BYD to sell 100,000 EVs to rental company Sixt

Chinese electric car powerhouse BYD has struck a deal with German car rental company Sixt to sell around 100,000 EVs between now and 2028.

The deal focuses on Europe, where BYD is ramping up its presence in a big way, rolling out several models this year. This deal represents key volume for the company widely seen as one of Tesla’s main rivals.

The first step will involve Sixt buying “several thousand” BYD Atto 3s – a vehicle already on sale in Australia and reviewed here – before the end of 2022, destined for rental fleets in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the UK.

But this initial order only forms “the first step” in a broader agreement envisaging the purchase of around 100,000 additional EVs over the next six years.

Sixt says it wants its fleet in Europe to be 70 to 90 per cent ‘electrified’ by 2030, covering a range of manufacturers and models.

From there, BYD and Sixt say they will “explore potential co-operation opportunities in different regions around the world”. Sixt has a market presence in Australia, so watch this space…

The BYD and Sixt deal is emblematic of a wider trend in the car world, where OEMs sign big EV supply deals with rental companies. As well as generating sales, it also puts more bums on seats, as a promotional tool.

For instance, Polestar and Hertz have a deal for tens of thousands of EVs including some for Australia, while that same rental company is also buying 175,000 General Motors EVs.

BYD Europe and International Cooperation Division chief Michael Shu said Sixt was “a very important key partner to BYD as we take our first steps into the rental market”.

“… These are exciting times for BYD, as our market leading solutions provide greater access, and more options for electric mobility,” he added.

Sixt chief business officer Vinzenz Pflanz called the deal “an important milestone to deliver on our promise of putting significantly more e-cars onto the street. We are very much looking forward to our cooperation with BYD”.

MORE: Hertz on why your next rental car might be an EV MORE: Volkswagen to buy up majority stake in rental company Europcar MORE: Hertz buying 175,000 electric vehicles from GM MORE: Uber touts ‘outsized impact’ on growing electric car sales