Lafast and BYD

[PariaMan]

They will have vehicles available from 2024

https://newsday.co.tt/2023/10/25/lafast ... tric-cars/

Lafast Motors, known locally as the authorised distributor for BMW and Mini, has added an exciting new electric car company to its current sales lineup.

Lafast announced on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with the Jamaica-based ATL Automotive Group to become the exclusive TT dealer for Chinese electric car manufacturer Build Your Dreams (BYD).

BYD was founded in 2003 and has since emerged as a leading manufacturer of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

The Chinese car manufacturer overtook Tesla in June 2022 as the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, announcing it had sold about 641,000 EVs in the first half of 2022.

It is also the first carmaker in China to build one million EVs in a single year.

[eliteauto]

The Han is pretty sexy

[PariaMan]

The Han is pretty sexy

Full service center! With no taxes, I hope they keep the prices reasonable

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

BYD Dolphin review: Car of the Year! - Carbuyer

[death365]

Once the price is equivalent to the other "normal" electric offerings in T&T - they go clean up

[pugboy]

electric car components fairly straight forward now
chassis, speed controller, motors and battery

[PariaMan]

BYD seal 27500 US in China

Thats 187000tt

With no taxes and 20 tt to fill and 345 miles range

Hope they keep price reasonable

[greggle71]

What is the price of the BYD Seal?

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Saw what looked like a BYD Seal on the road here in Chaguanas - looked really good!

[Dizzy28]

What is the price of the BYD Seal?

550 Large

[VexXx Dogg]

Long term reviews would be important.
Maintenance cost, resale value might be a kicker, esp with Chinese quality.
550k and after 3 years might be worth 100.

[dogg]

has there ever been a reliable Chinese designed and manufactured automobile of any kind?

[maj. tom]

No, not before, but that doesn't mean this one now isn't. China manufacturing is arriving. The West didn't realize that when they pawned off all manufacturing and labour to China in the 1990s to make their capitalists richer than beyond imagination, that within 30 years they would develop their economy and manufacturing standards to an equal footing due to a now skilled labour force and corporate espionage. Now they're making the most important and advanced tech in the world (microchips), has a successful space program and is in the process of creating their own Chinese brands that are very reliable. This is comparable to how Japan came out of the ashes of WW2 as being known for cheap "made in Japan" junk to by the 1980s Made in Japan no longer meant crap shoddy shortcut unreliable, but is now still known as the absolute premium products on the market, from electronics to cars.


The BYD Seal and Dolphin have incredible reviews in Australia and currently has a 5-star safety rating from the Australasian National Crash Assessment Program. The Aussie public is buying BYD vehicles like crazy.


Top Gear hosts made commentary about this for the car industry in a 2012 episode if you all remember that one in China with the Toyota Corolla copies and Chinese Stig. It has come to pass in a decade. World powers shifting tides, buildup in Nationalism.

[j.o.e]

Willing to try an electric car but at those prices I’ll have to check the Japanese instead of the Chinese. That maths not mathsing

[Chimera]

That price is madness

[pugboy]

that’s luxury car pricing

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

has there ever been a reliable Chinese designed and manufactured automobile of any kind?

Globally customers seem to like their cars

[PariaMan]

Price of Seal in Australia is 50000 Australian dollars, which is about 223000 tt dollars

How lafast reach 550000 is a mystery to me, especially with no taxes

[PariaMan]

People like it but surely not at 81400 usd which is what we have to pay in Trinidad

[gastly369]

https://youtube.com/@Wheelsboy?si=WaoMIY1C_IKMv1Tu

Good channel for all Chinese cars overview


They come a long way

[pugboy]

ev are still in “shopping for flat screen tv with how much P” stage

it’s not rocket science to make a chassis with 2 motor strap to the axles, likewise battery tech is mature now
so hopefully will become much cheaper

[PariaMan]

It's already cheaper just not in Trinidad

[pugboy]

normal thing in small market
the players jook out eye

It's already cheaper just not in Trinidad

[wing]

These are used in the UK.

[Les Bain]

I dunno, half a mil for an EV from a chinese company that basically jump out from some bushes and yelled Surprise doesn't sound like a smart purchase, even if you can afford it. I rather maintain my aging ICE until them long term ownership reports come out.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

I dunno, half a mil for an EV from a chinese company that basically jump out from some bushes and yelled Surprise doesn't sound like a smart purchase, even if you can afford it. I rather maintain my aging ICE until them long term ownership reports come out.

BYD has been making cellphone batteries since the 1990s. They are now one of the largest EV manufacturers globally.

[dogg]

China has a well-known history of manufacturing disposable poor quality products. Not one of their automobiles has stood the test of time. That type of culture doesn't change overnight.

has there ever been a reliable Chinese designed and manufactured automobile of any kind?

Globally customers seem to like their cars

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[Les Bain]

Is so, Duane? That's kinda like how Xiaomi getting into the EV market. Still prefer to wait for the long term ownership reports though.

[Habit7]

In Jamaica they have one version starting at US$72,336 and another starting at US$78,918
https://www.atlautomotive.com/make/byd/

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

In Jamaica they have one version starting at US$72,336 and another starting at US$78,918
https://www.atlautomotive.com/make/byd/

ATL is the parent group of LaFast BYD