Electric cars
The Byd Empire arrives in French -speaking Switzerland
The Chinese manufacturer, world number one, is about to open three first dealerships. He wants about fifty in Switzerland before the end of 2026.
Exhibition of byd models last week in Hong Kong. “If you have the ambition to dominate the electric cars market, you must cover all the segments, which we will do in Switzerland in less than a year and a half-we will even come with a pick-up,” warns Maria Grazia Davino, director general of Byd Europe.
AFP
- Byd deploys its strategy in French -speaking Switzerland with the upcoming opening of three first sales areas.
- The Chinese manufacturer says it wants to have around fifty concessions in Switzerland by the end of next year.
- Company officials already discuss with the federal authorities of the installation of their revolutionary charging stations.
Seen from Shenzhen, it is a pin head on the map of the first world manufacturer of electric cars. However, the small Swiss outlet will play a crucial test role. By revealing, Beyond fantasiesits true commercial power. And its ability to divert customers attached to European brands.
This is certainly what Stella Li had in mind, number two of this Chinese conglomerate with nearly 970,000 employees, returning to Switzerland Friday. This time to supervise the deployment in the country’s French -speaking part, two months after having Launched marketing to Zurich.
“The Swiss market is probably one of the most difficult to conquer, and it is precisely by convincing such a demanding clientele that we can strengthen our brand,” says BYD’s executive vice-president on the sidelines of a meeting with potential distributors in Lausanne.
The price, but not only …
Everything remains to be proven. According to the Auto-Suisse group, in mid-June, only 152 BYD models had been registered. The manufacturer’s objective remains to sell 5.5 million vehicles in 2025 worldwide. Including 800,000 outside China.
The first shot down is that of Sealion 7, whose line is signed by the former Audi design manager, Wolfgang Egger. It shows. The electric SUV, which starts just below 50,000 francs, is launched in pursuit of the Tesla Model Y – the best -selling model in the country.
A BYD U9 model presented at the Singapore automotive fair on January 9.
AFP
Hesitant on an electric? No problem. The elegant family has a rechargeable hybrid twin, the Seal U DM-I. And is seconded by a sedan, the Seal. At the end of May, the brand added the Atto 2, a small SUV, like Peugeot E-2008. As well as the Dolphin Surf, electric city car starting at 20,000 francs.
“Of course, the price plays an important role, but it is not at the center of customer concerns,” says Petrit Shtanaj, head of Zurich concessions. He especially said he highlights the technological advance of a group which was initially a builder. And in particular its “Blade Batteryextremely resistant to fire and perforation, integrated directly into the structure of the vehicle ”.
The Denza range aims for Switzerland
This is just a start. “If you have the ambition to dominate the electric cars market, you must cover all the segments, which we will do in Switzerland in less than a year and a half. We will even come with a pick-up, ”insists Maria Grazia Davino, Director General of Byd Europe.
The country will appear “among the first” where the Denza high -end models will be offered, whose prices will be displayed “from 100,000 francs”. Among the Denza brought to Lausanne, a luxury minibus. Bof. More impressive, a four -door Denza Z9 GT coupé, with the proportions of Porsche Taycan.
“To settle in Europe, you must have capital allowing you to hold the first five to ten years. Very few other Chinese brands can do so, ”says Stella Li. Byd wants to have a network of a thousand points of sale in Europe. A forced walking network aimed at responding to the disappointing start of 2024 in Germany – despite theHuge Euro campaign football.
His teams spent their Friday-and part of the weekend-meeting possible distributors for the French-speaking region.
Open in April, the first concession of the Chinese brand in Zurich. “The objective is to have 40 to 50 points of sale by the end of next year, in order to cover the whole country,” describes Maria Grazia Davino, head for Europe in Byd.
Oliver Gary/BYD
The first showroom was Open in early April in Zurich by the distribution company Harmony, which provides for five additional. Another company launched a sales area in Bellinzone. Lugano will follow this week.
“The objective is to have 40 to 50 sales points by the end of next year, in order to cover the whole country – with as many concessions as possible with a maintenance workshop,” describes Maria Grazia Davino.
The latter says it leads “advanced discussions” with a distributor “for three first points of sale” in French -speaking Switzerland in the coming weeks. Tractations “also started with a large group from France”. And “we were approached by another player in the sector in Lausanne,” added this former Franco-Italian giant Stellantis.
400 kilometers in five minutes
The brand is deployed in the country by relying not on a network of exclusive agencies – as VW does with Amag – but on competing, American concessions. These resellers buy him the vehicles, fix the prices. And assume the risk of unsold. A radical turn after the negotiations led for a while with Emil Frey. “Everyone told us that it would be impossible, this system would never work in Switzerland,” says Maria Grazia Davino.
This Neapolitan of origin indicates wanting to cross the iron on another front. That of the fast charging network, Tesla key advantage. “We will start to discuss with the Swiss authorities how to set up our ultra -rapid terminals,” outlines the manager. Byd had created the surprise two months ago by revealing its 1000 kW super e-platform, capable of providing 400 kilometers of autonomy in five minutes. As fast as a full of diesel.
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