Target Tesla: BYD sports sedan to chase down Model 3

By 2022 the Tesla Model 3 could have its stiffest EV competition in the form of a new sports sedan from BYD.

The BYD Han is due to arrive in Australia next year and it’s the Tesla sales dominance it plans to unseat.

The importer for BYD electric cars in Australia, Nexport, has confirmed it will bring the updated Han to Australia next year, albeit wearing a different name.

It’s planned to be the second of three BYD models slated to arrive in 2022.

It will follow a small/medium BYD electric SUV (currently known as the Yuan Plus) and arrive ahead of the planned late-2022 on-sale of the compact EA1 hatchback, rounding out the first three models for the ambitious brand.

READ MORE: BYD EA1 targeting sub-$30K start price for Australia
READ MORE: Small/medium SUV to lead BYD EV Australian charge in 2022

“We’re releasing the next generation of that vehicle [Han] and it’ll be delivered in 2022,” says Nexport managing director Luke Todd, referring to the Han as an “all-purpose sports sedan”.

He says pricing will be crucial for the new Han, which currently comes with a 76.9kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery similar to that used in the latest Tesla Model 3s sourced from China. However, BYD says its so-called Blade battery is superior, with an emphasis on safety.

It is claimed to have 605km of NEDC range (no doubt less for the more realistic WLTP test procedure) and uses two motors to drive all four wheels for claimed 0-100km/h acceleration as low as 3.9 seconds.

“Our pricing points are going to be considerably lower than Tesla with vehicles that will have equal if not higher quality … than what you’re seeing with Tesla or other vehicles,” says Todd.

Pricing for the new Han hasn’t been confirmed yet, but Todd was adamant it was slide in below $50,000.

“We’re talking sub-$50,000 … but quality levels that currently even in ICE comparison you’d be paying $70-80K, potentially even $90K for.

Todd also emphasised that the Han planned to arrive in Australia next year – again, it’ll use a different name – will be a significantly updated model, presumably with even better battery and performance figures.