Chinese EV car maker BYD launches its Han sedan in the Middle East

BEIJING — Chinese electric car company BYD said Friday that it launched its flagship Han sedan in the United Arab Emirates this week.

It wasn’t immediately clear when deliveries would begin. BYD’s local website showed the company is also offering its ATTO 3 for sale in the UAE.

The news reflects another push by Chinese businesses into the Middle East, while geopolitical tensions have made it more difficult for the companies to enter the U.S. or expand in Europe. Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia have multi-year plans to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

In June, Chinese electric car startup Nio announced it received $738.5 million from a fund owned by the Abu Dhabi government.

BYD said it opened a showroom in Dubai Festival City as part of a collaboration with Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company.

In March, a press release said Al-Futtaim would represent BYD in the UAE, the first country in the Middle East to have BYD cars on the road.

The release had laid out plans to launch four car models — fully electric and hybrid — in the market by the end of the year.

BYD has grown rapidly in China’s domestic auto market and has gradually expanded its passenger car business overseas.

The company launched the Han sedan in China 2020.

The car, which comes in hybrid and pure electric versions powered by BYD’s “blade battery,” jumped into the top 10 best-selling new energy vehicles in China in 2020, according to data from China’s Passenger Car Association out late Tuesday. The new energy category includes electric and plug-in hybrid power sources.