2021 BYD e6 first drive review

Of the steady stream of new car launches we've seen in the last few months, one of the more unexpected ones has been of the BYD e6. This electric MPV has stirred up quite some interest, especially considering the e6 is only for sale in the B2B segment. It has no direct rivals given its EV powertrain but has been positioned to appeal to corporates and high-end fleet owners who might consider the top-spec Toyota Innova Crysta or the lower-spec Kia Carnival.

The e6 introduced to India is in fact the second-generation model that debuted globally in 2021, being a stripped-down version of the BYD Song Max MPV for sale to private owners.

First founded in 1995, BYD began life as a battery maker in its Chinese home market. Growing rapidly from here, the company then put its expertise in rechargeable batteries to use in the auto sector by entering this segment in 2003. The company has had significant interests in the CV segment globally but has seen immense success most recently as an EV maker. BYD Auto is currently the world's second-largest EV maker after Tesla, having already sold a million EVs worldwide. The company has a sizeable presence in India too, manufacturing buses and mobile devices here since 2007 from two factories.

The BYD e6 is 4,695mm long, 1,810mm wide and 1,670mm tall. This makes it marginally smaller than the Innova in these respects but the wheelbase is longer at 2,800mm. These numbers give the e6 quite an attractive stance on the road and while the design may not be very sophisticated, this electric MPV still does grab some eyeballs with its aggressive fascia and sloping roofline. The punched central panel and the large, swept-back headlamps are some of the more striking details, as are the deep-set triangular bumper elements.

In profile, the BYD e6 continues with this attractive but slightly anonymous look. The glasshouse tapers away neatly above the simple body panels but we would have liked to have seen a more attractive set of alloys, given this vehicle is being pitched to quite a few corporates and even for the self-driven rental market. We also would have liked to have seen slightly better paint quality and a better finish to the few plastic panels used. The rear is finished stylishly again with the strong brow to the well-detailed LED taillamps, the practical bootlid and crisp bumper elements.

The interiors of the e6 are well-executed too, especially when you consider this electric MPV will almost always not be driven by the ones paying for it. So while its traditionally powered Japanese and Korean rivals have an edge in terms of the ambience and quality, the BYD e6 is still finished well enough to give off a sense of being a premium offering for those being chauffeured around in it.

Now there aren't too many rich materials or design flourishes inside the BYD e6. But it must be said that the interiors seem quite well put together and there is a contemporary look to the dashboard. Some of the plastics could have been better done at this price but the switchgear and controls feel substantial as do the common touchpoints like the soft-touch door handles,steering wheel and faux wood veneer on the dash and gloss black accents on the wide centre console.

But owners and those being driven around in the BYD e6 will be more interested in how things are in the second row. Here, the benefits of an EV architecture are apparent. The battery pack placed under the floor does raise it and put you in a slight knees-up position but other than that it's good news for passengers here. The large leatherette seats are supportive and comfortable if a tad too aggressively lumbared, the flat floor and large windows adding to a sense of space. We only wish there was a separate blower or climate zone here and a centre armrest. The e6 is only available in a two-row configuration possibly as a fallout of the battery's placement. This frees up a large and flat boot of 580-litres but we think the loss of these seats may be a dampener for fleet operators in terms of revenue generated per vehicle.

The features list is fairly substantial, but again, with less focus on the driver than you might expect from a car aimed at private buyers. That said, with driver comfort playing a big part in boosting turnaround times in this segment, you get height-adjustable front seats and a tilt and telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel. There's no cruise control but you do get a large 10.1-inch touchscreen that can be rotated from a portrait to a landscape orientation. There is no Android Auto/Apple Carplay, this unit is essentially a tab that also controls the car's functions. But you can access the internet and download apps from the Play Store like Youtube, Maps and Spotify. There's even a video playback function, among other things. The system is high on functionality but we would have liked a brighter display and more intuitive fonts and menus. Other feature highlights are the single-zone climate control, LED interior lighting and control MID flanked by some clean dials.

2021 BYD e6 battery, range, charging