History will soon be made in
the Eastern Cape when the first all-electric vehicle brand launches in the
province.
The introduction of Chinese
automaker BYD (Build Your Dreams) on December 1 marks another milestone in South
Africa’s transition to EVs, with the Eastern Cape becoming the third province
to offer the new energy vehicles after Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
BYD is the world’s leading
manufacturer of EVs, surpassing one-million sales last year. It enjoys a
presence in 70 countries and 400 cities globally.
These vehicles will be sold
by the Kelston Motor Group, starting at premises off Buffelsfontein Road in
Gqeberha before branching out to other parts of the province.
The agreement was concluded
after a series of physical and online meetings between the directors of the two
firms in recent months.
In addition to cutting down
on carbon emissions, one of the big selling points for South Africans is that
the vehicles are capable of powering portions of the home thanks to
vehicle-to-load (VTOL) charging – ideal in countering the effects of
loadshedding.
Kelston has considerable
experience in selling hybrids from the likes of Toyota and Haval but BYD is its
first foray into all-EV models.
Group operations director
Peter McNaughton said it was clear that new-energy vehicles were part of the
future of the automotive sector and the business aimed to be at the forefront
of this evolution.
However, he said, being the
first in this sector in the region meant that the company would have to make a
substantial investment in guiding the public in understanding the benefits of
EVs.
He said,
He pointed out that if the
brand’s lower running costs were considered, the vehicles were comparable economically
with internal combustion engine-powered compact SUVs in this section of the
market.
Studies show that because EVs
comprise fewer moving parts and liquids like oil and transmission fuel,
maintenance costs are brought down considerably.
The first model to be offered
by Kelston is the ATTO 3 crossover, which is powered by BYD’s unique Blade
Battery.
The cell offers a driving
range of 340 to 420km per charge, which can power up from 30 to 80 per cent in just
40 minutes.
The automaker says the
battery is not only safer and cheaper to manufacture but also more resilient,
given that it still functioned perfectly after being driven over by a 46-ton
truck in a road test.
It also offers a minimum of
4 000 charging cycles, which BYD says equates to around 60 years of usage.
The crossover’s external
aesthetics are noted for the “dragon eyes” LED head and taillights, with the
hatchback styling and power liftgate configuration giving the vehicle a
distinctive sporty feel.
The interior features a
12.8-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system while seating material
offers motorists a sense of modern luxury.
The National Association of
Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa has also recommended incentives of up
to R80 000 for EVs like the ATTO 3.
Longer range vehicles were in
the pipeline, said McNaughton, who added that Kelston’s BYD operations would
include a workshop and aftersales support.
McNaughton said,
