China startups Aiways, Byton set sights on Europe

Electric vehicle startups Aiways and Byton will use crossovers to enter the European market.  

Aiways said its first model, the U5 compact crossover, will be available through a subscription scheme marketed online, with the first batch of vehicles to be delivered in Europe in August.  

The U5 is powered by a 140-kilowatt (197 hp) electric drivetrain. It has a range of more than 400 km (248 miles).  

Aiways said the U5 will be marketed in stores run by Europe's leading electronics product distributor, Euronics, in major cities across the continent.  

German auto repair chain Alle Teile Umtauschen (ATU) will provide aftersales services for the U5, Aiways said.

Aiways said it will explore alternative ways to enable direct sales to European retail customers in the future.

Byton plans to launch sales of its first product, the M-Byte electric crossover, in Germany, Switzerland, Norway, France, the Netherlands and Sweden in the second half of 2021.

The M-Byte will start at 45,000 euros, excluding value-added tax and possible government subsidies, Byton said.   

The entry-level M-Byte, fitted with a 72-kilowatt-hour battery and rear-mounted electric motor, has peak output of 200 kW (272 hp) and a range of up to 360 km.  

Byton said it has signed retail and service partners in several European countries, including Hedin Automotive in Norway and Sweden, ByMyCar in France, Louwman Group in the Netherlands and Modern Driving in Switzerland.  

In Germany, Byton is studying multiple options for partnerships to sell and service the vehicle and will disclose details later, it added.

Both of the Chinese EV startups were established in 2017.  

Aiways operates an assembly plant in Shangrao in east China's Jiangxi province, while Byton manufactures EVs in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province.