Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD has overtaken Toyota as the top-selling car in Singapore \u2014 and it\u2019s due to a combination of attractive pricing and increasingly positive brand sentiments towards Chinese technology, said drivers and analysts alike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Data by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) showed that BYD sold 3,002 cars, or 20 per cent of total vehicle sales in Singapore in the first four months this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It dethroned Toyota as the most popular car – the Japanese manufacturer sold 2,050 cars in the same period – and far outsold its main EV competitor Tesla<\/a>, which sold 535 cars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2024, Toyota sold 7,876 cars here, more than BYD\u2019s 6,191. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But it was only in 2020 that BYD sold just three cars in Singapore, according to LTA data. This figure rose to 89 in 2021, 786 in 2022 and 1,416 in 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, Toyota sales have remained relatively stable – with 7,704 in 2020, 9,633 in 2021, 6,405 in 2022 and 7,248 in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tesla\u2019s sales have also increased over the years, but not as quickly as BYD cars. Elon Musk\u2019s firm sold 20 cars in 2020, 924 in 2021, 875 in 2022, 941 in 2023 and 2,384 in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The figures showing BYD\u2019s meteoric rise do not surprise BYD owners and experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One major deciding factor for many BYD drivers was the price – which they said was relatively lower than internal combustion engines (ICE) cars and other EV brands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ms Ng Lay Peng, who purchased the BYD Atto 3 model early last year, never intended to purchase an EV, having only driven ICE cars previously. But the quality and price of the Chinese automobile swayed her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She said that while ICE vehicles in the same price range looked \u201cquite basic\u201d, the BYD model exceeded her expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen you enter, it doesn\u2019t feel like a cheap car, it has the bells and whistles \u2026 it just feels comfortable; the drive is comfortable,\u201d said the 36-year-old, who works in public relations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She said the Atto 3 had a large interior and also came with features such as a sunroof. These could also be installed on an ICE vehicle she was considering at the same time, but at additional cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All in all, the BYD car was about 20 per cent cheaper than the ICE model she was also mulling over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another BYD owner, who only wanted to be known as Mr Tan, said he bought the M6 model for about S$175,000 earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In comparison, he said a typical ICE car of similar build would be slightly more expensive and would not come with the BYD\u2019s features such as ventilated seats, a sunroof and tyre pressure monitor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Lawrence Loh said the economies of scale achieved by the Chinese manufacturer have contributed to its cheaper products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s already the top selling car in China and the top selling EV car in the world,\u201d said Prof Loh, who is the Director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Large factory complexes have been built to manufacture these vehicles at scale, and this helps to lower the cost of each vehicle, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As such, the EV is made for the mass market, and is considered an \u201centry-level\u201d product, said Associate Professor Raymond Ong from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NUS. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you compare the price of a typical entry-level BYD to Tesla \u2026 BYD is very competitive in pricing, and that has an impact on potential car buyers and hence a leap in its market share,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Tesla comes with a different value proposition, said YouTube EV car reviewer Daren Yoong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It emphasises a more \u201cminimalist\u201d concept that is a hit among tech enthusiasts, but caters to a different audience from the BYD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe BYD is a really good starting point for most people,\u201d said Mr Yoong, who is also a sales coach in a US tech company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The growing recognition of Chinese brands overall has also helped catapult BYD to its recent popularity. Long gone are the days where \u201cmade-in-China\u201d is seen as second best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But this brand equity was not built up overnight, said Mr Yoong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour iPhones, your DJI drones, your MacBooks, they\u2019re all made in China, and made in China is starting to be recognised as quality over time,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBYD has done a good job in crossing a very tough hurdle of getting the brand not just recognition, but also trust,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A study this year by media intelligence company Carma showed that among Singapore car owners, 80 per cent trust in Chinese car brands – which include both EVs and ICE cars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n BYD\u2019s marketing strategy has also been a success, said Prof Loh, noting the proliferation of its showrooms and dealers in Singapore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re located right smack in the middle of the financial district, you go to Suntec City, there\u2019s a dealer there,\u201d he said. \u201cMany of the distributors and dealers are near workplaces, some are in residential areas, you can see their strategy is (to make it) convenient to buy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou don\u2019t go to a BYD, BYD comes to you,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The brand has become noticeably prominent over the years. BYD electric public buses<\/a> have also begun to ply Singapore roads. <\/p>\n\n\n\nFOR THE MASS MARKET<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
STRONG BRANDING<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n