BYD’s New Electric Crossover Yuan Ap: Specs, Pricing, and Global Release

2024-02-02 00:36:13

in short:

• Yuan Ap, BYD’s new electric crossover
• In China it will be marketed with 95 and 177 hp
• Will come to Europe and us next year, under a different nickname

BYD has unveiled a new small crossover called the Yuan Up, which is expected to join the family below the Atto 3, the sales hit in Israel 2023 which is called in China the Yuan Plus. Confused? Here is the order in BYD’s model offering, divided into two families: the Sea series, in which we find Dolphin, Seal and more, and the ‘Dynasty’ series (dynasty) in which we find models like Han, Tang and others.

This is not the end. Within the Dynasty series there is a sub-series called Yuan (named after a Chinese empress of Mongolian origin from the 13th century), and it has three models: Yuan Pro (a small crossover), Yuan Plus (Ato 3 outside of China) and now Yuan Ap is joining them.

Its marketing in China will begin this March at a price of around 100,000 yuan (51,000 shekels), and thus it enters a very attractive price slot in its homeland. It will come to Europe and to us only next year, of course under a different name and with a price tag that is not yet clear.

But there is another interesting point here. Although the Dolphin belongs to a different model family, its dimensions are very similar to those of the Yuan Ap. And if for a moment you thought it was a different platform, you are wrong. The e3.0 platform dedicated to electric models that it uses is also shared by the Eto 3 and Dolphin. It is 430 cm long, like the Dolphin. It is also significantly wider and taller than it with 183 cm and 167.5 cm respectively. However, the wheelbase (262 cm) is 8 cm shorter than the Dolphin.

Yuan Ap will be offered with the same drive system as in the Dolphin, with a choice between two electric motors: 95 and 177 hp. There are also two options for batteries, and they are also offered in the Dolphin: 32 and 45 kWh for a range of 300-400 km (According to the Chinese standard, which is less strict than the one used here). Let’s recall that the Dolphin has an additional option of 60.4 kWh, and this is the only one that reaches Israel.

what we think: BYD has proven that it has what it takes to be at the top of the electric vehicle delivery chart in the world and if it continues on this path, that’s exactly what will happen at the end of this year. Its new crossover may be “just” another electric model, but it enters the thirstiest category on the globe and if the Chinese price it right, it may well become its next sales hit. Maybe even on a global scale.

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