Chinese electric vehicle maker BYTON announced more details about the upcoming market launch of the BYTON M-Byte in Europe, including the site of its first flagship store.
In addition to the first European countries in which the M-Byte will be delivered, BYTON also announced retail, service and charging partners.
“The BYTON M-Byte has raised enormous interest in Europe. Out of 65,000 reservations worldwide, 25,000 are in Europe alone.” comments Dr. Daniel Kirchert, BYTON CEO. “At the same time, we are aware that our European customers have high standards when it comes to technology, quality, safety and service. I am sure that together with our trade and service partners and the customer-friendly charging infrastructure, BYTON will convince the European Market.”
Market Rollout Plans for Europe
The M-Byte is targeted to enter in the first European markets by the end of 2021. Based on vehicle reservations the M-Byte will roll-out in several waves in all European countries, the first wave markets being Switzerland, Germany, Norway, France, Netherlands and Sweden.
Pre-Order Process for Europe
BYTON will open the possibility of pre-orders in second half of 2020. This will require a fully refundable down payment of 500 Euro in order to hold an early position in the production. Reservation holders will have a priority timeframe for placing their pre-orders.
The BYTON M-Byte is positioned in the premium segment with a very competitive entry price of 45,000 € (excl. VAT and excl. possible government subsidies). The entry-level model with a 72 kWh battery and rear-mounted electric motor offers a peak output of 200 kW (272 hp) and a range of up to 360 kilometres or 224 miles (WLTP). The 4WD high-performance configuration of 300 kW (408 hp) – equipped with a 95 kWh battery – is designed for a possible range of 435 kilometres or 270 miles (WLTP); The 2WD version offers up to 460 kilometres or 286 miles (WLTP).
Retail and Aftersales Services in European Markets
BYTON will offer a premium Hybrid Sales Model (online-to-offline) providing a seamless customer journey, complementary sales channels and price transparency. Based on preferences, customers will be able to switch between channels while having a consistent experience.
“’Service at your fingertips’ is our vision with integrated service offers in the BYTON App with benefits such as vehicle pickup and delivery and mobile service units for smaller repairs. Customer satisfaction and convenience are at the core: We will make sure that users always get a best-in-class sales experience, hassle-free service solutions and charging products. The handover decision is set to meet customers’ expectations – even with delivery to your home” says Dr. Andreas Schaaf.
Retail and Service Partner
BYTON is going through a deliberate process to screen and observe best options for its premium Hybrid Sales Model. “Parallel to the upcoming sales launch in China, we have already found retail and service partners in our first wave European-markets” says Dr. Andreas Schaaf, BYTON CCO. This is why BYTON decided to partner with the following retailers:
– Hedin Automotive signs a Retail and Service Partnership for BYTON in Norway and Sweden. The company started as a family business in 1985 followed by a steady growth, with currently about 125 facilities in Sweden, Norway, Belgium and Switzerland, in which nearly 32 car brands are represented. “In Norway, EV’s are the ‘new normal’ as more than 50 % of all new cars sold are electric. And also the Swedish EV market is growing rapidly.” says Anders Hedin, Owner and President. At Hedin, we are willing to shape the mobility of the future with innovative approaches and partners. The vehicle concept which BYTON is offering, developing a smart device on wheels, is not yet seen in the market. This future-proof approach with a highly professional team was so convincing for us that we decided to partner with BYTON.”
– BYmyCAR will become BYTON’s Retail and Service Partner in France. With almost 80,000 vehicles sold annually, BYmyCAR is one of France´s leading car distribution groups. True to its ambition to offer the widest choice, the group’s 83 car dealerships cover a large territory. “With our passionate and innovative way of living retail and service for premium brands in France, we have achieved a market-leading position” comments Jean-Louis Mosca, President of BYmyCAR. “BYTON and its customer-oriented hybrid sales and service model matches our vision of future retail. This common mindset gives us full confidence for the partnership providing mobility solutions for our customers.”
– Louwman Group – BYTON´s Retail and Service Partner in the Netherlands – is one of the largest automotive distributors in Europe. The Dutch family-owned Group consists of 69 self-owned outlets and service points for various brands. In addition, Louwman Group is active in retail, leasing and finance, parts supply and logistics. “It’s our vision to be iconic in mobility and BYTON’s proposition to create a smart device on wheels fits seamlessly.“ says Eric Louwman, President of Louwman Group. „Our DNA is to have focus on what moves the mobility customers of today and tomorrow. We really want to understand their needs and act on it. We strongly believe, together with BYTON, in a customer-centric digital integration of services which enables a new era of mobility. An era with ease of mind and hassle-free mobility.”
