shipping complications brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic are being cited as why a Chinese maker of budget electric cars has yet to so far deliver on plans to reshape the EV scene in this part of the world.

So says an automotive webside in Australia, which today published what it says it an exclusive insight into why the plan to establish the BYD brand in Australasia has stalled before the first delivery.

Sydney-based company Nexport also holds NZ distribution rights for the Xi'an-based manufacturer whose name is an abbreviation of ‘Build Your Dreams’.

It has made bold claims and shared big sales projections for the make’s establishment on both sides of the Tasman.

However Australia’s Drive.com.au website says while Nexport’s chief executive, Luke Todd, is still maintaining that BYD will be a huge tour de force – it seems the product roll-out in this part of the world won’t now be realised for another year. 

Also, there’s a new gameplan with what model will be the cited gamechanger.

In April, the hot favourite was the EA1, a city-centric baby hatchback also known as the Dolphin in China.

Nexport announced order books for the battery budget baby would open by July 1 across the Tasman and that with prices set to start from “well under $A35,000 ($36,600).”

That would make it almost $12,000 cheaper than the current least expensive EV here, the MG ZS EV medium crossover from another Chinese make, Shanghai Automotive. The MG retails for $48,990, dropping to $40,365 when a buyer achieves a full Clean Car rebate.

However, that contest has yet to eventuate. The EA1 is still not on sale in either country, final pricing for either market is yet to be locked in, and Drive.com.au says Mr Todd has conceded right-hand drive production of current-generation cars – which is supposed to take place on a specialised “Australia-only” assembly line – has not begun. 

The website says the company is citing manufacturing and shipping complications brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as being responsible for delays.

It says Nexport insists a range of six electric cars are still on the way. 

In an interview run by the site, Mr Todd is quoted as saying: “We’ve invested tens-of-millions of dollars into the project so far … and we have the full factory backing of BYD.

"We’ve been slow because of Covid and a few other things, but BYD is certainly going to make its presence felt … in the coming period of time.” 

As for EA1? Well, it’s hard to say.

Drive.co.au says a small sports utility – which is also fully electric, and known in China as the Yuan Plus – is now scheduled to replace the EA1 as the brand’s debut vehicle in Australia (and, presumably, NZ).

Pricing for that model is yet to be confirmed but indications are that it won’t be as cheap as the EA1, whose timeline has been revised, with details yet to be shared.

The site has been led to understand customer deliveries of the Yuan Plus across the Tasman are now said to commence in April, 2022.

Drive.co.au says a small number of current-generation BYD E6 people movers and T3 commercial vans have reportedly been pre-sold to Australian customers however it says none have yet been delivered.

Mr Todd has also pulled back on another plan; to assemble BYDs in Australia, the site reports.

It says be believes such a plan would not be viable: “The likelihood of that ever happening is very low, it just doesn’t make commercial sense.”

However, Drive.com.au says Nexport remains adamant it is on track to break into the Australian automotive market, quoting Mr Todd as saying “we’re planning on delivering thousands of vehicles in the first half of next year, so as you can imagine, the amount of work going on behind the scenes is unprecedented. 

“If there’s a little bit of criticism about the odd delay here or there, that will quickly be dispelled once people truly see the magnitude of what we’re actually doing.”