- With BYD already grabbing a significant share of the electric car market in Europe with EVs such as the Atto 3 and Dolphin, the manufacturer now plans to dominate the electric van and truck space.
- At this week’s IAA Transportation, in Hannover, new and existing BYD EVs were on display, destined specifically for the European transportation industry.
- This includes all-electric versions of light-commercial vans, trucks, and yard tractors.
BYD’s European commercial EV market entry continues
BYD’s display included the already-revealed BYD ETH8, an electric 19-tonne truck, set to steal back European market share from BEV offerings from established manufacturers like Volvo Trucks and MAN. A range of 155 miles (250 kilometers) is on offer, from a 255kWh battery pack, also allowing a payload of just under 11,000 kg, depending on the specification. BYD also displayed its more urban-oriented ETM6 fully-electric truck, with a payload of around 3.7 tonnes, and a range of 125 miles (200 kilometers) with a full load.
However, a brand new reveal on the truck side was the BYD EYT 2.0, an electric yard tractor, designed for use at ports, designed to haul very heavy loads across short distances – with a towing capacity of up to 64,800 kg.
Also revealed for the first time was the BYD E-VALI, a fully-electric van, also designed specifically for the European market, which will be available in 3.5 tonne or 4.25 tonne form, along with a range of around 155 miles (250 kilometers). A peek at the interior shows it to be very car-like, with a wide range of comforts such as an in-car fridge, a large center touchscreen, and various storage compartments. Such attributes have ensured the success of existing electric vans like the Ford e-Transit, and if BYD can target a lower starting price than established manufacturers, just like on the car side, it could be on to a win with this new E-VALI.
Michael Shu, Managing Director of BYD Europe, commented:
“BYD’s goal of cooling the earth by one degree is a vision that can only be achieved through a wide variety of applications. We’re delighted to show another part of this here at IAA, with a line-up of commercial vehicles, including new models that are tailored to Europe. We’re optimistic that the E-VALI and EYT 2.0 can make significant contributions to more sustainable solutions in areas as diverse as last-mile deliveries and major distribution hubs.”
The wide number of commercial EVs now set to be available from BYD in Europe comes just after MAN Trucks announced that its entire truck portfolio would now be available in fully electric form.
