BYD could bring a mini electric car to Europe and also build it there.
Image: BYD (illustrative)
The Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD appears to be planning global adoption of the technology from its “Kei-Car” Racco. The electric drive system optimized for small cars, originally developed for the Japanese market, is set to be used in other regions such as Europe in the future. This is reported by the Chinese news portal Nikkei.
The core of this design is BYD’s self-developed “X-Pack” battery system. This system integrates key electrical components such as the inverter directly into the battery pack and places the entire system beneath the vehicle floor. In conventional designs, such components are usually located in the front area of the vehicle under the engine or hood, which limits the interior space and crash zone in compact cars.
By integrating these components, X-Pack helps balance passenger space and crash safety within the limited dimensions of Kei-cars. Japanese regulations restrict these highly popular vehicles to a length of 3.4 meters, a width of 1.48 meters, and a height of 2 meters.
The Racco was launched in Japan in July. It measures 3395 millimeters in length, 1475 millimeters in width, and 1800 millimeters in height. The base version uses a 22.4-kWh battery for a WLTC range of 210 kilometers, while higher-end versions feature a 35.84-kWh battery pack offering 320 kilometers of range.
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The European Union intends to introduce a new vehicle category based on Japan’s Kei-car standards. Vehicles of this type with purely electric powertrains could benefit from subsidies and regulatory incentives in the EU.
According to the report, BYD’s plant in Hungary, whose regular mass production is scheduled to begin this year, could serve as a base for Kei-car-style models in Europe. Local manufacturing would help mitigate the impact of EU tariffs on electric vehicle imports from China. Markets in South America and Southeast Asia are also seen as potential buyers for particularly compact electric vehicles.
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Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with experience in the automotive and financial industries. Since 2011, he has been covering electric vehicles, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions for ecomento.de. Learn more.
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