Global powerhouse BYD has taken the world by storm, but it barely features in South Africa. Yet, they have big plans for 2025…
BYD Seal. Image: BYD
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BYD, or Build Your Dreams, to use its full name, is a global leader when it comes to new energy vehicles (NEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs). But in South Africa, they are not making an impact. Is this something worth discussing, though?
Firstly, BYD is big. And when I say big, I mean that they are the world’s biggest vehicle seller. In 2024, the Chinese giant sold more than 4.2 million NEVs worldwide – an increase of 41.26% over 2023! This translates to an average of around 356 012 vehicles per month! Of course, the majority of these sales occurred in China, but even in other parts of the world, including the Middle East and Europe, the brand is growing.
Locally, though, the image is dark.
Related: Shark Headed For SA As BYD Celebrates 30th Birthday
Image: BYD
In October 2024, with the launch of the Seal all-electric sedan, BYD’s sales tally has been a few hundred vehicles in South Africa. While this does not sound too bad, do keep in mind that the brand has been operating in South Africa since June 2023! This is scary, because other Chinese brands like Omoda and Jaecoo, which are also new entrants, have exploded onto the local scene. This contradicts BYD’s almost silent, under-the-radar approach.
To put BYD’s SA situation in perspective: If, for instance, ‘a few hundred’ vehicles are 200 units, it means that between June 2023 and December 2024 – 19 months – an average of 10.5 new vehicles were sold per month. If it’s 500 new vehicles over 19 months, then it’s a slightly better, but still grim, 26.3 vehicles per month. Going on the premise that BYD sold 26 cars in December 2024, that is a contribution of 0.01% to the group’s global sales figure of 509 440 units in the last month of the year!
BYD also does not release its sales figures to NAAMSA, SA’s Automotive Business Council, so we do not have exact figures to track the brand’s progress.
Related: Review: Yangwang U8 – BYD’s Floating SUV
Despite the underwhelming sales, BYD plans on expanding its South African footprint in 2025. The automotive giant plans on growing its dealer network from five to 25 by the end of the year, and launching a raft of new vehicles that will make up a portfolio of 11 NEVs in the country. These new vehicles include the Shark bakkie, Sealion 6 SUV, and the Dolphin Mini. If BYD’s pricing strategy bears fruit, the all-electric Dolphin Mini will be priced around R350 000.
BYD Dolphin. Image: BYD
BYD SA’s current EV portfolio consists of:
All models ship standard with a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan, a 5-year/100 000 vehicle warranty, and an 8-year/150 000 km battery warranty.
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The post Where Is BYD? Global Powerhouse Almost Nowhere In SA appeared first on CAR Magazine.
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