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China’s leading EV maker, BYD, notched another sales record in November. BYD continues surging, with over 170,000 fully electric vehicles sold last month. The strong performance propelled the automaker past Nissan for the first time in sales.

BYD sold a record 301,903 new energy vehicles in November, up 31% from last year. The figure includes plug-in hybrids (PHEV), but it was enough to surpass Nissan for the first time in monthly sales.

Nissan sold 279,102 vehicles, representing 5% growth over last year. BYD’s expansion comes as demand for fully electric cars continues climbing in key markets.

BYD’s pure EV sales rose to 170,150 units last month, up 3% from October’s 165,505 EVs sold. Meanwhile, PHEV sales sales fell 3% month-over-month.

EVs are playing a bigger role, representing 56.4% of total sales, compared to 54.9% in October and 52.5% in September.

The growth comes as BYD aggressively expands in international markets. BYD sold 30,629 NEVs overseas last month after launching new models in Japan, Europe, and other key markets.

BYD is already leading in overseas markets like Thailand, Brazil, and Columbia. It’s also expanding in Australia, India, Hungary, Mexico, and more.

BYD-November-sales
BYD Sea Lion 07 (Source: BYD)

BYD closing in on Tesla after November EV sales

The growth in November sales comes as BYD closes in on Tesla for the title of top-selling EV maker globally.

Tesla, which doesn’t release monthly sales updates, delivered 435,059 EVs in the third quarter. BYD came within 3,500 units in Q3, delivering 431,603 electric models.

BYD-November-sales
BYD Dolphin EV (Source: BYD)

With 335,655 EVs sold over the last two months, BYD is on track to end the year strong. Tesla aims to deliver 1.8 million EVs this year. Meanwhile, BYD has delivered 1.38 million electric cars through November.

Tesla hopes the launch of the Cybertruck can help lift sales into the end of the year. Both BYD and Tesla have aggressively cut prices this year to boost demand amid new competition.

BYD-November-sales
BYD Song L (Source: BYD)

BYD slashed prices again this month in a year-end promotion as the EV race intensifies. Wang Chuanfu, BYD’s CEO, said the company is fully prepared for a price war over the next three to five years earlier this year. He added that BYD is confident it will win market share during that time.

Electrek’s Take

BYD continues expanding the brand at an impressive rate. With low-priced models like the Dolphin (starting at ~$17K) and Yuan Plus (~$19K), BYD is hitting the sweet spot in the market.

The automaker released two new mid-size electric SUVs poised to rival Tesla’s Model Y. BYD’s Song L gathered 11K pre-orders in 17 days. It was revealed after the Sea Lion 07, its first “mid-size urban smart electric SUV,” last month.

With new models in key segments and a fresh round of incentives, BYD is making a strong push into the end of the year. This next month will be interesting as EV leaders compete for the top spot. Better yet, both are taking market share from legacy automakers that are falling behind in the EV era.

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What makes a Honda a Honda? Prologue engineers help us find out!

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What makes a Honda a Honda? Prologue engineers help us find out!

On today’s informative episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got Honda engineers Jason Hwang and Emilio Sanchez to talk us through some of the things that make the GM Ultium-based Honda Prologue EV feel like a real Honda, and why that matters.

Jason and Emilio talk about some of the choices they made to make the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX feel different from its GM-branded cousins, and explain why this was much more than a case of badge-engineering. Give it a listen, then let us know what you think of the Prologue and ZDX in the comments.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Learn more by clicking here.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.

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The Eastern US’s first CFI-funded EV charging hub comes online

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The Eastern US's first CFI-funded EV charging hub comes online

The first EV charging hub funded by the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program in the Eastern US is now online in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

The town installed the region’s first DC fast chargers (four ports), along with four Level 2 chargers, at 59 North Main Street in South Deerfield.

These new charging stations, funded with $2.46 million from the CFI program, are conveniently located near Interstate 91 in Franklin County, the most rural county in Massachusetts, which serves drivers from Connecticut up to the Canadian border.

