Latest news with #Altavilla
Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Huge EV boost as new chargers planned for UK add 249 miles in just 5 minutes
EV drivers tired of slow charges are in for a major boost as automotive giant prepares to roll out its ultra-fast 'Flash Charges' across the UK, dramatically enhancing the country's EV infrastructure Brits with electric vehicles (EVs) are set to experience a giant leap forward in charging technology - but there's one small catch. Chinese automotive giant BYD is preparing to bring its ultra-fast 'Flash Chargers' across the UK in a move set to dramatically enhance the UK's EV infrastructure, making charging quicker and more convenient than ever before. The new chargers, capable of delivering up to 1 megawatt (1,000 kW) of power, are engineered to reduce charging times substantially. However, these new technologies won't be rolled out in the UK until 2026, meaning EV owners will have to wait months before getting their hands on the super-fast chargers. The news comes shortly after BYD announced the creation of its own ultra-fast EV charger, representing a major step forward in the industry. It stands out for its remarkable capability — it can add approximately 1.2 miles of range every second, meaning drivers could gain up to 249 miles of range in just five minutes. EV sales hit 315k in 72 hours for one car brand as 500-mile range car launches This speed is comparable to the time it takes to refuel traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, effectively closing the gap between electric and petrol/diesel cars in terms of convenience and usability. The rollout of these high-speed chargers is expected to make EV ownership significantly more attractive to a broader range of drivers. In an exclusive interview with the Independent, BYD special advisor Alfredo Altavilla confirmed the company's ambitious plans. He stated: "In 2026. You will get a few stations in every country in Europe. They will be branded BYD, but they will be open to everybody." So while Flash Chargers will carry BYD branding, they will be accessible to all electric vehicle owners, not just those driving the manufacturer's models. But it's important to note that only vehicles equipped to handle megawatt-level charging will be able to take full advantage of the fastest charging speeds these stations will offer. BYD's latest car tech — the Super e-Platform — features a 1,000V high-voltage architecture with a Flash Charging Battery. It is available in the Han L and Tang L models, which can already be ordered in China. BYD's advisor told the Independent that Denza — the manufacturer's more upmarket brand — models would debut BYD's new technology across the UK and Europe, along with SUVs and sports cars from BYD's luxury brand Yangwang. Altavilla said: "The idea is for Denza and Yangwang to be the so-called technology manifesto of the BYD group. Those are the two brands where all new technologies will be firstly introduced. So, the flash charging for example." The introduction of BYD's Flash Chargers represents a major milestone in the evolution of EV infrastructure in the UK. With the ability to add nearly 250 miles of range in just five minutes, these chargers promise to make EVs even more practical and appealing for everyday use. As the UK moves towards a more environmentally friendly future, such innovations are set to play a crucial role in accelerating the adoption of greener technology and reducing our reliance on planet-killing fossil fuels.
TimesLIVE
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
BYD reboots Europe operations after strategic stumbles, sources say
China's leading EV maker BYD is overhauling its European operations after strategic missteps including failures to sign up enough dealers and hire executives with local-market knowledge and to offer hybrids in markets resistant to fully electric vehicles, six current and former BYD executives said. BYD has moved swiftly to address these early stumbles in this critical export market, greatly expanding its dealer network and offering hefty pay packages to poach executives from European carmakers, especially Stellantis, the executives said. The Chinese EV leader announced in December that plug-in hybrids would be crucial to its European strategy. That decision came after BYD European special adviser Alfredo Altavilla — among the key executives hired in BYD's European reboot — advised BYD founder and chair Wang Chuanfu that a pure EV strategy was still a hard sell in many European countries. 'He was very quick to get the message and give the input to BYD's engineers that every new model would have to come both in EV and hybrid' versions for Europe, Altavilla told Reuters. 