2010: Electric car with a range of 300 kmThe sensation at the Geneva Motor Show: the first family-friendly electric car with a range of 300 km. With the BYD e6, electromobility is breaking out of narrow niche markets.There was already the Tesla Roadster with a range of 350 km, but this was a 2-seater sports car and therefore unsuitable for a family. Finally an electric car that can be driven throughout Europe, presented by BYD. However, an analysis of BYD's strategy shows that the most important feature of the BYD e6 is that it is suitable for cabs. This means that there are 3 different strategies for the electric car market:
Tesla is targeting the high-priced sports car market with the Roadster. It advertises with seconds from 0 to 100, spontaneous power delivery and driving pleasure. BYD wants to enter the cab market. They advertise with TCO - Total Cost of Ownership, with economic arguments. The others want to sell electric cars as a second car. Lack of range is not a problem, the family's first car with a combustion engine is still there. They advertise their environmental image to those who can afford an expensive and limited vehicle as a second car. Rolling declarations of renunciation for the eco-image.
As early as 1936, Mercedes built the Mercedes-Benz Type 260 D, which was used as a cab. Later, the Mercedes diesel became the standard cab in Germany and Austria with an extremely high market share. Why did the diesel spread to cabs first? The diesel engine was significantly more expensive than the petrol engine, but had lower fuel consumption. Diesel was significantly cheaper than gasoline for many years. However, the advantage of lower fuel costs could only be exploited if the higher purchase costs could be spread over many kilometers. Preferably also many kilometers in urban areas, where the fuel consumption advantage over the gasoline engine was particularly great. Many kilometers, mainly in urban areas, that applies to cabs. It was not until 1976, 40 years after the first diesel car, that the expansion of the diesel into the broad mass market began with the VW Golf I Diesel. For many decades now, car magazines have been publishing economy calculations on which engine to choose for a particular car model. Up to a certain number of kilometers per year, the petrol engine is recommended, and from a certain number of kilometers per year, the diesel engine.
Everything you could say about the diesel engine 60 years ago applies to the electric car today.
I just got the news that Beijing wants to convert all 70,000 cabs to electric. In the article the photo of a BYD e6. |
