China giant BYD debuts in India with T3 electric MPV and minivan

Chinese automobile manufacturer BYD made its debut in India with the unveiling of its T3 MPV along with its minivan iteration. Both the vehicles have been launched with an all-electric powertrain as BYD has a major foothold in the EV segment.

BYD is more popular as a major battery supplier to major electric vehicle manufacturers around the world. It launched the T3 MPV in India, which is based on the Nissan B platform. This platform also forms the base of the Nissan Evalia and the Ashok Leyland Stile. However, the T3 gets a redesigned front end, larger tear-drop shaped lamps and a grey coloured grille. The taillamps are also tweaked to look fresh.

The cabin is equipped with 4.3-inch MID unit, with a redesigned centre console. The console has an inbuilt audio system with Bluetooth connectivity. BYD has also given the T3 keyless entry, push-button start, reverse parking camera, and parking sensors.

The T3 runs on a 50.3 kWh Nickel-Cadmium battery, which gives the car a claimed range of 300 km. The battery powers an electric motor which makes 95 PS of maximum power and 180 Nm of peak torque. It gives the MPV a claimed top speed of 100 km/h. The battery can be fully charged with a 40 kW DC charger in 1.3 hours, while it takes 7.6 hours with a 6.6 kW AC charger.

Since the T3 is India’s first all-electric MPV, it does not have any direct competitor in the market yet. BYD is expected to price the T3 around the Rs 10 lakh mark after government subsidies.