– Modern Driving will be BYTON’s Retail and Service Partner for Switzerland. With 40 dedicated service outlets, seven Test Drive Centers and two Mobile Pop Up Stores, Modern Driving will also be the first European Retail partner for BYTON`s Flagship Store in Zurich. “BYTON’s product concept is unique in the automotive industry and within the start-up scene. While developing the partnership with BYTON, we have created a future-oriented retail and service approach which is meeting and even exceeding customer expectations of today” comments Kurt Egloff, Owner of Modern Driving. “We are convinced, this partnership enables ‘Modern Driving’ to offer a new service level for an advanced mobility not yet seen in the Swiss market” adds Jean Sacchet, Owner of Modern Driving.
In Germany BYTON has multiple options for partnerships, which will be communicated at a later point in time.
Charging Partner and Experience
BYTON signed a strategic partnership with Digital Charging Solutions (DCS) from Munich, the leading European e-mobility service provider (eMSP). BYTON and DCS will develop a fully integrated charging experience to enable customers hassle-free long-distance journeys in their all-electric BYTON. Key features of the charging service will include:
– Access to major charging networks in over 28 European countries via roaming, with 150,000 EV charging points for both AC and DCfast charging (including high-power charging)
– Access to charging stations of over 450 major chargepoint operators (CPOs) such as IONITY, FastNed, EnBW, Allego, Innogy, NewMotion, Izivia, Swisscharge and local utilities
– Fully integrated public charging in the BYTON App and BYTON Stage, the unique 48inch Display, allows users to start the charging station remotely, cashless payment via BYTON ID or RFID card, with one contract and one bill
– Transparent and fair pricing: pricing is determined by chargepoint operator (per minute / kWh / session)
– Smart route planner with charging station recommendations will help customers to find the best charging stations along the route
“Digital Charging Solutions was founded to give OEMs and fleet customer universal access to different charge point operators all over Europe by providing best in-class coverage, quality and customer experience.” explains Markus Bartenschlager, Managing Director of Digital Charging Solutions GmbH. “Hence we are excited to be partnering with an innovative EV start-up like BYTON to develop an intelligent charging service that lets drivers charge across borders with one single service, one payment account and highest data quality – fully integrated in the BYTON sales system, app and navigation.”
Charging Solutions
A comprehensive portfolio of physical and digital charging solutions for home, commercial and public charging, will be offered by BYTON: The 22 kW mobile charger, which is stored in the vehicle trunk for charging “on-the-go” and 22 kW connected wallbox, which can be installed at the customer’s home via a qualified installation partner. For commercial customers a AC charger as well as a 150 kW DC fast-charger will be offered with a charging time for the 95 kWh battery at 150 kW and around 35 minutes from 0 to 80 % State of Charge (SoC). The charging time for the 95 kWh model at 22 kW will be approximately four and a half hours (100 %).
All charging devices will be connected via wireless connectivity (Bluetooth, Wifi and 4G) to a cloud-based back-end, providing an interface to the BYTON App and BYTON Stage display, enabling digital functions such as remote start-stop, metering and billing, and dynamic status information such as availability, price and power.
BYTON M-Byte will be compatible with European AC and DC charging infrastructure based on the Combined Charging System (CCS2) standard.
First European BYTON Place in Zurich
The first European BYTON Place will open in Zurich, Switzerland in the second quarter of 2021. Switzerland is an important hub of Europe: A unique city-in-city concept called ‘The Circle’, which is a multi-purpose complex within the airport of Zurich will become home of the first European Flagship BYTON Place. This location will offer early test drives, host premiere events and several digital experiences.
By the end of 2021 BYTON and Partners will open around 20 BYTON Places in key European cities that are characterized by vibrant environments and high interest in lifestyle like Oslo, Berlin, Amsterdam or Paris. BYTON Places are stores where users come back to learn about software updates and new products and services. The journey for BYTON users does not end after having purchased the vehicle. At all BYTON Places, users will have the possibility to test drive the M-Byte.
