BYD T3 electric MPV and minivan unveiled in India

Team OD Published: September 09, 2019, 01:14 PM IST

Chinese carmaker BYD has begun its foray into the Indian passenger vehicle market with the unveiling of the BYD T3 MPV and its commercial minivan iteration, both electric vehicles. BYD is a major player is the bustling electric vehicle space in China and is also a major battery supplier to many brands producing EVs globally.

The T3 is based on the Nissan B platform which also underpins cars like the Evalia and the Ashok Leyland Stile. The T3 differentiates itself visually by having a redesigned front section withg its larger tear-drop shaped lamps and grille finished in grey. The rear also has slightly reworked taillamp units. There's also a 4.3-inch MID unit on the inside and a redesigned centre console with built-in audio system with Bluetooth connectivity. Other notable features are keyless entry, push-button start,  reverse parking camera and parking sensors. There are sliding rear doors and the MPV is expected to be a seven-seater.

The BYD T3 uses a 50.3 kWh Nickel-Cadmium battery which powers a 95PS and 180 Nm electric motor. The range is claimed at 300 km while top-speed is a 100 kmph. Both DC and AC charging is available, it gets to full charge in 1.3 hours via a 40 kW DC charger while the 6.6 kW AC charger can fully charge the battery in 7.6 hours.

The BYD T3 has no real competitors in India. Prices and a launch date haven't been announced yet but we expect it to start around the Rs 10 lakh mark after subsidies.