01284 725599

A review of the BYD e6

Written by Steve Cropley on 08th June 2017

A review of the BYD e6_001
A review of the BYD e6_002
A review of the BYD e6_003
A review of the BYD e6_004
A review of the BYD e6_005
A review of the BYD e6_006

The BYD e6 is a view of the future, that’s what, some pundits say.

Courtesy of Autocar (www.autocar.co.uk)

 

Chinese car makers are too busy catering to their massive domestic market to bother much with exports - but that’s certainly not the case with BYD.

It's China’s sixth-largest car maker and has imported 50 of its e6 all-electric hatchbacks to the UK and begun a process of “polishing” them for the European market by directing initial sales to professional fleet customers, and by engaging consultants such as Ricardo and MIRA to help.

The car is a neat-looking five-door hatchback, powered by a single 119bhp electric motor with a peak torque of 332lb ft. More powerful versions have been built, but BYD reckons this single-engined version, which can cruise easily and comfortably at 70-75mph yet has a real-world range of around 140 miles (an “official” 180 miles is claimed) makes more sense for the airport fleet and taxi service operators to use it.

BYD’s first UK deal is with the green taxi firm, Green Tomato, but the company is also selling cars in Switzerland, France and Germany. European MD Isbrand Ho wants a fleet of 2500 e6s running in Europe by the end of next year.

"Driving the e6 makes BYD’s expertise with electric powertrains obvious — this fast-emerging manufacturer is one of the world’s most successful battery makers."

Steve Cropley, Editor-in-chief

Driving the e6 makes BYD’s expertise with electric powertrains obvious — this fast-emerging manufacturer is one of the world’s most successful battery makers. What the e6 now needs is a thorough campaign of refinement, a bigger boot and a lower price. But its major components are in place.

Cars like this are coming, and some of us will be buying them. It’s just a matter of when.

 Back to News

Recent News