Sixt, a leading car rental company, is expanding its cooperation with Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD in Australia. The German company plans to add at least 500 BYD EVs to its rental car fleet in Australia over the next twelve months. Sixt already runs one of the country’s largest electric car fleets and works with BYD in other continents.
The new partnership with BYD will accelerate Sixt’s plans to convert half of its 16,000-strong rental fleets to electric vehicles in the coming years. In 2021, Sixt announced its expansion in Australia through a franchise with the National Roads & Motorists’ Association (NRMA), immediately giving Sixt a 13% market share. Customers who hire any EV from Sixt can charge for free on NRMA’s EV fast-charging network and the National Chargefox network.
See also: BYD ATTO 3 : specifications, battery and range
Sixt expects the BYD Atto 3 vehicles to become the first electric BYD cars available for hire through Sixt from mid-2023. The Atto 3 features Blade Battery technology for ranges around 400 kilometres, positioning BYD as the second leading EV car manufacturer in Australia. Other electric cars on offer are the MG EV and Tesla Model 3.
In October 2022, Sixt and BYD inked an agreement that guarantees Sixt access to up to 100,000 BYD electric cars over the next six years, i.e. until 2028. The companies chose the Atto 3 to come to Europe as well. The Atto 3 utilises BYD’s proprietary EV platform 3.0, which includes an 800-Volt architecture and LFP cells. The Atto 3 EV measures 4.45 meters and has a 150 kW electric motor on the front axle.
See also:BYD recieves major orders for 100,000 EVs from German car rental company SIXT for next six years
Sixt claims around a third of its international car-sharing fleet already comprise electric vehicles, including e-scooters and e-mopeds. The company targets 70% and 90% of its fleet to be electrified by 2030 and has 2,100 branches in more than 100 countries. The cooperation with BYD shows Sixt’s commitment to sustainable mobility and the company’s willingness to explore new markets with its partners.
