Faced with the setbacks of its American competitor Tesla, BYD is taking off in the electric car market. The Chinese manufacturer, the world leader in electric vehicles, has just unveiled a new car in China. The Qin L EV is already generating a lot of interest and is likely to make waves in the coming months.
BYD targets young people with its latest sedan
The new Qin L electric car is presented as a more affordable alternative to the Tesla Model 3. It enters the sedan segment and sports a rather modern and conventional design. The manufacturer assures that it is targeting a young clientele with its new sedan, focusing on rather generous dimensions. With its generous dimensions of 4.72 meters long, 1.88 meters wide and 1.50 meters high, it is quite close to a Model 3.
The exterior is distinguished by a full grille and lights connected by a metal strip. The back features a wide LED strip light signature.
Inside, BYD offers a large 12.8-inch touchscreen incorporating an infotainment system called DiLink. This incorporates artificial intelligence while the 8.8-inch digital dashboard is complemented by a 12-inch head-up display. The BYD Qin L EV also features a 50W wireless charger and six speakers.
In terms of performance, the Qin L EV is based on BYD's new e-Platform 3.0 EVO platform. It is available in two versions: 148 and 215 horsepower, with torques of 220 and 330 Nm respectively. The Blade LFP batteries, with a capacity of 46.08 or 56.64 kWh, offer a maximum range of 545 km according to the Chinese CLTC cycle (approximately 463 km in WLTP). This is far from the performance of a Tesla Model 3, which claims a range of 554 km in its basic version.
Official data mentions a consumption of 10.8 kWh/100 km. Additionally, recharging from 30 to 80% takes 24 minutes.
Available in China, the electric Qin L features an autonomous driving system called God’s Eye C. Like Tesla, it relies solely on cameras and there is no LiDAR sensor. BYD specifies that over-the-air (OTA) updates will bring new features, including stored navigation.
An unbeatable price (which France is unlikely to benefit from)
The BYD Qin L's major asset is its extremely competitive price. In China, it is available in three versions (from 470 km to 545 km of autonomy) at prices of 119,800 yuan (15,300 euros), 129,800 yuan (16,600 euros) and 139,800 yuan (17,800 euros). For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 starts at 230,000 yuan (around 29,000 euros) on the Chinese market. This significant price difference could help shake up the market, first in China, and then potentially internationally.
However, if the model were to be marketed in Europe, its price would likely be revised upwards due to customs duties. Furthermore, it would not be eligible for the ecological bonus, unless it were produced at the BYD factory in Hungary. The latter is scheduled to open by the end of 2025 and will notably produce the Atto 2.
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