[ad_1]
The CEO of BYD’s Australian distributor says the company aims to sell 50,000 vehicles in 2025 – which would make it a Top 10 selling brand, and one of the fastest ramp-ups in Australian automotive history.
Chinese car giant BYD has set a bold target to quadruple its sales in Australia by the end of next year amid a wave of new models and dealerships.
David Smitherman, CEO of BYD’s Australian distributor EVDirect, told local media the company has “strong ambitions” to double its sales from 12,500 last year to 25,000 in 2024 and 50,000 in 2025.
If it achieves its goal, BYD would be one of the fastest-growing brands in Australian motoring history – and would place the car giant in the Top 10 selling brands in Australia, based on last year’s sales results.
Under Chinese ownership it took fellow MG seven years to sell more than 50,000 new vehicles in a calendar year in Australia – the only Chinese brand which has done so.
BYD delivered its first mass-production vehicle in Australia less than two years ago.
The Chinese car giant is due to complement its current three electric cars – the Dolphin, Seal and Atto 3 – with a plug-in hybrid ute and family SUV by the end of this year, and other models in Australia’s top-selling SUV market segments.
Mr Smitherman said: “12,500 last year was our [sales] number. This year, we want to double that. We want to back that up again next year and double that number.”
“BYD is a huge brand that is going to change the [Australian] automotive industry and will change the automotive industry globally.”
BYD reported 12,438 new vehicles as sold in Australia in 2023, and the company says it delivered its 20,000th vehicle in April 2024.
In the first three months of 2024, BYD Australia has reported 4481 examples of its electric vehicles as sold.
“If we look at what’s happened in the Australian automotive industry, we know Toyota took 18 years to sell 100,000 hybrids,” Mr Smitherman said.
“We know Tesla took 10 years to sell 100,000. I’m very, very confident with the product we have today [and] with the product we’re getting that we BYD will achieve that 100,000 cumulative volume in a number of years,” he added.
Should it continue to double its year-on-year sales beyond 2025, BYD would be on track to deliver its 100,000th vehicle in Australia in 2026.
The company has previously announced plans for at least four new models by the end of ths year, and a previously-announced intention to grow its service and dealership presence up to 100 locations nationwide.
“Our target is to get 70 plus dealers by the end of this year,” Mr Smitherman told Drive. The brand currently operates about 40 showroom and service locations.
Due in showrooms in the coming weeks is the Seal U plug-in hybrid SUV, aimed at the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, as well as conventional hybrid SUVs such as the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail e-Power.
MORE: This is what BYD’s hybrid ute will look like
Expected to follow in the year is a plug-in hybrid ute – beating brands such as Ford, Toyota, and Isuzu to market – set to be called the Shark.
“What you’ll see from us over this year over the next year, and the year after is a significant rollout of product,” said Mr Smitherman, who was appointed EVDirect CEO in January 2024.
“Look at the models available in China, and we’re pushing [really] hard to get those vehicles in right-hand drive to Australia.”
The post BYD aims to double sales this year – and again next year appeared first on Drive.
[ad_2]
Source link
