BYD is bringing another SUV to Australia as it rolls out four electric vehicles over the next 12 months.
The unspecified SUV will join the previously confirmed ute, as well as the Dolphin hatchback – now Australia’s cheapest EV – and the Seal sedan.
Deliveries of the Dolphin will begin in the fourth quarter of this year, and BYD’s local distributor EVDirect says the Seal will come soon but didn’t confirm specific launch timing.
“We’re excited to be bringing the types of cars Australians want,” Luke Todd, CEO of BYD’s local distributor EVDirect, told CarExpert.
It’s unclear which SUV BYD will bring to Australia. It could be the Sea Lion, reported in Chinese media as BYD’s upcoming Tesla Model Y rival.
It will reportedly use the same e-platform 3.0 underpinning models like the Seal, Dolphin and Atto 3, and prototypes have already been spied testing in China.
It would join BYD’s Ocean Series of vehicles, which includes models like the Dolphin, Seal and Seagull light car.
Alternatively, BYD has electric SUVs in its Dynasty Series, including the Tang and Song, however these ride on older underpinnings.
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Fang Cheng Bao SF -
BYD’s local distributor has already confirmed a “muscle ute” for Australia, which has been spied wearing BYD badges but which could fall under the newly formed Fang Cheng Bao brand in China.
This brand’s first vehicle, currently referred to as the SF, has already been teased by BYD in China as a more premium, Land Rover Defender-inspired vehicle. It’s unclear whether this could join the upcoming ute in Australia.
The upcoming ute, as-yet unnamed, will be available with both plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains.
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BYD Atto 3
According to the company’s Australian distributor, the plan is for BYD to achieve 50,000 annual sales here over the next few years, supported by an expansion of its EV line-up – including sports sedans and utes.
This equates to about five per cent market share which, based on 2022’s sales figures, would place BYD well inside the top 10 brands list alongside fellow Chinese carmaker MG (49,582), and ahead of better-known marques such as Subaru, Volkswagen and Nissan.
BYD’s first vehicle sold at proper scale in Australia was the Atto 3 SUV, which has racked up 4664 deliveries this year for 14.5 per cent EV market share. It even outsold the Tesla Model 3 in May.
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