Later by sliding door taxi to the pub?
BYD Europe is located in the Netherlands, and brings more than the proverbial houseplant. Plans are actually being made here and cars are being tested, including the remarkable BYD D1.
BYD is not just a newcomer who is trying something, but a very serious player who does not want to settle for a place on the margins in Europe. The Chinese brand is launching one new model after another here, which is designed and prepared for the whole of Europe in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. If a BYD arrives here, it undoubtedly does not necessarily mean that it will actually appear on the market in Europe. However, that idea seems to at least be considered in these cases. We previously saw the BYD Song Plus at this location, which later appeared on the European menu as BYD Seal U. The Denza D9 has also been spotted here, and it has now also been confirmed that there are European plans for the Denza sub-brand.
Now it’s the turn of the BYD D1. This obviously electric car is not completely new, but was already presented in 2020. With its MPV-like body and remarkably long doors, it is a somewhat unusual appearance, although the D1 looks nice and down-to-earth and functional at the same time. There is a reason for this: the BYD D1 is expressly intended for use as a (shared) taxi for ride providers and is therefore fully equipped for that purpose. The car is even asymmetrical: there is a normal rear door on the left, but on the sidewalk side the D1 has an electric sliding door. At the front of the D1 is a 136 hp electric motor in China, while according to the factory the car should last more than 400 kilometers on a full battery.
Mexico
The international career of the BYD D1 is already in full swing, because in Mexico this model was already responsible for the largest electric taxi fleet outside China in 2022. Taxi company Vemo purchased 1,000 there. That is of course also the trick for BYD in a possible European career: with a few large, business customers, such a taxi can easily reach quite decent numbers. In any case, do not count on a D1 for private use.
BYD taxis from 2013 in the Netherlands
Did you know that BYD taxis were already driving around in the Netherlands in 2013? The BYD e6 from that time was also specially intended for taxi work and if you look carefully, you can still come across one in the Rotterdam area.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl