BYD Yuan Up: Smart#1 clone from 13,000 euros?

Surprise: The BYD Yuan Up is expected to be available in China from March 2024 at prices starting from about 100,000 Yuan, which is equivalent to only around 13,000 Euros. Official images and details of the vehicle have been published on the so-called Weibo channel, and Car News China also picked up the news.

The surprising part is the price, because the 4.31-meter long Yuan Up, which bears some resemblance to the Smart #1, is said to be built on the same 3.0 platform as the much more expensive Atto 3, known as Yuan Plus in China. Although the exact dimensions of the Yuan Up have not been directly released by BYD, documents from a regulatory approval suggest that the vehicle measures 4,310 mm in length, 1,830 mm in width, and 1,675 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,620 mm.

This information has been reported, among others, by the portal "CN EV Post," which also provides details on the drive system of the Yuan Up: According to them, the vehicle will be offered in two power levels with 70 kW and 130 kW, and with two battery options with 32 kWh and 45.1 kWh.

The Yuan Up would be an expansion of BYD's successful Yuan vehicle family in China, from which a total of 428,580 units were sold in 2023, representing an increase of 87 percent compared to 2022.