BYD E2

The simple and clutter-free essence of the exterior of the BYD e2 is retained in the cabin of the car as well, with the interior having a clear and focused layout, which looks subtle if not boring. The cabin is finished in an all-black theme, which along with silver and gloss black inserts, looks good for its price.

While the three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel of the BYD e2 looks boring, the same can’t be said about the full-TFT instrument console behind it, which offers an array of information in crisp formats. Another element which catches one’s attention is the huge 15-inch rectangular touchscreen infotainment system sitting above the centre console.

There is a fine layer of gloss black finish running across the width of the dashboard, which has sleek-looking trapezoidal AC vents on the corners. The lower centre console has sleek-looking AC vents and a floating panel housing the controls for automatic climate control, transmission knob and a few switches for handy features, including an electronic parking brake.

The BYD e2 looks sharp and sleek, like how a modern-day electric vehicle should look in the very first place, without going too extravagant or overboard in its appearance. It has a conventional stance and design, which looks better with a few edgy-looking bits all over.

Take, for instance, the front profile of the BYD e2, which looks wide thanks to the large hexagonal grille having a jewel-studded design for it. At the top of the grille, there is a slim chrome strip, which extends over the upper portions of the headlamps. The headlamps themselves look sharp stretched trapezoidal forms, having projector bulbs and daytime running LEDs within them. The front bumper has vertical air slats with L-shaped housings over them. This entire front fascia has become common in all the other new-generation electric vehicles from BYD.

Move past the low slung front profile of the BYD e2 towards its side profile, and it continues with the sleeker stance, with two sharp creases flowing through the door panels – one from the front fender to the rear door, while the other from the rear door to the tail lamp. The side window panels look big for a hatchback, while there is a fine strip of blue running through the bottom of the door panels, indicating that it is an all-electric car.

At the back, the BYD e2 has a radical design compared to the front and side profiles, thanks to the long strip of LED tail lamp running across the width of its boot lid, and having vertically-aligned edges on its extreme corners. Apart from that, the rear profile of the BYD e2 looks cleaner, with a crisp crease running above the tail lamp and a compact windscreen at the back.

The BYD e2, with its not-so-big dimensions and a soft setup for the Macpherson struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear, is an easy-to-drive vehicle in the urban environment. The 205/60 R16 tyres also have enough grip to maintain traction at higher speeds the e2 is capable of touching.

The only version of the BYD e2 on sale in the Philippines is the 70 kW version, which is powered by a front-mounted 70 kW motor transferring the power produced to the front wheels. Mated to a single-speed transmission, the motor produces a maximum power output of 94 bhp and a maximum torque of 180 Nm. The e2 can touch a maximum speed of 130 kmph, while it can do a 0-100 kmph sprint in 10.3 seconds. The 47.3 kWh nickel-cobalt battery of the BYD e2 offers a range of 405 km.

The BYD e2 is armed with a sufficient amount of safety features for its price, such as rear parking sensors, reverse parking camera, ABS with EBD, brake assist, traction control, electronic stability program, automatic parking brake, hill hold assist and dual front airbags.

For its price, the BYD e2 is one of the best solutions for electric mobility for city usage, as the conventional size of a traditional hatchback and decent powertrain and list of features make it a usable car for your everyday driving purpose.