thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 What is now Australia’s cheapest electric passenger vehicle – the BYD e6 electric crossover – is now on sale from just $39,999 through Nexport subsidiary EVDirect, and odds are its newly won status won’t last long. That’s because there are currently just 15 units of the new e6 currently in Australia. But, as reported by The Driven in July, if interest is high, Nexport CEO Luke Todd says there will definitely be room to import more. Made by the Warren Buffet-backed Chinese EV and battery maker BYD, the e6 is one of a series of electric vehicles planned for import by Nexport. It joins the T3 electric commercial van which is also now available and is officially Australia’s most affordable EV including commercial and passenger vehicles at just $34,950 before on-roads. Several thousand BYD e6 vehicles are currently in operation as taxis in China, and the e6 is billed as a family-friendly people mover. At first glance it would seem perfectly suited to toppling the MG ZS EV off the “Australia’s cheapest EV” post – which is exactly what it has just done. Undercutting the $44,990 driveaway MG ZS EV by several thousand, the BYD e6 is a 4.7m long, 1.93 tonne five-seater with a 71.7kWh BYD Blade battery. There are some questions around its driving range – the Chinese BYD site lists it with 402km maximum range while the EVDirect site states 522km. On the front page it says this is according to WLTP rating, however on the specifications page it states in the fine print this is the NEDC rating. We’ve reached out to Nexport to clarify. Either way, it outdoes the MG ZS EV which has a real world range of about 230km. Power output is a modest 70kW, maximum torque is 180Nm and top speed is 130km/hr, but as we said this is a vehicle meant for moving people, not smoking traffic lights. With a 2.8m wheelbase it has a turning radius of 5.65m, while suspension sits on McPherson struts with a multi-linked rear. In terms of charging, the BYD e6 has been modified to accept CCS2 DC fast charging at a top rate of 60kW, and AC charging at a top rate of 6.6kW using a Type 2 connector. Vehicle controls are via a central dash touchscreen, and early images show a roomy seating plan with comfortable leather seats. The BYD e6 is initially available in blue or white. Source: https://thedriven.io/2021/08/03/byd-e6-is-now-australias-cheapest-passenger-electric-vehicle/ ——————————————————————————— According to sgCarMart’s new car listing, the BYD e6 is also the cheapest passenger electric vehicle currently available in Singapore’s market. My opinion: I have only seen the BYD e6 once on the road before. And my only experience with BYD was when I sat in the now-defunct HDT taxi a few years back. I didn’t have much impression about the brand or car, except that it really reminded me of a Toyota Wish. I would love to hear your opinion and/or thoughts on the BYD e6 or BYD vehicles in general. Do yall think it would be the “mainstream” car once the EV policy kicks in? And for its price tag, would you consider purchasing one? ↡ Advertisement 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0y0ta Supercharged August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 BYD is one of the more stable EV makers in China. They also make a range of hybrids. Not as flashy and start-upish like Xpeng, NIO, Byron But solidly mature and profitable and have their own in-house battery tech which has proven to be safer than the normal Li-ion used by Tesla etc. I think they will definitely become one of the top players globally in a few decades. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invigorated Supercharged August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 The problem with BYD cars now would he the poor resale value as the brand does not have a good footing here, while it's pretty popular in China. Until we see a significant take up either thru marketing or perhaps a tie up with some big brands, it's unlikely to move in a big way now. Most BYDs are also used by PHVs and most drivers tend to shun cars that are almostly exclusively used for them, again resale gets affected. Look at past China makes and they all faced the same fate. Perhaps BYD will change that as they have the resources.. or maybe sg market is too small to even bother. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamburger Hypersonic August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 Simply BYD is a silly name that fails to inspire any interest. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Author Share August 3, 2021 @t0y0ta True, I absolutely agree with you that they are not as flashy or "trendy" as NIO, Xpeng and Byron. It is so toned down that I was unaware that they started selling passenger cars in the Singapore until I saw one below a HDB block. Would you purchase a BYD in time to come? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Author Share August 3, 2021 @Invigorated On the topic of BYD being used as a PHV vehicle, do you know if it can be charged using the BlueSG charger located at HDB estates island wide? Or does it have a specific charging port to be used? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xers007 Supercharged August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 BYD... not me laughing ah... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watwheels Supersonic August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 Yes, branding on a car is everything. If the brand is not a circular propeller shape it is not a desirable car. The brand name, Bring Your own Driver or Bring Your own Battery, just dont go well on a car. Ppl will just make memes out of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Author Share August 3, 2021 @Xers007 Hahaha seems like your opinion could be represented by that video alone😳 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Author Share August 3, 2021 @Watwheels True, branding is very important. People often associate branding with reliability, capability etc, and people often choose brands that represents their profile/personality. What do you think of BYD’s branding? What does it say about someone that drives a BYD car? