(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Berkshire Hathaway-backed BYD will launch its fully electric SUV BYD Yuan Plus in Singapore in the second quarter of 2022 with its official dealer in Singapore, E-Auto.
The Yuan Plus was first unveiled at the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show in China, attracting wide attention from young-generation consumers. This SUV marks a new era of BYD vehicles in Singapore, promising improved power, a new design language, and an excellent battery range.
E-Auto is a division of Vantage Automotive and a member of the Sime Darby Motors group. The partnership with E-Auto is an important milestone for BYD to develop passenger vehicles in Singapore.
“With the EV market boom, we’ve seen growing interest in BYD passenger cars in Singapore,” said Mr. Christopher Chin, Managing Director of Vantage Automotive Limited. “We are proud to partner with BYD to offer the Singapore market an alternative EV model that’s backed by a proven and revolutionary technology. The Yuan Plus is also one of the most exciting models in BYD’s line-up and is sure to appeal to drivers here.”
Mr. James Ng, Managing Director of BYD Singapore, said: “We are anticipating strong interest in this newly launched BYD Yuan Plus in Singapore as it features BYD’s latest e-platform 3.0 and highly regarded Blade Battery technology. We believe that the Yuan Plus will appeal to a wider audience and please drivers with its improved power and modern design.”
Embodying BYD’s new design language – Dragon Face 3.0 – and a sporty themed interior, the Yuan Plus will feature a modern design and will be packed with a 150kW and 310Nm electric drive motor. The Yuan Plus will come in two options. The entry-level is available in ‘standard’ with a 250 mile range and 50kWh battery, while the premium variant is available in an extended range with a 310 mile range and 60kWh battery.
The BYD Yuan Plus offers a large space akin to standard A-SUVs with a wheelbase of 8 feet, 11 inches. BYD’s revolutionary Blade Battery technology will come as a standard in the Yuan Plus, which offers drivers industry-leading safety levels, a longer life cycle, and extensive single-charge range capabilities.
BYD’s e-platform 3.0 is designed for the next generation of high-performance smart EVs and offers four major advantages: safety, efficiency, intelligence, and aesthetics. It will further integrate and standardize core components in a brand-new body structure, digital and electrical architecture, and a revamped BYD vehicle operating system.
BYD’s Blade Battery elevates safety levels for EVs while increasing the space utilization of the battery pack by over 50%, compared with conventional lithium iron phosphate block batteries. This helps reduce the total weight of the car, which in turn improves energy efficiency and the range.
Specific details of the car will be announced closer to the launch.
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares for $232 million. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $232 million had grown in value to $5.897 billion as of December 31, 2020.
© 2021 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.