The world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD, last week announced the appointment of Motor Distributors Limited (MDL), the leading Irish motor vehicles distributor based on Dublin’s Naas Road, as its National Dealer+ Partner in the Republic of Ireland.
Strategic Partnership
Standing for ‘Build Your Dreams’, BYD is a world leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles. Describing itself as ‘a global innovator of pioneering battery technology, and creator of some of the world’s most technologically advanced electric vehicles’, BYD has held top place in China for sales of new energy passenger vehicles for 10 years in a row.
Under their new strategic partnership, MDL has been assigned responsibility for national distribution and localised customer support for BYD’s innovative eco-friendly range of electric cars and light commercial vehicles ahead of the arrival into Ireland of its passenger cars this year.
The announcement of MDL’s appointment was made at a formal contract signing event held at BYD global headquarters in Shenzhen, China in the presence of MDL chief executive, Paddy Finnegan.
Impressed by what he termed ‘the many aspects of vehicle design, production and operation on which BYD places importance, not least those intended to reduce global warming and eliminate the use in production of vital minerals’, Mr Finnegan said that MDL is “proud to partner with BYD as their business partner in the Republic of Ireland.
The announcement is one that will lead to the creation of an estimated 150 additional jobs bringing total employment within MDL to 450 approximately. These will include sales, technical and customer support roles, for which recruitment will shortly begin.
In parallel, arrangements are already in hand for the arrival of vehicles into Ireland and for the provision of technical, spare parts, distribution and other customer support structures in addition to customer-facing functions in marketing and sales.
“We look forward to introducing BYD vehicles to Irish motorists and to establishing BYD as a major player in the Irish market,” Mr Finnegan said.
Model Plans
Regarding its plans for Ireland, a statement issued by BYD to mark the occasion referenced its intention to introduce an ‘inspiring’ range of electric passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in 2023 beginning with the BYD ATTO 3 C-Segment SUV model.
Deemed ‘well-suited’ to Ireland’s varied driving conditions, the versatile and expressive BYD ATTO 3 comes with high levels of standard equipment and combines modern aesthetics with exceptional safety, intelligence and efficiency.
Central to its appeal will be BYD’s next generation e-Platform 3.0 and their highly-acclaimed ultra-safe Blade Battery power unit. (Key Statistics are: 0-100km/h in 7.3seconds / 420km Range (WLTP combined) / 15.6kWh/100km energy consumption (WLTP combined).
In addition, MDL will ‘establish a dealer network in Ireland’ whose purpose will be to provide ‘localised sales and aftersales services’ to BYD customers across the country.
Asked about the significance the appointment will have for MDL, its chief executive Paddy Finnegan further stated: “whilst complementing the long-standing distribution interests we currently have, this new opportunity to represent BYD and introduce their vehicles to Irish motorists is one of great importance to MDL by enabling us to re-establish a strong presence in the volume-selling segment of the Irish market.
Through the manufacture of ‘new energy’ vehicles, BYD promises to give the world what they term ‘a second chance’ and to play a full part in supporting the drive to cool the Earth by 1 degree.
To that end, a key feature will be the many measures BYD has introduced to make their vehicles climate-friendly by eliminating harmful emissions and by removing the need to use increasingly scarce natural resources.
One stand-out example is the emphasis BYD is now placing on the production of EV vehicles and on new power source technology, the example being their ‘Blade Battery’ power unit which Mr Finnegan said: “is being produced without the use of cobalt.”
“For these and many other reasons all relating to their own ambitions and priorities in an increasingly eco-conscious world, the partnership now established between BYD and MDL is one that promises a rewarding and value-laden future for all concerned, including those dealers we will appoint to market their vehicles and the many future BYD owners whose motoring dreams we have yet to build,” Mr Finnegan concluded.
