US’ loss, Saudi Arabia’s gain – BYD opens first EV showroom in Riyadh

Global leading electric vehicles manufacturer BYD has opened its outlet in Saudi Arabia. The company has been struggling under tough Sino-US relations and stringent tariffs preventing its progression to the US market. The BYD shop is located in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The store integrates a flagship showroom, a discovery center, and a service center.

The new BYD store offers a full range of new energy vehicles by the brand for local consumers. Participants at the opening ceremony were allowed to have a close look and also test drive three all-electric BYD vehicles. The vehicles were the Han, BYD ATTO3 (or Yuan PLUS), and BYD Seal. Participants were also offered the opportunity to test drive two plug-in hybrid vehicles – the Qin PLUS and Song PLUS.

The strong debut of BYD in the Saudi EV market comes at an opportune time and aligns with the Saudi government’s goals to achieve a 30% prevalence of new electric vehicles. BYD will work with Al-Futtaim to continue to develop a new energy vehicle ecosystem and jointly promote the rapid development of the local EV industry. The BYD brand was officially launched in February 2024 and it has received positive feedback from consumers on its NEV offerings in the Saudi market. The models on offer come with outstanding designs and offer excellent performance, in sync with the BYD philosophy.

Recent research by Ipsos showed that up to 62% of Saudi consumers are attracted to BYD’s cutting-edge technology and show strong love for the brand. The entry of the brand into the very lucrative Saudi market while BYD still stays out of the US market. A stringent tariff regime in the US has effectively prevented the brand from setting up shop in the US but its operations in Saudi Arabia are blossoming.

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