BYD unveils E-VALI van to rival Ford E-Transit
BYD has revealed a new electric van set to challenge the Ford E-Transit in the large LCV segment.
The BYD E-VALI has been designed specifically for Europe and will go head-to-head with the E-Transit, Vauxhall Movano, Toyota Proace Max and Renault Master in the 3.5 to 4.25-tonne market.
Using a choice of two- or four-wheel-drive powertrains, the E-VALI offers either 134bhp or 201bhp, and comes with an 80.64kWh cobalt-free LFP blade battery. This should provide up to 155 miles of range and 188kW DC charging will allow a 10-80% recharge in just 30 minutes.
The E-VALI will be offered in two lengths – 5.99m and 6.99m but with just a single roof height. The larger 4.25-tonne van will have a cargo volume of 17.9m3, compared with a 15.1m3 for the largest E-Transit and 17m3 for the Movano and Proace Max, and 14.8m3 for the Master E-Tech. The shorter van offers up to 13.9m3.
BYD says that, size-dependent, the E-VALI will feature a payload of between 700kg and 1,450kg, and will offer vehicle-to-load charging as standard for powering tools and other devices from the vehicle.
Like its key rivals, the E-VALI features a sliding side door and wide-opening hinged rear doors, with a door in the bulkhead allowing access to the cargo area from the cabin.
In the cabin, driver and passengers are treated to electrically adjustable seats, a fold-out table and in-van cool box, as well as a large touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone mirroring and over-the-air update capabilities. As with its passenger cars, BYD is loading the E-VALI with driver assistance technology, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure assist and rear cross traffic alert.
There’s no word on a launch date or pricing yet but the van revealed at IAA Transportation 2024 was production ready so we’d expect it to go on sale soon, priced competitively with its key rivals.
