Byton: the new born of electric car manufacturers

In the category of electric vehicle manufacturers, Byton joins the biggest names such as Tesla, Lucid Motors and even NIO. The Chinese brand, which stands out by offering its vehicles mainly on the net, could conquer this market very quickly. Its SUV and sedan concept car models are well known on all three continents.

A promising electric car brand

Founded in 2018, Byton is a Chinese manufacturer specializing in the production of electric vehicles. Belonging to the company Tencent, which holds the majority capital, Byton is the acronym of “Byte on Wheels”. The production plant is based in the province of Nanjing in China, with design offices in Munich, Germany and Santa Clara, USA.

At the origin of Byton are some big names in the automotive world, namely Carsten Breitfield, the one who worked on the concept of the BMW i8 and Benoît Jacob, also formerly of BMW. The brand is also partnering with designers and engineers at Tesla and Faraday Future. At the helm of the start-up are now Daniel Kirchert, CEO and Zhanwang Ying General Manager of the branch in Nanjing.

The brand gained recognition at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas in 2018 with the first M-Byte prototype. During this first appearance, she presented 3 models of gray, blue and red colors. In April 2018, Byton launched its “brand-store” concept installed in the largest cities in the world. In 2019, it presented an electric SUV concept car called Crossover Concept.

With the philosophy of providing the best driver experience, Byton offers more than electric cars. It embarks on its vision of a modern electric vehicle, a panoply of devices and technology to connect the car with the prowess of digital and digital.

If the manufacturer is primarily targeting the Chinese online market, it is also exploring the international market, planning to launch its models in Europe and the United States from 2021.

The international subsidiaries of the Byton brand

Present on the Chinese, European and American markets, Byton has numerous subsidiaries in many large cities. The brand is headquartered in Nanjing, China. It is the hotbed of research and development as well as production and industrialization.

The office in Beijing mainly deals with the External Affairs part and relations with the government. The branch in Shanghai is in charge of the marketing and design of Byton vehicles. While the offices in Hong Kong take care of investor relations.

As for the offices in Munich and Santa Clara, these are responsible for the development of software and technologies as well as the design of the vehicle, respectively.

The brand’s electric vehicle models

To date, the manufacturer Byton has developed two ranges of electric vehicles: the M-Byte and the K-Byte, all for pre-order.

M-Byte: a premium electric SUV

The brand’s first vehicle is the M-Byte. It was presented in January 2018 for a pre-order from 2019. The concept car model is produced in series and leaves free choice in terms of configurations. 100% electric, the M-Byte is a premium SUV that combines innovative technology and physical experience to push the limits. It is positioned as the direct competitor of the Tesla Model X.

With its futuristic design, the SUV offers cameras instead of mirrors and facial recognition cameras for locking the doors. The electric vehicle incorporates a 48-inch screen that spans the entire dashboard as a dashboard. In addition, there are two more screens of 12 and 7 inches each on the center console and on the steering wheel.

The M-Byte is available in two engines. The first offers propulsion up to 200kW with a power of 272 hp. The second will offer all-wheel drive with 300 kW, or 408 hp.

The M-Byte also offers a top speed of 190km / h and a performance of 7.5 seconds and 5.5 seconds on a 0 to 100km / h. The SUV has two battery configurations. The first at 72kWh for a range of 360km and the second at 92 kWh for a range between 435 to 460 km. The M-Byte has a 22 kW AC charger on board for a full recharge in 4h30.

Marketed from the last quarter of 2021, this electric SUV will be available at a price of 45,000 euros.

The K-Byte a futuristic electric sedan

Revealed in 2018, the K-Byte is the electric sedan of the Byton brand. The concept car will be launched in China and then marketed in Europe from 2021 or early 2022.

If the brand has not yet revealed the performance of the K-Byte, the sedan will nevertheless feature a very high-end construction with the latest generation of connected technology. The K-Byte concept wants to set the bar very high by offering autonomous driving and the best driving experience possible.

In terms of design, the K-Byte should integrate sensory sensors on both sides of the roof as well as interactive connectors. Large display screens and a fully intuitive instrument panel will be on board the electric sedan.

In technical terms, the electric sedan could carry two battery configurations of 72 kWh and 95kWh. Its technical characteristics position it as the competitor of the Tesla Model S.

A waiting development

After the M-Byte or K-Byte models, the Byton brand could also develop a new 7-seater SUV whose name and characteristics are not yet revealed. In the meantime, buyers will be able to order and configure their M-Byte or K-Byte on the manufacturer’s official website. In addition, since the current health crisis, the manufacturer has slowed down its production and could resume pre-orders from 2021.