By Seán Creedon
‘‘The biggest car brand you have never heard of’’ – that’s how Ciaran Allen, Sales Manager at Motor Distributors, signed off his presentation at the launch of Chinese company BYD’s first car to be sold in Ireland.
BYD stands for ‘Build Your Dreams’ and their cars will be imported and distributed in Ireland by MDL, who are also the Irish agents for Mercedes.
BYD’s first model available here is the Atto 3, which I drove last week. It came in a lovely shade of red and had the words ‘build your dreams’ written in the door of the boot, just under the rear window.
Basically BYD is a battery company that is now building cars, taking on rivals that frequently buy in batteries modules. Last year they overtook Tesla to become the largest manufacturer in the world of electric cars. Now, it has the European market firmly in its sights.
BRIGHT INTERIOR
At first glance, it’s a very neat and attractive motor. The front is very sleek and while the rear is fairly normal, except for those famous three words inscribed. Inside the décor is really bright and refreshing with touches of grey and cream on the dash. The seats are much the same colour scheme and a touch of red stitching makes them even more attractive.
My test car had a sun-roof, which would be an extra and it really completed the bright look of the interior. Of course, the sun has been shining recently, so it was a good time to slide over that sun-roof.
However, the item you will probably notice first when you sit in is the massive iPad on the dash. Well, it’s not really an iPad, but a 12.8-inch infotainment screen which works well. Inside all four doors you get three red ‘guitar-like’ strings to hold items secure. The strings reminded me of a guitar and I reckon if you had Christy Moore as a passenger, he would be able to get a tune out of those strings!
Also on the dash, are three unusual looking air conditioning vents. The best way I could describe them is that they are like a group of three mini CD players. There is also an A/C vent just behind the front seats for the back seat passengers, who are also well catered for with USB ports. That back seat has ample room for three well-built adults.
The boot is a decent size but as usual with electric cars, no spare wheel.
‘ON THE ROAD, IT’S A BEAUTY’
Overall, a very enjoyable car to drive. My only slight criticism is that it was a bit slow to charge compared to other EV models I have driven. I don’t have a home charger, so maybe it would charge quicker at home. But on the road, it’s a beauty.
Prices start at €37,128 and as usual, the more goodies you want the higher the price. It’s fitted with a 60kWh battery and the range is approximately 420km. With MDL’s support and expertise, I expect that the BYD brand will become very well known in the Irish car market.
BYD Ireland’s sales network is already up and running, with its first showroom in the north side of Dublin on the Navan Road, followed by BYD South Dublin in Deansgrange and BYD Cork at Eastgate Business Park in Little Island. For more log on to: www.bydauto.ie
Also coming soon from BYD, is a c-segment hatchback which will be called the Dolphin. It’s due here in September.
