Since switching to clean energy, BYD has shocked the automobile industry. It dethroned Tesla as the largest seller and manufacturer of electric cars in 2022. In the first half of June 2022, BYD sold about 641,000 electric cars. As opposed to that, in the first two quarters, the combined sales of Tesla were 564,000 electric vehicles.
How come a fairly new entrant to the EV scene overtook the biggest electric car manufacturer in no time? Was it because China has a huge population and thus it is one of the biggest car-selling markets? Or was it due to something else?
In this article, we will briefly examine the company history of BYD. After that, we will compare the performance of BYD against other EV makers. Finally, we have prepared a short but comprehensive overview of the HAN electric car BYD.
So, without further ado, let’s begin!
Company History of BYD
BYD was founded as a technology company back in 1995. Later in 2003, BYD Auto Co. was born after its acquisition by the Qinchuan Automobile Company. So, BYD existed before 2003 but only as a tech company working on energy storage solutions.
After the acquisition, the first vehicle produced under the badge of BYD was Flyer. It was a modified version of the Qinchuan legacy model QCJ7181. This model was produced and sold since 1987, but BYD got it as its first finished automobile.
In 2008, BYD manufactured its first impactful car, the F3. The plug-in hybrid subcompact sedan was launched at a time when people had little awareness of the PHEV technology. Many were curious about the idea of a car running on clean energy.
F3 brought BYD into the A-list of major auto industry players. It was the best-selling sedan in China in 2009. Around this time, the company’s stock prices skyrocketed, and many people invested in it. After that, there was no looking back for the company. In 2021, BYD surpassed many global auto giants to become the fourth-largest electric car manufacturer in the world.
Now, the company has a presence in 6 continents and more than 15 countries. BYD is not only focusing on producing high-quality electric cars but also heavily invested in electronic chips, battery tech, transit rails, buses, and renewable energy resources.
BYD Vs. Other EV Companies
As I pointed out in the introduction of this article that BYD is right there on the top with big EV sector names such as Tesla, Mercedes, and Ford. BYD even surpassed the sales of Tesla.
Now, leaving Tesla behind is a great deal because the company has been leading the EV sales charts for many years now. However, in 2022, BYD sold more than 1.87 million electric vehicles to become the largest EV company. Tesla managed a distant second spot with 1.31 million cars sold during the same time.
If BYD surpassed Tesla, which is the giant of the EV sector, then there is no question of competition with European manufacturers. Mercedes and Volkswagen are not even close to the BYD electric vehicle sales. This is mainly due to two reasons.
One reason behind BYD’s strong sales trend is that China has a huge population. If a company can capture only the local markets, it can sell a decent amount of vehicles. The second and more important reason is the attractive price points offered by BYD.
Not many companies offer an electric car with over 370 miles of driving range at less than $35,000. The best thing about EVs is that they need almost no maintenance. So, there is potential for companies that do not have a strong aftersales network. People will buy an electric car due to its lucrative features and attractive price.
The markets won’t deny an electric car just because it is made in China, as this was the case with previous Chinese brand cars. But the trends are shifting, and people are putting more and more trust in brands such as BYD, Nio, Xpeng, and Hozon.
An Overview of the BYD’s Han EV
Han EV is an exciting prospect offered by BYD. With the ever-growing market of EVs, BYD is trying to deny the idea that EVs are expensive as compared to gas-powered cars. The initial price of the Han EV will put a lot of regular car manufacturers to shame.
Han EV has a driving range of 377 miles on a single charge. The long-range is attributed to two things. One is the aerodynamic exterior design of this sedan, and the other is the cutting-edge blade battery technology introduced by BYD.
Since BYD has been in battery manufacturing longer than most EV makers, it has developed the most efficient and reliable batteries. The blade batteries of Han EV were able to pass the nail penetration test. These batteries have very high compressive strength. This means that in addition to offering long-range, these batteries enhance the safety of the Han EV.
I’m absolutely in love with the exterior design of the Han EV. Apart from looking cool, it helps the cause of increasing the driving range. The aerodynamic drag coefficient of the Han EV has been kept to 0.23. This ensures a steady flow of air over the body.
Nobody has ever complained about an EV being slow. So, as far as the power is concerned, you will certainly find Han EV is packed with punchy acceleration, as an EV should be. The all-wheel drive powertrain can take you from 0-60 mph in less than 3.9 seconds.
Han EV is also laced with fast charging capability. Its battery can be recharged from 30-80% in about 34 minutes. That is much behind the fast charging technology of Tesla as Teslas can be recharged from 10-80% in about 25 minutes at a Tesla Supercharger.
Other BYD Products
We know that BYD has been in the business for over 28 years. It entered auto manufacturing only 15 years ago. For the previous 13 years company was heavily invested in research and development of other electronic components.
Thanks to all the research, BYD now has a diversified portfolio. Not only it produces some of the best BEVs and PHEVs, but it also offers a variety of other products. Let’s have a brief look at other offerings of BYD in this section.
Sky Rail
BYD has been producing some of the best sky rails. Whether it be rails or shuttles, BYD has garnered positive reviews from customers all over the world.
Some of the places which use the BYD sky rails include the Bahia state sky rail in Salvador, Brazil, and the La sky rail express in Sepulveda, California, USA.
Energy Storage Solution
Under the platform of energy storage solutions, BYD was able to manufacture some of the best batteries. BYD owns the largest Iron-phosphate battery in the world. It has more than 30 battery manufacturing facilities all over the world.
Solar power is attached to the vision of energy storage solutions. So far, BYD has planned and installed energy storage solutions ranging from several kW to GW all over the world.
Forklifts, Trucks, Transit, and Coach Buses
Forklifts, trucks, and buses are a few other offerings of BYD. The electric forklifts are powered by an iron-phosphate battery that is backed by a warranty of 10 years. Similarly, the trucks and buses produced by BYD are powered by electric means. BYD 8R truck is the company’s best solution for garbage disposal companies.
There is also a wide range of buses on offer. You can choose between the best-selling models such as K7M, K7MER, K8M, K9M, and K9MD.
Final Word, All About BYD (HAN Electric Car BYD & Other Products)
In this article, we saw how a Chinese automaker had become the leading electric car manufacturer in the world. In just a matter of two years, BYD overtook Tesla sales, and its sales are continuously growing. This should ring alarm bells for other EV makers such as Mercedes and Ford.
The main reason people loved the idea of having a BYD was its price point. Even with an admirable range of 377 miles BYD Han EV is sold at $32,800 (229,800 RMB). This is phenomenal for a car laced with powerful motors and fast-charging capabilities.
Let me reiterate that BYD’s success might seem overnight from the outside, but it has been in the making for over two decades. Many people fail to understand that, yes, BYD is new to electric car manufacturing, but it is not new to the market of zero-emission vehicles.
It has been manufacturing energy storage solutions and sky rails for a decade now. It has over 14,000 authorized patents when it comes to battery tech. So, it was natural for a company with such a portfolio to ace the market of electric cars.
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