'It is necessary to educate customers in the green transition.' Hires of some individual European executives have been reported, and BYD has publicly acknowledged problems in the German market. This is the first detailed account of the problems identified by executives inside BYD and its systematic efforts to address them. Most of the executives spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive strategic issues. BYD declined to comment. In December, Altavilla announced in Italy that plug-in hybrids would be 'at the core of BYD strategy in Europe' moving forward, adding it would be 'stupid' to go against consumer preferences by offering only EVs. BYD first approached Altavilla, a former Fiat-Chrysler executive, last June and announced his appointment in August. He had been working as a senior adviser to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners. Altavilla hired several rising-star managers from Stellantis, including Maria Grazia Davino to run Germany and a handful of other central European countries, Alessandro Grosso in Italy and Alberto De Aza in Spain. The Chinese carmaker offered them significant pay increases and a 'chance to grow', a BYD executive said. 'These were not people we were happy to lose,' said a Stellantis source familiar with the work of the executives poached by BYD.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
China EV giant BYD reboots Europe operations after strategic stumbles
Live Events China's leading EV maker BYD is overhauling its European operations after strategic missteps including failures to sign up enough dealers and hire executives with local-market knowledge and to offer hybrids in markets resistant to fully electric vehicles, six current and former BYD executives has moved swiftly to address these early stumbles in this critical export market, greatly expanding its dealer network and offering hefty pay packages to poach executives from European automakers, especially Stellantis, the executives Chinese EV leader announced in December that plug-in hybrids would be crucial to its European strategy. That decision came after BYD European special adviser Alfredo Altavilla - among the key executives hired in BYD's European reboot - advised BYD Founder and Chairman Wang Chuanfu that a pure EV strategy was still a hard sell in many European countries."He was very quick to get the message and give the input to BYD's engineers that every new model would have to come both in EV and hybrid" versions for Europe, Altavilla told Reuters. "It is necessary to educate customers in the green transition."Hires of some individual European executives have been reported, and BYD has publicly acknowledged problems in the German market. This is the first detailed account of the problems identified by executives inside BYD and its systematic efforts to address them. Most of the executives spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive strategic declined to December, Altavilla announced in Italy that plug-in hybrids would be "at the core of BYD strategy in Europe" moving forward, adding it would be "stupid" to go against consumer preferences by offering only first approached Altavilla, a former Fiat-Chrysler executive, last June and announced his appointment in August. He had been working as a senior adviser to private equity firm CVC Capital in turn hired several rising-star managers from Stellantis, including Maria Grazia Davino to run Germany and a handful of other central European countries, Alessandro Grosso in Italy and Alberto De Aza in Spain. The Chinese automaker offered them significant pay increases and a "chance to grow," a current BYD executive said."These were not people that we were happy to lose," said a Stellantis source familiar with the work of the executives poached by another sign of BYD's determination to swiftly bolster its European operations, the company last year put its No. 2 executive, Stella Li , in charge of the replaced former European chief Michael Shu , who had predicted BYD would capture at least 5% of Europe's EV market before it launches production at its first European plant in Hungary later this year. BYD ended 2024, however, with just a 2.8% share and sales totalling 57,000 vehicles, below company urgency to grow in Europe stems in part from its track record of soaring sales in China, which have increased seven-fold since 2020 to 4.2 million vehicles in 2024. BYD surpassed Tesla last year as the world's top EV seller and is now the sixth-largest global also faces Chinese rivals rushing to enter Europe, including Chery, Geely, Xpeng and most recently Changan. All Chinese automakers face pressure to grow in foreign markets to boost profits, which are hard to sustain in China because of a protracted price war among scores of EV