WeeklySA_AdminBYD: Chinese automaker continues its surge to conquer the fledgling EV market in SA
By Ali Mphaki
Suddenly, you wake up, and the streets have a new meaning. Groggily, you rub your eyes, and what you see are Sharks, Dolphins,and Sealions criss crossing the streets.
It’s like the sea has come to the land, or the land had been subsumed by the sea. If that sounds apocalyptic, fear not. The sea creatures named above are not predatory.
They’ve been unleashed to our roads by Chinese automaker BYD, which is slowly expanding its local model lineup with a focus on sustainable mobility.
Build Your Dreams, as the auto maker is known, launched in South Africa in 2023, heralding their arrival in Mzansi with the BYD ATTO 3 electric crossover.
Since then, BYD has been flexing it’s muscle critically expanding its infrastructure, establishing dealerships across the country, and installing ultra fast chargers as well.
If the brand launch of the AATO 3 was a test of the waters, it’s reception by the car crazy public looking for greener mobility was enough to convince BYD’s head honchos that South Africa could be an important market with huge potential for their EVs.
The relatively young Chinese automaker in existence since 1994 and headquartered in Guangdong has experienced significant growth and is on an expansion drive to overseas markets with South Africa as a gateway to the continent.
To further solidify their presence in South Africa, BYD has since expanded their range offerings with the introduction of three new models , you guessed it, the hybrid bakkie Shark, the Dolphin hatchback, and the Sealion SUVs.
Whilst the AATO 3 received a mixed reception, despite its clained 420km electric cruising capacity, it is the three newcomers that seem set to confound both friends and critics alike.
Let’s have a closer look at the three, starting with the BYD Dolphin. This is a compact hatchback offered in different trims and considered South Africa’s most affordable EV, according to Carmag. Said to be ideal for ciry driving, it will also be pleasing to its enthusiasts to know it has made it to the semi-finalists list of SAGMJ car of the year competition.
Coming to the BYD Sealion,
The BYD Sealion is a new series of SUVs (Sealion 5, 6, 7), offering affordable Plug-in Hybrid (DM-i) and All-Electric (EV) options with advanced tech like Blade Batteries, rotating screens, and safety features, positioning itself as a strong competitor in the midsize SUV segment with models like the budget-friendly Sealion 5 and the more performance-oriented Sealion 7.
It is said to be the most affordable PHEV in South Africa at launch Then there is the BYD Shark, described as a powerful new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) pickup bakkie.
It boasts a strong performance 321kW/650Nm and an impressive towing 2 500kg of road capability. It covers 0- 100km/h in 5.7 seconds
With all four BYD models now available in Mzansi, there’s now a BYD for every road and lifestyle – in electric style. Take your pick.
