This year, the Chinese car giant BYD will formally join the Irish market by appointing Motor Distributors Ltd (MDL) as its Irish partner and distributor.
MDL expects the BYD deal to lead to an additional 150 jobs in the company, bringing its total staff number to 450.
BYD, the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the world, intends to release its mid-sized ATTO 3 model to the Irish market this year. The vehicle is constructed on the new generation platform from the corporation, and the front-wheel drive electric vehicle (EV) advertises a range of 420 kilometres on a single Blade Battery 60.5 kWh charge.
Last year, BYD, which is partially controlled by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, surpassed Tesla as the world’s top seller of electric vehicles.
The company has emphasised the need to decrease the usage of important minerals in battery technology, and one significant advancement of their Blade Battery unit is that it is created without the use of cobalt.
MDL chief executive Paddy Finnegan said the BYD agreement gave the Irish company the opportunity “to re-establish a strong presence in the volume-selling segment of the Irish market”.
“For these and many other reasons all relating to their own ambitions and priorities in an increasingly eco-conscious world, the partnership now established between BYD and MDL is one that promises a rewarding and value-laden future for all concerned, including those dealers we will appoint to market their vehicles and the many future BYD owners whose motoring dreams we have yet to build,” Mr Finnegan said.
The O’Flaherty family, who first acquired the rights to the Volkswagen franchise in Ireland in 1950, is the owner of MDL.
Ireland was the first nation outside of Germany to assemble the Volkswagen Beetle. Later, the business expanded into the distribution and retail of many brands, including those held by Volkswagen, including Skoda, Audi, and Seat. Up until 2006, it also distributed Mazda.
The VW Group took direct control of its brands in 2008. Alongside its distribution business, it has retail outlets under its MSL Motor Group division.
BYD was established in 2003 with an emphasis on the creation of batteries and electric vehicles. With a goal of four million sales in 2023, it just entered Europe after establishing a dominant presence on Asian markets.