The hub also features local and regional bus stops and designated bike lanes with secure onsite bike racks. The chargers are meant to cater to everyone: from local residents and visitors to municipal EVs and commercial vehicles that service the region’s businesses, like those in food and beverage manufacturing.

Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, sees this as a model for future projects:

Multi-modal charging hubs in communities are key to giving more people the choice to ride and drive electric. The Town of Deerfield is showing leadership in building out convenient charging infrastructure that brings new transportation choices to rural and disadvantaged communities while supporting local commerce.

In recent years, Deerfield has experienced increased climate change-driven flooding from nearby rivers, including the Deerfield River, the Connecticut River, and the Bloody Brook. The project incorporates environmental engineering designed to mitigate and adapt to the effects of flooding and climate, including the installation of permeable asphalt and rain gardens, planting of native trees, grasses, and shrubs, and the creation of new greenspace in the center of Deerfield.

The Biden-Harris administration’s CFI Grant Program is expanding EV infrastructure nationwide. It offers grants for projects that complement and expand upon the initiatives of the NEVI program in urban, rural, and disadvantaged and low-income communities. So far, the CFI Grant Program has allocated over $1 billion to nearly 100 projects across the US, encouraging private investments and expanding the EV charging network to make EV ownership more practical and convenient.

Read more: The US reaches milestone of 200,000+ public EV charging ports


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Kia’s new low-cost EV4 was just spotted in the US for the first time

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Kia's new low-cost EV4 was just spotted in the US for the first time

Kia’s upcoming EV4 electric sedan was just spotted testing in the US for the first time. The low-cost EV is expected to make its big debut by the end of the year. Here’s a look at the new model.

The EV4 will round out Kia’s new “EVs for all” master plan launched last year. Kia showcased three new models, the EV3, EV4, and EV5, during its first annual EV Day in October 2023.

During the event, Kia outlined its new global strategy to “lead and accelerate the EV revolution” with a wide range of models priced from $30,000 to $80,000.

Kia plans to rapidly expand its lineup with a series of smaller, lower-priced models. It launched the EV9, its first three-row electric SUV, which is already proving to be a hot seller in the US. Starting at under $55,000, the EV9 is still a great deal compared to others in its class, but Kia plans to go even lower.

The EV3 and EV4 are expected to be among the most affordable electric vehicles when they arrive in the US.

Kia's-EV4-US
Kia EV4 (back) showcased alongside (from left to right) the EV9, EV3, EV5, EV4, and EV6 (Source: Kia)

Kia’s new EV4 is now testing in the US

Ahead of its official debut, Kia’s new EV4 sedan was recently caught driving on US streets for the first time.

The latest image from KindelAuto doesn’t reveal much more than what’s been shown in the past, but the fact that it’s now testing in the US is significant.

Kia EV4 caught on US streets for the first time (Source: KindelAuto)

Kia’s EV3 is already on sale in Korea, starting at around $30,000 (42.08 million won). Earlier this week, the company said its new compact SUV is now available across Europe, starting at around $38,000 (36,000 euros) with a “segment-leading range” of up to 375 miles (WLTP).

Next up will be the EV4. Kia is expected to officially reveal the new EV by the end of the year, with deliveries starting in 2025. It could be as soon as next week at the 2024 LA Auto Show.

Kia's-EV4-US
Kia EV4 concept (Source: Kia)

The interior will feature Kia’s advanced new ccNC infotainment system with dual 12.3″ navigation and driver display screens. An otherwise minalimalistic design is expected inside.

Kia’s EV4 will also be available in a hatchback variant. Although the hatch is likely aimed at European buyers, it was also recently spotted testing in the US for the first time.

Kia's-EV4-US
Kia EV4 concept interior (Source: Kia)

We will learn official prices closer to launch, but the EV4 is expected to start at around $35,000 to $40,000.

Kia is teasing five new vehicles for the US, at least one being a new EV, that will debut at the LA Auto Show next week. Will it be the EV3? EV4?

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