It's still exciting with new car brands. Recently, we were invited to the Chinese Byton press show.
This is a brand new car brand, which does things in its own way. They will surely send "shockwaves" among the many established automakers and their way of working.
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The industry has only managed to recover from charismatic Americans with Internet payment systems, spaceship and not least the Tesla car brand on the resume. Suddenly, the Chinese Byton appears – and stretches longer.
Here are just the preparation for the future and new business models.
Someone should lose the night
There will be no importer or dealer. The cars should be bought directly by Byton. This allows you to get rid of some expensive middlemen, and the buying process will go faster. They assume that they will save up to 25 percent. (19659008) This alone would be enough for some of the competitors to lose their sleep.
But this is not just a question of saving. There is more. They will also use the customer data. They can therefore sell services and products to consumers and have the shortest "service" possible for consumers along the way.
– An importer and a retailer are on the way. He entrusted European journalists gathered at Aker Brygge to the entrepreneur and general manager Carsten Breitfeld to learn more about what Byton defends.
<img src = "https://g.acdn.no/obscura/API/dynamic/r1/ece5/tr_480_274_l_e/0000/sarp/2018/7/5/16/6653332.jpg?chk=76BE6F" alt = "A 40-inch widescreen is one of those that distinguish Byton from other cars." 19659012] A 40-inch widescreen is just one of what sets Byton apart from other cars.
From BMW, Tesla, Google and Apple
Carsten Breitfeld is a graduate engineer and has been with BMW for more than 20 years. He was, among others, the leader in the development of the BMW i8 hybrid sports car.
There was also a very old BMW boss who met us at Aker Brygge. He admitted that it was a bit dismal to quit at BMW that he continues to run BMW privately – but he's fundamentally at odds with how the established auto industry works.
– They are too conservative, they fail to think news and things take too much time. That's why we gathered people from Tesla, Google and Apple in Byton. But not only that. Computer scientists focus on things that go fast, and that's true. At the same time, we also have to admit that motorists can do a great deal on the mechanical construction of cars. I think this combination is important. Carsten Breitfeld comes from BMW and speaks with a lot of self esteem about Byton's "srcset =" https://g.acdn.no/obscura/API/dynamic/r1/ece5/tr_1080_616_l_f/0000/sarp/ 2018/7/5/16 / 6654930.jpg? Chk = 9F2AA4 1080w, https://g.acdn.no/obscura/API/dynamic/r1/ece5/tr_768_438_l_e/0000/sarp/2018/7/5/16 /6654930.jpg?chk=4C5EA6 768w, https://g.acdn.no/obscura/API/dynamic/r1/ece5/tr_480_274_l_e/0000/sarp/2018/7/5/16/6654930.jpg?chk= C558FD 480w "sizes =" (min-width: 769px) 1080px, (min-width: 481px) 768px, (max-width: 480px) 480px "itemprop =" contentURL "/>
Carsten Breitfeld comes from BMW and speaks with great self-confidence about Byton.
Not about – but when!
This is not just a new electric car that Byton will give us. They will make the car something new, and the electrical operation is just a matter of course. The car becomes a rolling platform for other services. For example, carsharing.
– It is not "talk" but "when". This is the first car ideal for carpooling, "says Breitfeld, with great confidence.
– There is something wrong with the way we use cars today. They cost a lot and are only used three to five percent of the time. Many young people today do not want to own a car – but they want mobility. So car sharing is perfect, it is growing
– When people get into a byton, the first thing they do is press the update button. Like all computer operations. We will build a platform with mechanics, electricity, computers and sensors, but we will update the software all the time. It is very different from the way the auto industry is today, he says.
Byton has therefore chosen to establish itself as a Chinese society.
– The Chinese have a unique, excellent and high-tech industrial culture. companies that do not shrink for many other countries. Some of them are also investors in Byton, says a greedy Breitfeld.
luxury luxury
The first Byton M-Byte comes out of the factory ports early next year, first to be sold in China's domestic market. Then the signing will continue in the US, before Europe and Norway follow in the second half of 2020.
The M Byte SUV will cost around $ 43,000. It is the equivalent of about 360,000 Norwegian kroner. It has a rear wheel drive and a battery of 71 kWh, which will provide a range of 400 kilometers.
There is also a four-wheel drive version and a 95 kWh battery that will offer a range of 520 kilometers.
The car we are going to see is a pre-order car, only 85% finished. The production car is almost identical to the outside and inside. It's just a part of the computer technology that is not yet in place.
The car gives a good and solid impression, with a good quality of construction, noble materials and a good finish. It oozes luxury and modern long-term design. In addition, it is very spacious in both front and rear seats. We were pleasantly surprised in our meeting with the newcomer.
Not unexpected; Many Norwegians are already on a waiting list.
Byton has more at the hour. They will build three cars on the same platform. That's what is called K-Byte, plus a seven-seater family car.
Data is more important than power
– In the future, we think that the power of computers becomes as important as power, maybe even more, says Breitfeld
Byton cars become more and more mobile. They should have antennas and modems that can communicate up to 1 Gbit / s. In addition, we find eSIM cards, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. They promise that they will have the fastest, safest and most stable data transfer in the automotive industry. Cars are ready for 5G when they arrive.
Different radars, cameras and sensors monitor everything that happens around the car and make it autonomous. The first will be auto-executable at level three, but should be updated quickly to level four. Byton also promises the most advanced driver assistance system when launching the car, and it will get a biometric driver detection. You do not need keys.
Several Norwegians have commissioned Byton M-Byte, who will arrive in 2020.
300,000 cars a year
The first time you put your legs in a car, the car detects you through the detection of the face and creates a profile on the screen of the computer. The next time you're sitting in a car somewhere else in the world, whether it's in Drammen, China or the US, the car will pick up all your wireless settings. It should look like the same car.
– The car knows you again and unlocks the doors for you and defines everything you are used to. It should be like riding in their own car. If you bring your children, they will have access to their own content on their back screens, "explains Breitfeld.
300,000 cars a year
It remains to be seen if they will succeed with their ambitious plans. In recent years, many companies that will face competition with the traditional automotive industry have sprung up. Few people have so far delivered anything more than big plans, unusual designs, great views – and no cars.
Breitfeld is not afraid to take big words in his mouth
– We will produce 300,000 cars year-round by 2024. The new factory is now complete, he concludes with a great confidence. It is certain that it seems that we choose to believe it.
