The Chinese concern BYD Auto has begun production of a new model BYD D1 - this is one of the few cars in the world that was originally designed specifically for taxi transportation.
D1 is an electric car with a body of the "high-capacity station wagon" type. He has a "minivan style" short nose and high body. The car is endowed with a laconic exterior - with simple lines and "clean" surfaces of the outer panels. There are five doors, the left rear swings open in the direction of travel, the right rear has a sliding mechanism. The length, width and height of the car are 4390, 1850 and 1650 mm respectively, the wheelbase is 2800 mm. The machine is equipped with a 100 kW (136 hp) electric motor and a lithium iron phosphate battery. The front wheels are driving.
Salon five-seater, the floor in the rear is absolutely flat. Thanks to the wide doorways, boarding and disembarking is made convenient for all categories of passengers, including pensioners and pregnant women. The passenger seats have 25% softer padding than the driver's to improve comfort. The driver, on the contrary, needs a dense padding so as not to relax during an 8-12-hour working day. The upholstery is made of wear-resistant, easy-to-wash leatherette. The distance from the back of the rear seat to the back of the front seat is 1000 mm, which is at the level of executive sedans. The width of the rear of the cabin in the shoulder area is 1425 mm.
The front panel of the cabin has a horizontal architecture, the media system is made in the manner of a tablet, the driving modes are selected by a selector on the center console or by steering column switches. Rear passengers are offered a folding table, cup holders and a separate media system.
BYD has been developing a new model for three years, it was provided with advisory support by Didi, a Chinese analogue of the American taxi service Uber. During the first months, BYD D1 will be exclusively purchased by Didi, and later the model will be available to other Chinese taxi companies.
China's BYD launches 'perfect taxi car'
