In detail: the BYD Han for Europe

Earlier this week it became clear that the core of BYD’s European practices is still called Atto 3. This compact crossover has been developed with a view to Europe and, especially on the inside, is clearly more modern and ‘fresh’ than the other two models, which are larger and slightly older in the base. This is especially true for the Tang, the brand’s large, seven-seat SUV. That car has been available in Norway for a while and that is why we were able to delight you earlier with the specifications of the four-wheel drive version that will also be carried here. The Tang will also be on the Dutch price lists in this variant. You can see that the SUV basically comes from 2018 if you know what to look for. This car still has a large, rather traditional grille, in contrast to the new Atto 3 and the facelifted Han. However, it may still be that something has changed, since AutoWeek was already able to show images of a Tang with a similar nose in January. The logo would also be replaced. Now the Tang still has a blue oval with ‘BYD’ in it, the Han and the Atto 3 have already opted for a tighter solution.

On to the Han, which is what this story is actually about. This is a hefty, four-door sedan with a length of just under five meters. It is 1.91 meters wide and almost 1.50 meters high. The car looks quite stretched, but certainly not like a pure EV. For example, it has a traditional and even quite long hood, which also has no luggage space. That’s because this car is also available as a plug-in hybrid in the home country. Not with us, because here, just like the other BYDs, the car is only marketed as a full-fledged EV. It has two electric motors and therefore four-wheel drive. The power is equal to that of the Tang, which ultimately means 380 kW or about 518 hp. The sprint from 0 to 100 is done in the lighter and lower Han in 3.9 seconds, where the seven-seater Tang still manages it in 4.6 seconds. The top speed is less impressive: 180 km/h.

521 km

Like the other models, the BYD Han is equipped with BYD’s Blade Battery, a special form of LFP battery that we will discuss in more detail shortly. In this case, it has a capacity of 85.4 kWh, slightly less than in the Tang (86.4). Nevertheless, the Han gets a lot further due to its better streamline: 521 km, against 400 for the Tang. Charging is done at home on the three-phase charger with 11 kW, and on the fast charger it reaches 120 kW. That’s neat, but not startling, although BYD states that the cars maintain this ‘top speed’ longer than usual.

BYD wants to tackle cars such as the Mercedes-Benz E-class, Audi A6 and BMW 5-series with the Han. The interior is therefore a sumptuous affair, with beautiful diamond-stitched leather and special technology. For example, like its brothers, the car has a screen that can be placed either vertically or horizontally, and thanks to the Android Automotive base it actually works quickly and well. The digital instrumentation is extensive and even offers the possibility to regulate the indoor temperature, which is unique. Also funny: anyone who accelerates with ‘launch control’ will see the corresponding times after the sprint.

There is also plenty to do in the back of the Han, which is reportedly used a lot in his home country in combination with a private driver. The luggage compartment is somewhat disappointing in terms of volume: 410 liters.

The Chinese logo on the steering wheel will probably be replaced by a logo that is understandable for Europeans. Although beautiful, the interior of the Han is not yet at the level of the mentioned competitors. Of course, that is not necessary if the price is right, and that will have to become clear later this year. In any case, they also know at BYD that the Han is not going to provide large numbers here. That task is for the Atto 3, the Han and De Tang are more niche products that should broaden the range.