partners and industry experts say BYD has acknowledged its Europe problems and moved decisively to address them."They are taking this very seriously, but they need to understand that building up a position in Europe takes time," said Tim Albertsen , CEO of Ayvens, one of Europe's largest leasing companies and a BYD partner in the region. "Just like European or American automakers coming to China, what the Chinese do well in China doesn't always work in Europe."There are early signs that BYD's European reboot is showing results. BYD's European sales, including the United Kingdom, have more than tripled in the first quarter of 2025 to more than 37,000 vehicles, compared to about 8,500 in the first quarter of strength in China in part reflects its ability to "evolve very quickly to give consumers what they want," said Bo Yu, China country manager at research firm JATO EV giant, for instance, undercut Chinese rivals in February by offering its "God's Eye" assisted-driving technology for free across its lineup, including in vehicles costing less than $10, this week's Shanghai auto show, BYD put on an enormous display of vehicles under four different brands that dwarfed those of most other automakers. The company unveiled new models ranging from the low-cost Seal 06 and Sealion 06 - starting at about 100,000 yuan ($13,700) and 160,000 yuan, respectively - to the Yangwang U8L, an ultra-luxury three-row SUV, and the Denza Z, a high-end sports car its meteoric rise in China, BYD expanded to Europe in 2023 with bold ambitions. Former Europe boss Shu said last May that BYD aimed to be the region's top EV seller by BYD failed to study Europe's markets beforehand, the current and former managers a telling example, BYD bought an expensive and high-profile sponsorship of the Euro 2024 soccer championship in Germany, where it billed itself as the No. 1 "NEV" maker, meaning "new energy vehicle." That is a term commonly used in China to describe the combined EV-and-hybrid sector - but the acronym is meaningless to German initial dealer network was also too small and too concentrated in major cities, the BYD sources Germany, BYD now plans to expand its dealer network to 120 locations from 27, BYD's Davino, the former Stellantis manager tapped to run Germany, told Reuters in is Europe's largest auto market with 2.8 million vehicles sold last year. BYD sold fewer than 2,900 cars there in 2024. "The market in Germany is not easy," Davino said. "The basics are still missing here."Former managers said BYD's core mistake prior to launching Europe was to treat it like a single market - like China or the United States - rather than dozens of different former BYD manager compared Europe's national markets to "frogs in a pan," all jumping in different directions, adding: "BYD is only now beginning to learn that."
Business Recorder
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
China EV giant BYD reboots Europe operations after strategic stumbles, sources say
MILAN/SHANGHAI: China's leading EV maker BYD is overhauling its European operations after strategic missteps including failures to sign up enough dealers and hire executives with local-market knowledge and to offer hybrids in markets resistant to fully electric vehicles, six current and former BYD executives said. BYD has moved swiftly to address these early stumbles in this critical export market, greatly expanding its dealer network and offering hefty pay packages to poach executives from European automakers, especially Stellantis , the executives said. The Chinese EV leader announced in December that plug-in hybrids would be crucial to its European strategy. That decision came after BYD European special adviser Alfredo Altavilla - among the key executives hired in BYD's European reboot - advised BYD Founder and Chairman Wang Chuanfu that a pure EV strategy was still a hard sell in many European countries. 'He was very quick to get the message and give the input to BYD's engineers that every new model would have to come both in EV and hybrid' versions for Europe, Altavilla told Reuters. 'It is necessary to educate customers in the green transition.' Hires of some individual European executives have been reported, and BYD has publicly acknowledged problems in the German market. This is the first detailed account of the problems identified by executives inside BYD and its systematic efforts to address them. Most of the executives spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive strategic issues. BYD declined to comment. In December, Altavilla announced in Italy that plug-in hybrids would be 'at the core of BYD strategy in Europe' moving forward, adding it would be 'stupid' to go against consumer preferences by offering only EVs. BYD first approached Altavilla, a former Fiat-Chrysler executive, last June and announced his appointment in August. He had been working as a senior adviser to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners. Altavilla in turn hired several rising-star managers from Stellantis, including Maria Grazia Davino to run Germany and a handful of other central European countries, Alessandro Grosso in Italy and Alberto De Aza in Spain. The Chinese automaker offered them significant pay increases and a 'chance to grow,' a current BYD executive said. 