Within just two months of its launch, Chinese carmaker BYD’s third electric car model in the Indian market has garnered over 1,000 bookings across the country.

BYD Seal was launched in India on March 5, following the carmaker’s earlier offerings of Atto 3 SUV and the e6 MPV. The first 500 bookings for BYD Seal came within the first two weeks of the launch, and the next 500 bookings were made by May 21.

The BYD India statement attributed the huge popularity of its cars among Indian buyers to its vehicles’ appealing look, being technologically advanced and extremely efficient, offering higher performance, and being competitively priced

The phenomenal response to the BYD Seal is a testament to the growing appetite for high-performance electric vehicles (EVs) in the Indian market. With its exceptional range, and unparalleled safety features, the car will be a game-changer in the Indian electric vehicle landscape, according to a press statement issued by BYD India on May 21 on its official website.

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The limited presence of EVs by other major brands in the Indian market, large-scale of manufacturing and BYD’s competitive price advantage are the major factors behind the Chinese carmaker’s growing presence in India, analysts said.  

The BYD India statement attributed the huge popularity of its cars among Indian buyers to its vehicles’ appealing look, being technologically advanced and extremely efficient, offering higher performance, and being competitively priced. Its rapid uptake highlights the strong customer demand for BYD's cutting-edge electric vehicles, the statement added.

Priced approximately between $49,400 and $64,000 (ex showroom price), BYD plans to cover 90 percent of the EV market in India by the end of this year.

Sanjay Gopalakrishnan, senior vice-president of electric passenger vehicle business at BYD India, said: “This achievement validates our unwavering commitment to providing Indian consumers with cutting-edge electric mobility solutions that are not only thrilling to drive but also competitively priced. We are confident that the BYD Seal, with its award-winning technology, exceptional range, and unparalleled safety features, will be a game-changer in the Indian electric vehicle landscape.”

With 24 showrooms throughout the country currently, BYD is focusing on consolidating its position in the premium and luxury EV segment with its existing products and expanding dealership network. It has set a target of opening another 25 showrooms within the next one year, according to a senior official of BYD India.

BYD India has a price competitive advantage over other EV car makers due to its large -scale production, enabling BYD’s various models to sell at almost half the price of others. Price is a key factor in the current Indian market, Ray emphasized

The BYD Seal sedan in India is offered in three variants: Dynamic, Premium, and Performance. It comes in four exterior colors: Arctic Blue, Atlantis Grey, Aurora White, and Cosmos Black. The car measures 4,8000mm in length, 1,875mm in width, and 1,460mm in height, with a drag coefficient of less than 0.21.

“We continually evaluate our operations to ensure that we can meet the growing demand for our products in the Indian market. Our focus remains on delivering innovative, high-quality, and sustainable mobility solutions that cater to the evolving needs of Indian consumers,” Gopalakrishnan said in a written reply to this correspondent.

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Since the availability of major brands by other car manufacturers is limited in the Indian market, BYD India has the advantage and opportunity to showcase its best-selling global models, the Atto 3 and Seal, in India, said Alok Ray, assistant director of the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles, an association representing Indian EV and component makers,.

BYD India has a price competitive advantage over other EV car makers due to its large -scale production, enabling BYD’s various models to sell at almost half the price of others. Price is a key factor in the current Indian market, Ray emphasized.

China has a huge advantage in its price range and no other leading car manufacturers can compete with Chinese carmakers because of their huge economies of scale, said Biswajit Dhar, former professor at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.