Budget-friendly Yuan Up model unveiled by BYD, lacking advanced autonomous driving features
The Chinese automaker BYD has made a strategic move with its Yuan Up electric SUV, removing the advanced "God's Eye" smart driving system and lowering the vehicle's range to offer a more affordable option.
The Yuan Up, first launched on March 26, 2024, is now priced as low as $10,500, a significant reduction from its previous price. This shift in strategy is aimed at boosting sales volume in a price-sensitive market segment, as consumer demand for smart driving features in the Yuan models has been underwhelming.
Recent sales declines in the Yuan family, including the Yuan Plus Smart Driving Edition and Yuan Plus Honor Edition, suggest that the premium on smart driving may not be sufficient to attract buyers at this price tier. The Yuan family, which contributes 8.90 percent of BYD Group's sales, sold 191,011 units in the first half of 2024, up 11.96 percent year-on-year. However, the family experienced a notable drop in sales over the last two months, with year-on-year declines of 21.18% in May and 28.97% in June 2025.
BYD, known for its commitment to democratizing intelligent driving technology, is now balancing technology-driven value with aggressive pricing. This strategic pivot is in response to intense competition from rivals like Xiaomi and Tesla in the Chinese EV market.
The new variant of the Yuan Up is equipped with a 32-kWh battery pack, offering a CLTC range of 301 kilometers. The other three variants of the Yuan Up are equipped with a 45.12-kWh battery pack and have a CLTC range of 401 kilometers.
BYD has also introduced a more affordable variant of the Yuan Up, priced at RMB 74,800 ($10,400). This new variant does not feature an advanced smart driving system.
In addition, BYD has announced L4 smart parking, promising to take responsibility for any losses incurred in China. The company increased its bet on intelligent driving capabilities earlier this year, launching 21 models equipped with driver-assist systems on February 10. The God's Eye C smart driving system, based on the DiPilot 100 smart driving solution, is available in the other three variants of the Yuan Up.
BYD's chairman and president, Wang Chuanfu, stated that advanced smart driving capabilities would become as essential a vehicle feature as seat belts and airbags in the next two to three years. However, the recent sales decline in the Yuan family suggests that the company may need to reconsider its approach to smart driving features in budget models to remain competitive.
In summary, BYD's decision to remove the advanced "God’s Eye" smart driving system from the Yuan Up and lower the vehicle's price is a tactical retreat aimed at boosting sales volume in a price-sensitive market segment. The overall impact on the Yuan family's sales remains to be seen, but the move could potentially stabilize demand through a more affordable Yuan Up variant.
- The Chinese automaker BYD, recognized for both its commitment to technology and finance, has lowered the price of its Yuan Up electric SUV, removing the advanced "God's Eye" smart driving system to provide a more affordable option.
- The Yuan Up, initially launched on March 26, 2024, is now priced as low as $10,500, a significant reduction from its previous price.
- This shift in strategy is aimed at boosting sales volume in a price-sensitive market segment, as consumer demand for smart driving features in the Yuan models has been underwhelming.
- The new variant of the Yuan Up is equipped with a 32-kWh battery pack, offering a CLTC range of 301 kilometers.
- BYD has also introduced a more affordable variant of the Yuan Up, priced at RMB 74,800 ($10,400).
- Despite BYD's previous focus on intelligent driving capabilities, the recent sales decline in the Yuan family suggests that the company may need to reconsider its approach to smart driving features in budget models to remain competitive.
- The automotive industry, particularly the electric-vehicles segment in China, is experiencing intense competition from rivals like Xiaomi and Tesla. This competition is likely to impact sales trends and technology developments in the near future of the transportation and lifestyle sectors.
