Chinese electric vehicle brand Byton has received a dealer licence from the state of California for its U.S. retail entity, and a distributor licence for its North American distribution entity.
The state’s dealer licence will allow the company to sell and lease directly to the brand’s customers in California, and also sell its vehicles online in other states. Byton also has a presence in Germany, according to a Reuters report.
“From the beginning we believed that a hybrid retail model was essential in order to provide Byton customers with the best possible ownership experience,” said Jose Guerrero, Managing Director, Byton Americas, LLC. “We’re building a retail model that has never been attempted in the U.S.”
The Chinese EV-maker intends to launch in the U.S. in 2021, although it is unknown if it will do so in Canada in the coming years — where provinces like Quebec and British Columbia have proven particularly supportive of electrification, and the federal government is offering subsidies across Canada for certain vehicles purchased under its iZEV program.
“They’re welcome, especially as electric grows, as long as they come through our tried-and-true dealer network that we have in Canada, that has the roots and all the communities, and has the hearts of the customers across the country,” said Mike Stollery, Founder and Chairman of the Ontario-based dealer network AutoIQ.
Asked whether he thinks some dealers are afraid of certain foreign brands entering the Canadian market, Stollery said “yes.”
“Some dealers definitely fear manufacturers attempting direct sales,” said Stollery. “We will see many new ways to connect and deal with customers moving forward; however, it still comes down to the symbiotic relationship between selling and servicing a vehicle and what dealerships do in their communities — dealers will always serve the customer best.”
Byton was founded by former BMW and Nissan Motor executives, based on a Reuters report, and will be competing against Tesla and other EV companies once it officially launches in the U.S.