'These were not people that we were happy to lose,' said a Stellantis source familiar with the work of the executives poached by BYD. High expectations In another sign of BYD's determination to swiftly bolster its European operations, the company last year put its No. 2 executive, Stella Li, in charge of the region. She replaced former European chief Michael Shu, who had predicted BYD would capture at least 5% of Europe's EV market before it launches production at its first European plant in Hungary later this year. BYD ended 2024, however, with just a 2.8% share and sales totalling 57,000 vehicles, below company expectations. BYD's urgency to grow in Europe stems in part from its track record of soaring sales in China, which have increased seven-fold since 2020 to 4.2 million vehicles in 2024. BYD surpassed Tesla last year as the world's top EV seller and is now the sixth-largest global automaker. BYD also faces Chinese rivals rushing to enter Europe, including Chery, Geely, Xpeng and most recently Changan. All Chinese automakers face pressure to grow in foreign markets to boost profits, which are hard to sustain in China because of a protracted price war among scores of EV brands. BYD partners and industry experts say BYD has acknowledged its Europe problems and moved decisively to address them. 'They are taking this very seriously, but they need to understand that building up a position in Europe takes time,' said Tim Albertsen, CEO of Ayvens, one of Europe's largest leasing companies and a BYD partner in the region. 'Just like European or American automakers coming to China, what the Chinese do well in China doesn't always work in Europe.' There are early signs that BYD's European reboot is showing results. BYD's European sales, including the United Kingdom, have more than tripled in the first quarter of 2025 to more than 37,000 vehicles, compared to about 8,500 in the first quarter of 2024. Aramco and BYD unveil car technology alliance BYD's strength in China in part reflects its ability to 'evolve very quickly to give consumers what they want,' said Bo Yu, China country manager at research firm JATO Dynamics. The EV giant, for instance, undercut Chinese rivals in February by offering its 'God's Eye' assisted-driving technology for free across its lineup, including in vehicles costing less than $10,000. At this week's Shanghai auto show, BYD put on an enormous display of vehicles under four different brands that dwarfed those of most other automakers. The company unveiled new models ranging from the low-cost Seal 06 and Sealion 06 - starting at about 100,000 yuan ($13,700) and 160,000 yuan, respectively - to the Yangwang U8L, an ultra-luxury three-row SUV, and the Denza Z, a high-end sports car concept. Lacking local knowledge After its meteoric rise in China, BYD expanded to Europe in 2023 with bold ambitions. Former Europe boss Shu said last May that BYD aimed to be the region's top EV seller by 2030. But BYD failed to study Europe's markets beforehand, the current and former managers said. In a telling example, BYD bought an expensive and high-profile sponsorship of the Euro 2024 soccer championship in Germany, where it billed itself as the No. 1 'NEV' maker, meaning 'new energy vehicle.' That is a term commonly used in China to describe the combined EV-and-hybrid sector - but the acronym is meaningless to German customers. BYD's initial dealer network was also too small and too concentrated in major cities, the BYD sources said. In Germany, BYD now plans to expand its dealer network to 120 locations from 27, BYD's Davino, the former Stellantis manager tapped to run Germany, told Reuters in March. Germany's is Europe's largest auto market with 2.8 million vehicles sold last year. BYD sold fewer than 2,900 cars there in 2024. 'The market in Germany is not easy,' Davino said. 'The basics are still missing here.' Former managers said BYD's core mistake prior to launching Europe was to treat it like a single market - like China or the United States - rather than dozens of different countries. One former BYD manager compared Europe's national markets to 'frogs in a pan,' all jumping in different directions, adding: 'BYD is only now beginning to learn that.'
