Chinese EV giant, BYD to enter Australian market in 2022

You might’ve not heard of BYD but it is one of the largest battery makers in the world and also one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) companies in China. Come 2022, it will enter the Australian market according to CarAdvice.

BYD’s tenure Down Under mainly was for research and development including electric taxis similar to what Grab has done in Singapore.

However, a few models including a BYD Tang SUV and a BYD T3 electric van have been spotted around Australia which could hint at an entry into that market.

According to the Australian media, BYD signed an agreement with Australian distributor, Nexport. This will see Nexport as the official distributor not just in Australia but also in right-hand drive markets within the Asia-Pacific region.

Nexport initially only had plans to sell BYD vehicles online with no plans in establishing a dealer showroom network, echoing a similar strategy as Tesla.

In an interview with CarAdvice, Nexport CEO Luke Todd claims that this method promises to “deliver high-quality electric vehicles from the manufacturer direct to the customer” and “will be reducing the price to consumers by as much as 30 percent”.

Nexport has yet to reveal its Aussie-bound model line-up but they will feature BYD’s proprietary ‘Blade Battery’ technology and will be revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show on 21-April 2021.