BYD Launches In Senegal, Starting With The ATTO 3 – CleanTechnica

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

---

BYD is one of the major EV firms that is now making its battery electric vehicles available in more places around the world. These days, it seems like we hear that BYD has introduced some of its models to a new country every week or something. Notably, BYD is one of the few big OEMs that is not ignoring the South American and African markets. Which is great, because it shows that even the smallest markets around the world will not be left behind by the EV transition. I always say every EV that displaces a potential purchase of an internal combustion engine vehicle makes a difference.

Senegal is the latest market to get BYD EVs. Yesterday, BYD announced that it is launching operations in the West African country, starting with the ATTO 3. The ATTO 3 and the small Dolphin hatchback have been the go-to launch models for BYD in a lot of markets around the world.

The BYD ATTO 3 comes in two models in most markets. Both models have a 150kW/310Nm permanent magnet synchronous motor, front-wheel drive, and acceleration of 0–100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. The Standard Range has a 345 km WLTP range, and the Extended Range version has a 420 km WLTP range. AC charging is up to 7 kW with a Type 2 connector and DC  charging is up to 70kW/80kW (CCS2) respectively. The ATTO 3 is a C-class SUV constructed on BYD’s e-Platform 3.0.

Senegal’s vehicle landscape is characterised by a very aging fleet. Essentially, all the cars on capital city Dakar’s roads use low-quality fossil fuel and contribute to about 2.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, with a calculated social cost of $97 million per year. These numbers are increasing rapidly. Furthermore, a quarter of infant deaths in West Africa are now related to air pollution. Air pollution also leads to other diseases that lead to increased public health costs, lower learning outcomes at school, and reduced productivity in the workplace. So, it’s really good to see more EV options being made available in Senegal.

Aging taxis are some of the worst contributors to this pollution in Dakar. There are about 16,000 taxis in Dakar, Senegal, and although they account for less than 5% of Dakar’s vehicle population, they constitute about 45% of the traffic flow on average as they zoom through the city all day looking for customers. These taxis contribute at least 20% of the air pollution in Dakar, so switching them to electric would have huge benefits for everyone in the city. Mbay Mobility was the first mover in Senegal’s electric car sector and is working to tackle this problem by providing innovative financing models to help taxi drivers switch to electric vehicles.

BYD has been collaborating with local partners in a lot of its new markets. In Africa, BYD has partnered with CFAO. CFAO Mobility in Rwanda recently launched East Africa’s first BYD car dealership in Kigali. The showroom is located in the Kicuriko district and covers 330 square meters. The ATTO 3 electric SUV will be available in the Rwanda market immediately, followed by the Dolphin and Dolphin Mini (BYD Seagull) models in the coming weeks. CFAO Mobility says they are a pioneer in the deployment of electric solutions on the continent and will offer Rwanda an ecosystem of services to support the vehicles, installing recharging stations and supplying solar power generation solutions, vehicle maintenance, assistance, and spare parts.

According to CFAO’s website, Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC) has been a major shareholder in CFAO since 2012. In 2017, after cementing their relationship in 2016, CFAO became Toyota Tsusho Corporation’s (TTC)  African division and its platform for business development on the continent. The new entity adds to existing divisions covering automotive, metals, chemicals & electronics, and more.

It is great to see more EVs being introduced to more markets around the world. Consumers can only buy what is available in their markets, and therefore, as more EVs start to reach more places around the world, we will really start to see the transition gather more momentum.

Images courtesy of BYD