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
China EV giant BYD reboots Europe operations after strategic stumbles
China's leading EV maker BYD is overhauling its European operations after strategic missteps including failures to sign up enough dealers and hire executives with local-market knowledge and to offer hybrids in markets resistant to fully electric vehicles, six current and former BYD executives said. BYD has moved swiftly to address these early stumbles in this critical export market, greatly expanding its dealer network and offering hefty pay packages to poach executives from European automakers, especially Stellantis , the executives said. The Chinese EV leader announced in December that plug-in hybrids would be crucial to its European strategy. That decision came after BYD European special adviser Alfredo Altavilla - among the key executives hired in BYD's European reboot - advised BYD Founder and Chairman Wang Chuanfu that a pure EV strategy was still a hard sell in many European countries. "He was very quick to get the message and give the input to BYD's engineers that every new model would have to come both in EV and hybrid" versions for Europe, Altavilla told Reuters. "It is necessary to educate customers in the green transition." Hires of some individual European executives have been reported, and BYD has publicly acknowledged problems in the German market. This is the first detailed account of the problems identified by executives inside BYD and its systematic efforts to address them. Most of the executives spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive strategic issues. BYD declined to comment. In December, Altavilla announced in Italy that plug-in hybrids would be "at the core of BYD strategy in Europe" moving forward, adding it would be "stupid" to go against consumer preferences by offering only EVs. BYD first approached Altavilla, a former Fiat-Chrysler executive, last June and announced his appointment in August. He had been working as a senior adviser to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners. Altavilla in turn hired several rising-star managers from Stellantis, including Maria Grazia Davino to run Germany and a handful of other central European countries, Alessandro Grosso in Italy and Alberto De Aza in Spain. The Chinese automaker offered them significant pay increases and a "chance to grow," a current BYD executive said. "These were not people that we were happy to lose," said a Stellantis source familiar with the work of the executives poached by BYD. High expectations In another sign of BYD's determination to swiftly bolster its European operations, the company last year put its No. 2 executive, Stella Li, in charge of the region. She replaced former European chief Michael Shu, who had predicted BYD would capture at least 5% of Europe's EV market before it launches production at its first European plant in Hungary later this year. BYD ended 2024, however, with just a 2.8% share and sales totalling 57,000 vehicles, below company expectations. BYD's urgency to grow in Europe stems in part from its track record of soaring sales in China, which have increased seven-fold since 2020 to 4.2 million vehicles in 2024. BYD surpassed Tesla last year as the world's top EV seller and is now the sixth-largest global automaker. BYD also faces Chinese rivals rushing to enter Europe, including Chery, Geely, Xpeng and most recently Changan. All Chinese automakers face pressure to grow in foreign markets to boost profits, which are hard to sustain in China because of a protracted price war among scores of EV brands. BYD partners and industry experts say BYD has acknowledged its Europe problems and moved decisively to address them. "They are taking this very seriously, but they need to understand that building up a position in Europe takes time," said Tim Albertsen, CEO of Ayvens, one of Europe's largest leasing companies and a BYD partner in the region. "Just like European or American automakers coming to China, what the Chinese do well in China doesn't always work in Europe." There are early signs that BYD's European reboot is showing results. BYD's European sales, including the United Kingdom, have more than tripled in the first quarter of 2025 to more than 37,000 vehicles, compared to about 8,500 in the first quarter of 2024. BYD's strength in China in part reflects its ability to "evolve very quickly to give consumers what they want," said Bo Yu, China country manager at research firm JATO Dynamics. The EV giant, for instance, undercut Chinese rivals in February by offering its "God's Eye" assisted-driving technology for free across its lineup, including in vehicles costing less than $10,000. At this week's Shanghai auto show, BYD put on an enormous display of vehicles under four different brands that dwarfed those of most other automakers. The company unveiled new models ranging from the low-cost Seal 06 and Sealion 06 - starting at about 100,000 yuan ($13,700) and 160,000 yuan, respectively - to the Yangwang U8L, an ultra-luxury three-row SUV, and the Denza Z, a high-end sports car concept. Lacking local knowledge After its meteoric rise in China, BYD expanded to Europe in 2023 with bold ambitions. Former Europe boss Shu said last May that BYD aimed to be the region's top EV seller by 2030. But BYD failed to study Europe's markets beforehand, the current and former managers said. In a telling example, BYD bought an expensive and high-profile sponsorship of the Euro 2024 soccer championship in Germany, where it billed itself as the No. 1 "NEV" maker, meaning "new energy vehicle." That is a term commonly used in China to describe the combined EV-and-hybrid sector - but the acronym is meaningless to German customers. BYD's initial dealer network was also too small and too concentrated in major cities, the BYD sources said. In Germany, BYD now plans to expand its dealer network to 120 locations from 27, BYD's Davino, the former Stellantis manager tapped to run Germany, told Reuters in March. Germany's is Europe's largest auto market with 2.8 million vehicles sold last year. BYD sold fewer than 2,900 cars there in 2024. "The market in Germany is not easy," Davino said. "The basics are still missing here." Former managers said BYD's core mistake prior to launching Europe was to treat it like a single market - like China or the United States - rather than dozens of different countries. One former BYD manager compared Europe's national markets to "frogs in a pan," all jumping in different directions, adding: "BYD is only now beginning to learn that."