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobayashiGT Internal Moderator August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 2 hours ago, thatJDMahboy said: What is now Australia’s cheapest electric passenger vehicle – the BYD e6 electric crossover – is now on sale from just $39,999 through Nexport subsidiary EVDirect, and odds are its newly won status won’t last long. That’s because there are currently just 15 units of the new e6 currently in Australia. But, as reported by The Driven in July, if interest is high, Nexport CEO Luke Todd says there will definitely be room to import more. Made by the Warren Buffet-backed Chinese EV and battery maker BYD, the e6 is one of a series of electric vehicles planned for import by Nexport. It joins the T3 electric commercial van which is also now available and is officially Australia’s most affordable EV including commercial and passenger vehicles at just $34,950 before on-roads. Several thousand BYD e6 vehicles are currently in operation as taxis in China, and the e6 is billed as a family-friendly people mover. At first glance it would seem perfectly suited to toppling the MG ZS EV off the “Australia’s cheapest EV” post – which is exactly what it has just done. Undercutting the $44,990 driveaway MG ZS EV by several thousand, the BYD e6 is a 4.7m long, 1.93 tonne five-seater with a 71.7kWh BYD Blade battery. There are some questions around its driving range – the Chinese BYD site lists it with 402km maximum range while the EVDirect site states 522km. On the front page it says this is according to WLTP rating, however on the specifications page it states in the fine print this is the NEDC rating. We’ve reached out to Nexport to clarify. Either way, it outdoes the MG ZS EV which has a real world range of about 230km. Power output is a modest 70kW, maximum torque is 180Nm and top speed is 130km/hr, but as we said this is a vehicle meant for moving people, not smoking traffic lights. With a 2.8m wheelbase it has a turning radius of 5.65m, while suspension sits on McPherson struts with a multi-linked rear. In terms of charging, the BYD e6 has been modified to accept CCS2 DC fast charging at a top rate of 60kW, and AC charging at a top rate of 6.6kW using a Type 2 connector. Vehicle controls are via a central dash touchscreen, and early images show a roomy seating plan with comfortable leather seats. The BYD e6 is initially available in blue or white. Source: https://thedriven.io/2021/08/03/byd-e6-is-now-australias-cheapest-passenger-electric-vehicle/ ——————————————————————————— According to sgCarMart’s new car listing, the BYD e6 is also the cheapest passenger electric vehicle currently available in Singapore’s market. My opinion: I have only seen the BYD e6 once on the road before. And my only experience with BYD was when I sat in the now-defunct HDT taxi a few years back. I didn’t have much impression about the brand or car, except that it really reminded me of a Toyota Wish. I would love to hear your opinion and/or thoughts on the BYD e6 or BYD vehicles in general. Do yall think it would be the “mainstream” car once the EV policy kicks in? And for its price tag, would you consider purchasing one? it looks abit like the toyota sienta. Which is a good thing! it means it is versatile! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlalala 4th Gear August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 one thing for sure is that it looks better than the previous gen 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishiwgao 3rd Gear August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 I've driven the car before, and I wrote a few posts in MCF on BYD's battery tech before. just to summarize here e6 is a vehicle built by BYD for fleet business. it's a cheap car with quality in areas related to being a fleet car (e.g. high powertrain durability, good safety, spacious etc.), but don't expect quality anything else (not good driving feel, slower acceleration even for an EV, headunit interface not spectacular etc). And that's why it's so cheap. BYD's current generation of battery (Blade battery) used in the e6 and other models is really an innovative technology. It's still heavier than other car brands, but that because they are using the LFP battery chemistry that is heavier but safer (very low fire hazard) compared to other brands like Tesla and Nissan and Hyundai that uses lighter batteries but more prone to fire hazard should anything happen. You can charge using any EV charger in Singapore, no special interface needed. The only concern is which charger you choose, the faster ones will take about 1hour ish, enough to go lunch and coffee one day a week while your car is charging. Overall, to answer your questions, i don't think this will be the "mainstream" car because i think people would prefer a better driving experience when switching to an EV. If I have a smaller budget but need a car to transport my big family around, I would consider buying this car over another big SUV or MPV (in fact, i think this is the cheapest MPV in Singapore). But if I wanted a car to drive and feel great inside, it wouldn't be on my list 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Author Share August 3, 2021 @kobayashiGT Except that the Sienta has a sliding door, which is a double edged sword. Some consumers prefer a sliding door, and considers it to be the unique selling point of a car. Whereas, others shun from it as they feel the additional mechanism will be prone to wear and tear. I am curious to see what will BYD’s next generation of cars be like😅 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Author Share August 3, 2021 @wlalala Yup, indeed. Its exterior looks much more modern than the previous generation. However, the interior of the BYD e6 just shouts PLASTIC to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohto Hypersonic August 3, 2021 Share August 3, 2021 3 hours ago, Hamburger said: Simply BYD is a silly name that fails to inspire any interest. I am a supporter for BYD for a few months already.... Thanks to Covid 🤣 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Author Share August 3, 2021 @Ishiwgao Thank you for your interesting insights and opinion on the BYD e6. If like what you said about it being a fleet car is true, I wonder why would they bother rolling out its cars to the consumer market? Mmmm I feel a huge plus point about driving an EV is the added comfort and driving experience one gets from driving a conventional ICE vehicle. So, this car would certainly be an unlikely purchase decision for me🤭 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatJDMahboy 2nd Gear August 3, 2021 Author Share August 3, 2021 @Tohto because you buy the BYD face masks?🤣 ↡ Advertisement 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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