China's BYD ends full combustion engine cars, will focus on EVs, hybrids only

China's largest electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Co Ltd. has announced that it has stopped making fully internal combustion engine vehicles as of last month and now produces only pure electric vehicles and heavily electrified plug-in hybrid models only. The auto company claims that this move comes as part of the brand's electrification strategy.

The auto company in a statement filed to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Sunday said that in the future, BYD will focus on pure electric and plug-in hybrids in the automobile sector. This means that BYD will not completely stop making petrol engine powered vehicles since smaller highly efficient engines will continue to be used in the company's plug-in hybrid models.

BYD's move comes in response to China's pledge to boost green energy consumption to reduce carbon emissions significantly by 2030.

BYD is among six global car manufacturers who have signed up for a global campaign to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2040. The other auto manufacturers are Volvo, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar Land Rover.

BYD sold a total of 104,878 units of new energy vehicles (NEV) in March this year, surging from 24,218 units recorded in the same month a year earlier, reports Reuters. The auto company also marked its highest monthly sales ever in March 2022. Last month, the auto company sold a total of 53,664 pure EVs and 50,674 plug-in hybrid cars along with 540 commercial NEV cars.

BYD has launched its electric vehicle in India as well, in the form of its pure electric premium MPV e6. The BYD e6 electric MPV is available in India at a price of ₹29.15 lakh (ex-showroom). The premium MPV is currently available for fleet buyers only in India.

Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India.