To buy or bye: BYD EV customers in India highlight the highs and lows
Tesla is synonymous with electric vehicles (EVs) and the rise and spread of the Elon Musk-led company has been nothing short of meteoric, leaving rivals far behind. All but one. For anyone looking for the giants of the EV industry, the first guess is unlikely to be BYD. But this Chinese company has expanded at a speed that may make even Tesla's growth seem pale in comparison.
Expansion is the buzz word for BYD. The company has a 35 per cent share in the new energy vehicles' segment in its home market of China and has also expanded its presence to around 70 countries. And India is in prime focus. But is BYD in focus for new-age Indian EV buyers? The company has three models on offer here - e6 MPV, Atto3 SUV and the just-launched Seal performance sedan. HT Auto spoke to a select group of BYD customers in the country to get their perspective about the company and the EVs they drive.
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Why are people choosing EVs over ICE models?
Different people have different reasons for buying an EV. Some are environment conscious, some want to decrease their carbon footprint while others just want to drop the fuel and maintenance costs. Bharat Singh, who is a Civil Engineer by profession, decided to shift to an EV because of two primary reasons. “The first is that I used to spend between ₹18,000 and ₹20,000 every month on petrol and I wanted to bring the cost down. The other reason was because my previous car was getting old," he highlights. Bharat owns a BYD Atto3.
For Syed Mubasser Ali, Founder of Cellestial E-Mobility Pvt Ltd, and Captain Sanjay Gupta, who is a pilot, environmental well-being was a key factor for thier respective purchases. Both have owned the Reva which was one of the first EVs in India. In fact, Gupta also has a solar setup at his second home and so, he basically gets to charge his vehicle for free and he feels like there is a responsibility towards the environment of every citizen.
What prompts a niche set of buyers to opt for BYD?
BYD is not yet a common name among people out and about for a new car. But chances of the EV customer being more aware of technologies and newer brands may be more vis-a-vis a potential buyer of an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle. This may work to the advantage of BYD, especially because its BLADE battery technology is considered advanced. These battery packs use LFP chemistry and claim to offer a substantial range versus may rival models, can be fast charged and are more suitable for the Indian environment. Atto 3 in particular offers 521 kms of range per charge. Ali says, “I have been able to achieve around 420 -430 km of range with air-conditioning while going uphill."
Why not an EV from a rival brand?
Currently, the Indian market has quite a few players in the EV segment. For instance, there is Tata Motors, Mahindra, Hyundai, Kia and Citroen. And then there are luxury-car manufacturers as well. Owners of BYD that HT Auto spoke to did evaluate other options. Bharat says, “The cabin space on offer (on the BYD) was really good and I am a tall guy (six feet two inches) so I don't fit in most vehicles comfortably. I checked out other vehicles but I did not find ample amount of space in them."
Ali and Gupta pointed out that many of the e6 units being used for public transportation have clocked lakhs of kilometres which may hint at their reliability. Gupta also admits that he did check the Hyundai Ioniq 5 but it was not available in the country at the time he wanted to purchase an EV.
Does Chinese origins of a brand impact buying decisions?
There is an interesting take to this - people want to buy ‘Made-in-India’ products. For BYD customers HT Auto spoke to, this did play in their minds as well, especially because Chinese products are still often perceived to be inferior in terms of manufacturing. There was also scepticism around BYD's future in India considering it is one of the newer players here. It was a gamble which they now say may have worked in their favour. Singh explains, “In the beginning, I felt that BYD may exit the Indian market but then I thought that whatever will happen will happen with every owner." He further says that sales of BYD have been steady which is a good sign for the company and reassures existing customers, making the country of origin a negligible factor.
Also Read : BYD Seal EV launched in India at ₹41 lakh, gets up to 650 km of range
How has the experience of owning and driving a BYD been so far?
Bharat, Ali and Gupta all agree that the range of their EVs and the quality of service they have received have been great. They also agree that while a range of over 400 kms is practical, even getting spare parts through official channels, when required, has been fairly convenient. Gupta, however, points out that he faced issues while taking delivery of his Atto 3. “The Gurgaon dealership was bad. They were treating me as if they are doing me a favour by giving a car. I would rate them a three on a scale of ten," he admits. "Initially, the setup was also not good, the toll-free numbers and the emails were not responding. The complete payment was paid and the dealership was stalling the delivery. On the day of the delivery, the car was not charged and there was no washer fluid in the tank. Moreover, I was made to sit one and a half hour because the exit of the dealership was blocked." He hopes that BYD has been able to iron out these issues which are very crucial to ‘create right impressions.’
These BYD customers also point to the larger issue of charging infrastructure in the country which, they say, is still far from ideal. “The number of public chargers are definitely not enough. If one charger is not working then the other charger should be within reach, say between 20 kms to 50 kms. However, right now the public chargers far apart from each other," says Bharat.
Also Read : BYD, Tesla locked in EV price battle in China as growth slows
What do BYD customers make of the company's pricing structure?
EVs are not cheap. And BYD EVs are not either. The most-affordable BYD in India is e6 and the base variant is at ₹29.15 lakh (ex-showroom). But are these EVs bang for the buck? Ali says, “The Germans are selling the electric vehicles at three times the price whereas the Koreans are selling them at twice the price. Similar vehicles to BYD are being priced much higher so it is really high value for money." He further believes that if the same vehicle was sold by a German or even a Korean brand, then the sales figures would have been much higher considering the battery and technology that BYD is offering.
But while BYD gradually finds its footing in the country, it appears to not be in the game of scale just yet. And therefore, the opinions of customers like Bharat, Ali and Gupta - and their continuing ownership experience - is more than likely to give direction to the company's fortunes and fate here, one way or another.
The global story, however, is more positive. The plans, more aggressive. BYD sold more electric and plug-in hybrids in the global market in the last quarter of 2023 than any other manufacturer. The company delivered 5,26,409 units against 4,84,507 units that Tesla, its direct rival, delivered. BYD also produced more vehicles than Tesla in the fourth quarter. Will it be able to open up a sizeable lead? Time will tell.
