Vantage Motors Sells BYD

[therock]

https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/motoring/ford-agent-lands-byd-dealership

 

I'm excited by the prospects of the introduction of BYD cars, but I'm apprehensive about Vantage Motors as their agent...

Their track record with Ford has not been the best..

 

As for the idea of buying an electric car, there's a whole debate on how green they really are, especially when you take into account the carbon footprint of making the battery and it's disposal.

 

As for buying Chinese, that's ok, there are different levels of QC - their local Chinese market ones can be quite nasty, but their better ones are very impressive. I think they will want to put their best food forward.. and already BYD cars are being used as taxis..

 

Vantage will be pleased, their business has been rather slow recently..

 

 

 

Vantage Automotive is banking on the lower running cost of electric cars and growing availability of public charging stations to help make the dealership more viable

Christopher Tan Senior Correspondent

Peugeot and Ford dealer Vantage Automotive has bagged the franchise for Chinese electric car brand BYD.

Part of diversified Sime Singapore, Vantage will house BYD on the second floor of its facility in 305 Alexandra Road.

The BYD showroom will be next to Ford's. The first model on its floor will be the E6, a large battery-powered five-seater now being used as a private-hire car.

By early next year, an electric multi-purpose vehicle, the Song Max, will arrive, to be followed by other battery-driven cars from Shenzhen-based BYD.

Although BYD makes cars powered by combustion engines, Vantage managing director Christopher Chin says the dealership will offer only all-electric models.

"We see this as a platform for us to get into electrification, which is the future," Mr Chin says. "It will be a good learning curve for us."

 

 

The E6 will be priced at around $130,000, making it the least expensive electric car of its size here.

 

The car has been spruced up to differentiate it from the for-hire E6s plying here. Features such as new colours, a powered tailgate, infotainment touchscreen and leather upholstery are added.

Mr Chin says the significantly lower running cost of electric cars and the growing availability of public charging stations will help make the new dealership more viable.

By next year, Singapore Power will have 1,000 charging points across the island, while electric car-sharing group BlueSG will make 400 of its outlets available to the public.

"We should be able to reach around 100 units a year very quickly," he says, noting that the figure was equivalent to what Ford sales were last year.

Vantage will also consider bringing in BYD electric commercial vehicles in the future. BYD makes battery-powered buses and trucks too.

Vantage has been on the lookout for new businesses since Ford became less viable last year on the back of stricter emission standards, higher costs and a shrinking product range.

Currently, there are only two Ford models at Vantage - the Mustang coupe and Ranger pick-up truck. Sales have slowed to almost a complete halt this year.

Mr Chin says Vantage has not given up on Ford yet, though. He says it will have a meeting with the American manufacturer's regional office soon to "revive discussions" on, among other things, expanding the product range here.

"We should have a better picture by the end of the month," he adds, but "we're not putting all our eggs in one basket".

Vantage will be renovating its ground-floor space now occupied by its used-car division. But Mr Chin declined to say what the space will be used for.

BYD is one of the first electric vehicle manufacturers in China. It is also a major battery supplier, specialising in lithium-iron phosphate batteries, which are said to be more stable and less prone to fires than other lithium-based batteries.

 

BTW mods:
BYD is not a selectable option in the list of car brands for discussion...

FYI...

Edited July 23, 2019 by BabyBlade

[Tianmo]

China branded vehicle, reputation of the local distributor, limited infrastructure for such vehicle, high cost of such vehicle. None of which can make up a win team. 

 

I guess the showroom will be as empty as what it is now in the ford showroom.     

[Old-driver]

They can continue to Build Your Dreams... 

[Lala81]

China branded vehicle, reputation of the local distributor, limited infrastructure for such vehicle, high cost of such vehicle. None of which can make up a win team. 

 

I guess the showroom will be as empty as what it is now in the ford showroom.     

 

Full electric. First is need ... landed.

I doubt most condos have the charging port.

 

Got landed, want to try china electric vehicle? I think not even the PRCs will bite haha 

[Thaiyotakamli]

China branded vehicle, reputation of the local distributor, limited infrastructure for such vehicle, high cost of such vehicle. None of which can make up a win team.

 

I guess the showroom will be as empty as what it is now in the ford showroom.

Yeah infrastructure doesnt support and byd car design arent as great as tesla, hard to sell lol

Full electric. First is need ... landed.

I doubt most condos have the charging port.

 

Got landed, want to try china electric vehicle? I think not even the PRCs will bite haha

Actually byd is reliable, been used as taxi in china, sg, taiwan, hk and many more countries

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_e6

 

 

But design too ugly and not all place have charging port. Worse is to go malaysia

[Lala81]

Yeah infrastructure doesnt support and byd car design arent as great as tesla, hard to sell lol

Actually byd is reliable, been used as taxi in china, sg, taiwan, hk and many more countries

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_e6

 

 

But design too ugly and not all place have charging port. Worse is to go malaysia

 

yes it's super plain jane. Looks like a toyota minivan from the 2000s.

 

I have no doubt, the PRCs can make good electric cars since they make so many! But in sg, the demographics owning fully EV is only the richie riches lor.

Edited July 14, 2019 by Lala81

[therock]

Right now you will need a 35a line

It all depends on what the government wants

The infrastructure can be built easily but I’m not sure if they are fully behind the electric car idea ..

[Ct3833]

Right now you will need a 35a line

It all depends on what the government wants

The infrastructure can be built easily but Iâm not sure if they are fully behind the electric car idea ..

