BYD stirs EV rivalry in China with on-vehicle DJI drone system to spur sales
The carmaker adds new drone system to autonomous driving system among premium features in its sales pitch to win over customers
BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is offering an on-vehicle drone system to help boost sales, raising the bar in China’s US$1.48 trillion domestic auto market amid a cutthroat price war.
The Shenzhen-based group launched the “Lingyuan” drone system in a partnership with the nation’s top maker DJI on Sunday, adding more intelligent and premium features to its line-up of EVs. The system consists of a docking station on the roof, enabling the drone to take off, charge and track EV travels.
The first-of-its-kind drone system is available in mainland China for now, priced at 16,000 yuan (US$2,195) and comes with a drone, a drone hanger, an on-board module handle and apps for artificial intelligence (AI) recognition and film editing.
The collaboration “involves starting from fundamental technology, designing and developing a fully integrated system from the ground up”, BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu said at the launch on Sunday. “This has successfully achieved a deep integration of cars and drones.”
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