The BYD Tang is available as a conventional ICE vehicle, a plug-in hybrid or as a fully electric version and it’s proven quite successful in China where it was immensely popular in PHEV form. But the fully-electric version is not bad at all, although we would need to compare it to its direct established rivals just to make sure.
Kris Rifa, who lives in Norway and has access to all sorts of new Chinese EVs not available anywhere else in Europe, got to drive the Tang EV and he rates it as being pretty good. He takes into consideration how much vehicle you’re getting for the money and how it compares with established competitors all of which usually cost quite a bit more than it.
The Tang EV was launched in Norway this summer and BYD said it expected to sell some 1,500 by the end of 2021. With 86.4 kWh (82.8 kWh usable capacity) from its Blade Battery (that uses LFP tech), the vehicle has a WLTP range of 400 km and it can be charged from 30 to 80 percent in 30 minutes at a maximum rate of 110 kW.
Performance is also adequate, thanks to a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup with 510 horsepower that can push it to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. The vehicle can also be had with a third row of seats, it has a rotating 12.8-inch touchscreen inside and the interior overall feels quite good, close to the standard of similar-size rivals from other manufacturers.
In Norway, the BYD Tang electric costs from 599,900 NOK, which works out to roughly €61,500, or quite a bit less than rivals like the Audi E-Tron or Mercedes-Benz EQC.
More Chinese EVs in Europe
Source: Kris Rifa / YouTube