It will be easier for those landed owners, car dealers will even install a charging point FOC as part of the car package. But for condos, my friend has been trying to get his condo estate management to install charging points for a long time but no sound no picture. HDB wise I think would be even more difficult.

[Thaiyotakamli]

yes it's super plain jane. Looks like a toyota minivan from the 2000s.

 

I have no doubt, the PRCs can make good electric cars since they make so many! But in sg, the demographics owning fully EV is only the richie riches lor.

Actually many prc cars have nice design just that byd e6 electric car still ugly

 

Here are the brand list and its models

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_industry_in_China

[Tianmo]

Full electric. First is need ... landed.

I doubt most condos have the charging port.

 

Got landed, want to try china electric vehicle? I think not even the PRCs will bite haha 

 

 

Yah, full electric cars is a tough project, hybrid mayb still a better option. 

 

But if I wanted hybrid, there are also no short of options now in the market, as good as the PRC technology may be, I just cannot get pass myself to pay that kind of money to buy their cars...    

[Lala81]

Yah, full electric cars is a tough project, hybrid mayb still a better option. 

 

But if I wanted hybrid, there are also no short of options now in the market, as good as the PRC technology may be, I just cannot get pass myself to pay that kind of money to buy their cars...    

 

Hmm yeah lah. Car landscape is competitive. Lots of choices +

Actually many prc cars have nice design just that byd e6 electric car still ugly

 

Here are the brand list and its models

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_industry_in_China

 

Haha i know lah. I saw some of the shanghai motor show reviews on youtube. 

 

Yes that's why quite surprising this E6 still never change design considering it's quite old liao. There's one who parks in the next carpark, so i see it every few days.

 

Edited July 14, 2019 by Lala81

[Tianmo]

Right now you will need a 35a line

It all depends on what the government wants

The infrastructure can be built easily but I’m not sure if they are fully behind the electric car idea ..

 

The fastest infrastructure is to build charging ports at alternate HDB parking lots, or alternate level at HDB parking lots, or even maybe designated levels. But, there will always be that big "BUT", that is no demand for the charging ports. 

 

A big pool of such cars means a big increase in electricity demand for the island. Will the gov want to see a big increase in demand in electricity supply?  Lets not forget all the campaigns to save electricity.      

[Lala81]

Right now you will need a 35a line

It all depends on what the government wants

The infrastructure can be built easily but I’m not sure if they are fully behind the electric car idea ..

 

Their only question is ... how to charge you for the electricity and the cost of the infrastructure (retrofitting carparks with the necessary power outlets and lines 

The fastest infrastructure is to build charging ports at alternate HDB parking lots, or alternate level at HDB parking lots, or even maybe designated levels. But, there will always be that big "BUT", that is no demand for the charging ports. 

 

A big pool of such cars means a big increase in electricity demand for the island. Will the gov want to see a big increase in demand in electricity supply?  Lets not forget all the campaigns to save electricity.      

 

There's always cheap petrol across the border also.

 

[therock]

BYD used to be known as the company which copies other cars, then they branched into electric cars and never looked back..

 

Now they are the big fish in the world of electric cars and everyone wants to woo them to partner with them in this field...

 

But I'll say it again - how the electric car scene shapes up, will be highly dependant on the government's support.. 

[Tianmo]

Actually many prc cars have nice design just that byd e6 electric car still ugly

 

Here are the brand list and its models

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_industry_in_China

 

If they cannot even bother to copy and paste the designs, I really wonder do they bother with what is inside the car..    

[Tianmo]

 

 

There's always cheap petrol across the border also.

 

this one also depend on ah kong mood, happy they let you go, not happy they make you u turn plus a fine. Add in  the forever never ending jam now, not really an option anymore...    

[Thaiyotakamli]

Hmm yeah lah. Car landscape is competitive. Lots of choices +

 

 

Haha i know lah. I saw some of the shanghai motor show reviews on youtube.

 

Yes that's why quite surprising this E6 still never change design considering it's quite old liao. There's one who parks in the next carpark, so i see it every few days.

I sit before in grab. Lucky me

 

The car very quiet but design feel dated like toyota in mid 2000s

 

 

And i think wuling almaz looks nicer

If they cannot even bother to copy and paste the designs, I really wonder do they bother with what is inside the car..

To be fair this byd e6 has been on market since 2009. No wonder design look so dated

[Icetee168]

BYD electric taxi catches fire, killing three onboard

In BYD, Cars, China / By Danny Tan /

 

29 May 2012 9:16 am

/ 24 comments

Accidents happen, but here’s an unusual one. According to reports from China, a BYD electric taxi was hit by a Nissan GT-R in Shenzhen, China, before catching fire. The cab driver and his two passengers were killed in the accident.

It may have involved a supercar and a taxi, but this fatal accident is less straightforward than the recent Ferrari-taxi crash in Singapore. The 21st Century Business Herald said that the fire was believed to have started from the cab’s battery pack.

The lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery in question was developed by battery expert BYD, also China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer. The Shenzhen-based company is partly owned by American billionaire Warren Buffett. Following the incident, BYD shares tumbled in Hong Kong and Shanghai amid concerns about the safety of BYD’s e6 electric car.

This is the second well known accident in China in which an EV caught fire. Last year, an electric taxi made by Chinese automaker Zoyte went up in flames due to a leak in the battery pack. No one was hurt in that incident.

https://paultan.org/2012/05/29/byds-electric-taxi-catches-fire-killing-three-onboard/

 

Doesn't the management do any research b4 committing to the franchise? Maybe like Tianmo said they r trying their best to make it as empty as the ford showroom