Chinese automaker BYD to enter into Indian market this year before Diwali. It will launch BYD Atto 3 electric SUV. The automaker already entered the Indian market with electric buses in 2017, however, now the entry will be in individual transport, four-wheelers. It will rival in the passenger vehicle electric segment with MG Zs EV, Hyundai Kona EV, and other upcoming EVs.
The SUV weighs between 1,680-1,750kg. BYD will also unveil a wide range of new electric vehicles at the 2023 Auto Expo. It measures 4,455mm in length, and 1,875mm in width and has a wheelbase of 2,720mm. The company aims to sell 10000 assembled vehicles in India. It is also exploring the setting up of a local manufacturing facility.
The new BYD Atto 3 is fitted with a permanent magnet synchronous motor that produces 204bhp and 310Nm of torque. This electric SUV is claimed to achieve 0-100kmph acceleration in just 7.3 seconds. This electric SUV is offered with a choice of two battery packs – 49.93kWh and 60.48kWh. While the former is claimed to have a range of 320km, the later has a WLTP range of 420km.
The BYD e6 electric SUV features the brand’s Blade Battery Technology, which is claimed to be safer and can tackle bad conditions better than other battery technologies. The company claims that the SUV’s battery can be charged using a 3-pin AC or a Type-2 AC charger. It also supports up to 80kW DC fast charging, which is claimed to charge the battery pack in less than 1 hour.
Other features
In terms of features, the BYD e6 electric SUV comes with an LED lighting system, a panoramic sunroof, 18-inch alloy wheels, powered front seats, a 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen, a digital driver display, an electric tailgate, and ambient lighting. In terms of safety and security, the new electric SUV gets 7 airbags, an electronic stability program (ESP), hill descent assist, 360-degree camera, Tyre-Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and others.
The BYDe6 Atto also comes with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistant System) with features like adaptive cruise control, collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, lane assist, rear cross-traffic alert & braking, and others. The new model is expected to arrive as a CKD unit and is likely to be priced somewhere around Rs 25-30 lakh. While automakers like Tesla have backed out to enter the Indian market, some EV makers continue to enter the market without any local manufacturing plant yet. The outcome is yet to be seen, as the price range of these vehicles will be high and the sales target has been set high as well.
