3 ms·

Do we know if BYD have any plans to sell vehicles in North America? Why wouldn't they?

by grecy 3y ago

SideburnsOfDoom 3y ago
BYD has a plant in California https://en.byd.com/news/byd-and-the-city-of-lancaster-announce-lancaster-energy-module-and-electric-bus-manufacturing-facilities/ https://en.byd.com/news/byd-and-the-city-of-lancaster-announ... https://en.byd.com/bus/about/ https://en.byd.com/bus/about/ But BYD seems more advanced in getting consumer automobiles into EU markets than US markets. They also make electric busses: https://en.byd.com/news/byd-receives-largest-battery-electric-bus-order-in-u-s-history/ https://en.byd.com/news/byd-receives-largest-battery-electri...
- chiph 3y ago
  That will get them around the tariffs. I'm more curious how they'll pass the NHTSA & IIHS crash testing. There's definitely a market for super-cheap cars - Malcolm Bricklin knew this when he arranged to import the Yugo GV[0] (peak sales was 48,000). But BYD has much deeper pockets that Malcolm had, so they may be able to invest in safety, a dealer network, and the market research to produce an EV that Americans will buy. The pace of new model introductions from BYD may actually work against them - the cars may be regarded as disposable, with environmental concerns over recycling the plastics and batteries. If the Han[1] is only on sale for a few years, to be replaced with an entirely different model, that also creates a brand identity problem. Compare that with Honda who has been selling the Accord since the late 1970's. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugo#In_the_United_States_and_Canada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugo#In_the_United_States_and_... [1a] https://www.byd.com/us/car/han-ev https://www.byd.com/us/car/han-ev [1b] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNwaeUI4IRw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNwaeUI4IRw
  - SideburnsOfDoom 3y ago
    Yes, a US plant is a necessary pre-requisite to not have import tariffs on the finished vehicles. I would not make the link that BYD == "super-cheap cars" BYD Han, EU price €69,990. High price. BYD Seal, EU price €44,900 and up. Not cheap, lower-middle of the pack. BYD Dolphin, E Price €29,990 and up - that's at the cheap end. But not "super" cheap. BYD Sea Lion, coming soon, around €24K / USD $26K maybe? BYD and other might (and hopefully will) go below €20K / USD $25K into the "super-cheap" category. But that's hardly the whole of or current reality of the brand. Your video link has the title calling the Han a "luxury Sedan" so I don't know why you would talk about "super-cheap", or invent concerns about model name longevity. YEs, BYD seems likely to be _in_ the super-cheap category. So will others.

Do we know if BYD have any plans to sell vehicles in North America? Why wouldn't they?

by grecy 3y ago

Do we know if BYD have any plans to sell vehicles in North America? Why wouldn't they?

BYD has a plant in California https://en.byd.com/news/byd-and-the-city-of-lancaster-announce-lancaster-energy-module-and-electric-bus-manufacturing-facilities/ https://en.byd.com/news/byd-and-the-city-of-lancaster-announ... https://en.byd.com/bus/about/ https://en.byd.com/bus/about/ But BYD seems more advanced in getting consumer automobiles into EU markets than US markets. They also make electric busses: https://en.byd.com/news/byd-receives-largest-battery-electric-bus-order-in-u-s-history/ https://en.byd.com/news/byd-receives-largest-battery-electri...

chiph 3y ago
That will get them around the tariffs. I'm more curious how they'll pass the NHTSA & IIHS crash testing. There's definitely a market for super-cheap cars - Malcolm Bricklin knew this when he arranged to import the Yugo GV[0] (peak sales was 48,000). But BYD has much deeper pockets that Malcolm had, so they may be able to invest in safety, a dealer network, and the market research to produce an EV that Americans will buy. The pace of new model introductions from BYD may actually work against them - the cars may be regarded as disposable, with environmental concerns over recycling the plastics and batteries. If the Han[1] is only on sale for a few years, to be replaced with an entirely different model, that also creates a brand identity problem. Compare that with Honda who has been selling the Accord since the late 1970's. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugo#In_the_United_States_and_Canada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugo#In_the_United_States_and_... [1a] https://www.byd.com/us/car/han-ev https://www.byd.com/us/car/han-ev [1b] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNwaeUI4IRw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNwaeUI4IRw
- SideburnsOfDoom 3y ago
  Yes, a US plant is a necessary pre-requisite to not have import tariffs on the finished vehicles. I would not make the link that BYD == "super-cheap cars" BYD Han, EU price €69,990. High price. BYD Seal, EU price €44,900 and up. Not cheap, lower-middle of the pack. BYD Dolphin, E Price €29,990 and up - that's at the cheap end. But not "super" cheap. BYD Sea Lion, coming soon, around €24K / USD $26K maybe? BYD and other might (and hopefully will) go below €20K / USD $25K into the "super-cheap" category. But that's hardly the whole of or current reality of the brand. Your video link has the title calling the Han a "luxury Sedan" so I don't know why you would talk about "super-cheap", or invent concerns about model name longevity. YEs, BYD seems likely to be _in_ the super-cheap category. So will others.