BYD, which is battling Tesla for the No.1 position in EV sales (and likely to win), entered the Malaysian market one year ago and received a strong and positive welcome. Within 10 days, its first model for the market – the ATTO 3 – had 1,000 customers, with 100 already using the EV. The remaining customers would get their cars within the first 100 days of the official launch.
The ATTO 3 was followed by the Dolphin in July, which was offered with a base price of RM99,000 (though customers actually paid more as it did not include insurance). As in other markets in the region, BYD was fast becoming a ‘hot’ brand with rapidly rising numbers to become the leading EV brand.
Putting a lot of new vehicles on the road is an achievement for a new brand but what’s important for the long-term is aftersales support and the ownership experience. In this respect, BYD has ensured that it has a network of sales and aftersales centres in strategic locations, beginning with the Klang Valley.
Beyond the Klang Valley, the brand has a presence in the northern region up to Kedah, and the southern region up to Johor Bahru. It has also established an outlet in East Malaysia, in Kuching, Sarawak.
In total, there are now 14 showrooms nationwide and in phase 3 of its network development plan, it is looking at appointing more dealers to expand to other regions.
Besides sales and aftersales, BYD has also made sure customers have access to charging stations. For this, its business partner and distributor, Sime Darby Beyond Auto, is collaborating with Scientex Berhad to integrate EV charging facilities into affordable housing developments.
Looking back at the brand’s first year in Malaysia, Eagle Zhao, MD of BYD Malaysia, expressed gratitude for the positive and enthusiasm from the Malaysian market. “The success of the BYD ATTO 3 followed by the rapid introduction of the BYD DOLPHIN demonstrate the growing appetite for electric vehicles in Malaysia. BYD’s commitment goes beyond delivering cutting-edge vehicles; it encompasses creating a holistic ecosystem for electric mobility,” he said.
Click here to locate a BYD showroom in Malaysia
