BYD gives up on EV grant, and offers five years of maintenance instead
With a Government grant looking unlikely, BYD has announced a new warranty and maintenance scheme to tempt buyers
Car makers are scrambling in the wake of the announcement of the Government’s Electric Car Grant and now Chinese firm BYD has said it’ll offer five years of free maintenance on its EVs and increase the battery warranty to 200,000km (155,000 miles) or eight years on selected models.
The new offer in effect means the brand is very unlikely to satisfy the criteria for the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant of £1,500 or £3,750 per car. There are strict rules regarding how the companies make their EVs, over their commitment to Science-Based Targets (SBT) for emissions, plus the need to already be showing reductions.
Announcing its new maintenance scheme, BYD said, “While [the company] has formally applied to be included in the Government-backed scheme, the brand may not be immediately eligible.”
Steve Beattie, Sales and Marketing Director at BYD UK, added: “This five-year servicing offer is our way of giving back to drivers who choose BYD and supporting them well beyond the showroom. That includes the Approved Used market – which plays a vital role in accelerating EV adoption and strengthening the value of our vehicles over time.”
The maintenance offer is available on BYD’s entire range of pure-electric and hybrid vehicles, including those already on UK roads.
Meanwhile, the five years of free servicing are now offered on the Dolphin Surf, Dolphin, Atto 3 and approved used BYD vehicles purchased through the official BYD retailers.
If you’re looking for excellent deals on BYD, then check out the Auto Express Find A Car service where you’ll see offers on the brand’s full line-up.
BYD’s admission that it may not qualify for the grant puts into question the potential eligibility of other Chinese brands such as MG and Ora, as well as numerous cars from firms that rely on production lines in China. The Chinese government has already issued a warning to the UK authorities, with an embassy spokesperson saying, “The Chinese side is closely following the situation and will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”
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