BYD, which already sells electric buses and electric vehicles (EVs) for corporate fleets in India, launch its first passenger car- Atto 3 electric SUV in the country
Warren Buffet-backed Chinese electric carmaker BYD unveiled its first passenger car in India, an electric sport-utility vehicle (SUV), marking its entry into the mainstream market amid a broader global expansion.
BYD, which already sells electric buses and electric vehicles (EVs) for corporate fleets in India. Bookings for the BYD Atto 3 electric SUV are open in the country. Deliveries, the company says, will begin in January 2023.
In India, BYD Atto 3 comes with 60.48kWh battery pack with a tested range of 251km. The electric SUV is claimed to jump from 0 to 100kmph time in 7.3-seconds. The electric vehicle comes with 12.8-inch infotainment screen and has support for both Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
Features include panoramic sunroof, climate control, a one-touch electric opening/closing tailgate and an ADAS suite. Safety features on the BYD Atto 3 include seven airbags, ABS, ESP, hill-hold assist, a 360-degree camera and six radars for the ADAS system. In India, BYD Atto 3 will compete witg Tata Nexon EV, Mahindra XUV400, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Hybrid and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hybrid.
The move comes amid a wider global push by the Chinese carmaker which has already started selling electric cars and plug-in electric hybrids in markets around the world, including Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Brazil, Costa Rica and Colombia.
Earlier this year, BYD said it would start selling its passenger EVs in Japan from 2023 and also has plans to set up a facility in Thailand - its latest among 30 others in the United States, Brazil and India - to produce 150,000 cars a year from 2024. It launched the Atto 3 electric SUV in Thailand on Monday.
BYD's push into India also comes at a time when the South Asian country continues to maintain tight scrutiny of investments coming from bordering nations, including China.
Strict controls on such incoming investments forced Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor to shelve plans to invest $1 billion in India earlier this year, after it failed to obtain regulatory approvals.
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