THREE IN THE CITY (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

BYD tries the van market with this compact electric ETP3. Jonathan Crouch reports

Ten Second Reviewword count: 27

BYD's ETP3 is a small electric van with big ideas. The first in a huge future wave of Chinese EV commercial vehicles. How does it stack up?

Backgroundword count: 100

Most small electric vans are merely EV versions of designs originally intended for combustion power. What if you could have a small van purpose-designed as an EV? That's what Chinese maker BYD brings us here with this ETP3. In the UK, we're now familiar with BYD as a maker of (mainly full-electric) cars, but in other markets, the brand does good business with vans and commercial vehicles too. The ETP3 is the first of these to make here, a compact electric Berlingo or Kangoo-sized model that's imported to the UK in very small numbers but might be worth a look.

Driving Experienceword count: 223

The ETP3 is only available as an EV and comes with single-speed auto transmission and a single 100kW (134hp) magnet synchronous electric motor. That's energised by a 44.9kWh battery offering a range of up to 145 miles, rising to 171 miles for exclusively city driving. Town work is what this BYD is primarily designed for, as evidenced by the modest 62mph top speed. You should certainly find it maneuverable through city streets and narrow service roads, plus its car-like 1,875mm roof height should mean you'll be able to get into most multi-storey car parks too. When parking though, you'll need to remember to allow extra rear space for the hatchback rear door. There's 180Nm of torque, which is ample for small EV of this size and more than enough for relatively eager urban progress. The elevated seating position and great all-round visibility help in city traffic and the rounded window edges curve down towards the A-pillars, which further helps your all-round vision. Plus the side mirrors are large and tall, helping the driver keep plenty of the vehicle in sight. There's also a regenerative braking system. When under braking or lifting the accelerator (with battery power lower than 90%), the kinetic energy is converted into electricity to recharge the battery. It can effectively reduce brake pad abrasion, improve driving range and save energy.

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