BYD puts the Qin Max EV on sale at half the price of a Tesla Model 3

BYD’s Qin Max EV is now on sale in China from 109,900 yuan ($16,500)—about half the price of the cheapest Tesla Model 3 in the same market.

The Qin Max sits above BYD’s Qin L and comes in two forms: a pure-electric EV and a plug-in hybrid called DM-i. The EV is 4,866 mm long, with a 2,820 mm wheelbase, making it slightly longer than the Tesla Model 3. Its single motor is offered with either 120 kW or 240 kW of power.

BYD says its Blade Battery 2.0 and Flash Charging system can move the Qin Max from 10% to 70% in five minutes, then reach 10% to 97% in nine minutes. Depending on the configuration, the car carries a CLTC driving range of 530 km or 630 km. CLTC is China’s range test cycle, so these figures are not the same as an independent road-test result.

The Qin Max gets a 15.6″ central screen, an 8.8″ driver display and God’s Eye B, BYD’s assisted-driving system. A roof-mounted LiDAR supports Navigation on Autopilot features in cities and on highways. The system had mostly been reserved for higher-priced BYD vehicles.

The Qin Max EV is priced at 109,900 yuan, while the cheapest Tesla Model 3 starts at 235,500 yuan and offers up to 634 km of CLTC range. BYD’s claims still need independent testing. The Qin Max is also priced the same as BYD’s similarly sized Seal 06, despite belonging to the company’s separate Dynasty lineup.