Chinese vans have flooded the market – there are many of these manufacturers now all fighting for the same electric minivan pie. But the BYD T3 is different.

Whilst most of its rivals make do with generic, off-the-shelf drivetrain components, BYD is perhaps the most technologically advanced EV manufacturer at the moment. As such, this comes equipped with their signature Blade battery, albeit one that isn’t as up-to-date as the packs currently fitted to their passenger cars.

And it is the inclusion of proprietary battery technology that makes vans that look similar drive like anything but. Not all vans are created equal, and whilst some of its closest rivals can have compromised rides, the BYD T3 steers clear of that issue.

BYD Produces Vans?

Yes, BYD does manufacture vans (and a large range of commercial vehicles, as a matter-of-fact). In fact the T3 was the first BYD launched in Singapore, not the first-generation e6 first used as private-hire cars, or the T3’s seven-seater brother the M3e.

Also, they aren’t brought in by the current authorised dealer, but by a subsidiary of ST Engineering.

It follows the general theme of Chinese van makers reusing existing Japanese commercial vehicle chassis (the T3 is heavily based on the Nissan NV200), but installing their own electric powertrains.

Not that it’d be a major concern anyways. Commercial vehicles serve a utilitarian purpose, and if an existing platform can be adapted for electrification and cost savings, the manufacturer could (theoretically) allocate more funds on other areas like the interior or powertrain refinement.

Or passing the savings onto the end user.

So Give Me The T3a About This

It has a carrying capacity of at 3.8m³, which (objectively) isn’t the most generous or cavernous space available, especially when compared to its other Chinese rivals.

But fret not, the T3 makes up for it with a rectangle-like shape, allowing for longer or larger items like furniture, bicycles and large boxes. With sliding doors on both sides, loading and unloading will be a cinch. 

If that still doesn’t do it for you, a super single mattress will fit all the way in and still have space left for the door to close with ease. Stacked side by side, you could very well transport four super single mattresses at one go, should that scenario ever knock on your door.

Give Me More T3a

A single electric motor draws power from a 44.9kWh battery, with 134 horsepower and 210 Nm of torque driving the front wheels. Interestingly, the T3 has BYD’s proprietary Blade Battery technology, an older iteration of the same pack fitted to other BYDs like the e6 and Atto 3.

Weighing 1,620 kilograms, acceleration up to the speed limit of 70 km/h is rather brisk. Maximum range is a claimed 280 kilometres, but unless you’re in perfect driving conditions, it is unlikely you’ll achieve that.

However, I did manage to get quite a decent energy consumption average out of it, and based on some quick calculations, could have achieved 250 kilometres of range.

Range for electric vans is still heavily influenced by cargo, traffic, driving style and even how high you turn up your air-conditioning. And yes, range pales in comparison to diesel vans. A year or two ago, this would’ve been a real issue, but with more chargers popping up, it’s now much easier to find one for a quick charge should the need arise. 

The T3’s maximum DC charging rate is 50 kW, so recharging an empty battery should take 1 hour, give or take a few extra minutes. With AC charging, the maximum charging rate is only 6.6 kW, meaning a full recharge could take up to 7 hours, so best to plan your time around it. As a commercial vehicle, ride comfort was surprisingly quite acceptable.

Except for the larger bumps and road imperfections, this van is comfortable for daily use. And with a turning radius of 5.7 metres, making turns in tighter spaces shouldn’t prove to be much of a challenge, if any. 

What About The Cabin?

The dashboard is clad in hard but durable plastic, and the seats are upholstered in hard-wearing black vinyl, as is the steering wheel. Yes, there aren’t any soft touch materials or supple touch points, but remember, this is a commercial vehicle whose main purpose is utility.

Fitting high-quality materials adds additional and unnecessary costs, and is non-essential for the purpose of the vehicle. For what it is, the T3 provides decently comfortable seats, more than enough legroom, and as said earlier, ride quality that is actually perfectly acceptable for daily driving.

Thankfully, there are some basic creature comforts, like a simple touch screen infotainment system, semi-decent speakers, and a small digital screen in the middle of the analogue gauge cluster to give readouts for information like remaining range, battery charge level, tyre pressure, etc.

The cargo compartment in this T3 was covered in a fabric-lined cutout, which did help to not only dampen some of the road noise at the back, but also served as a grippier surface for our cargo in the back, preventing our boxes from slipping around as I was driving. 

So, is the T3 worth it? 

In all fairness, the limited range and daily recharging would take some getting used to. This isn’t an issue unique to the T3, but one that plagues most modern electric vans. Ultimately, electric commerical vehicles will be much more cost effective to operate in the long term, especially since recharging costs are a good bit lower than fuel costs.

Maintenance shouldn’t be too pricey either, since there are less moving parts, which means less things to go wrong mechanically. The T3 currently retails for $140,800, no thanks to the ludicrous COE prices. On the bright side, however, subsidies are still available until the end of 2023, so if that helps in decision making, the time is now.

Perhaps the only question now is, are you ready to take the next step to bring your business into an eco-friendly future?

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