Hyperdrive
Unfazed by Trade War, China EV Maker Forges Ahead With U.S. Push
- Byton, maker of electric SUV, sees U.S. as main foreign market
- Trade dispute ‘will be solved,’ co-founder Breitfeld says
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Byton, the Chinese electric-vehicle startup founded by former BMW AG executives, is forging ahead with plans to enter the U.S. market even as the trade war casts a cloud of unpredictability for the push.
The company plans to begin production of its $45,000 electric SUV in 2019 and still targets a U.S. entry in 2020, Chief Executive Officer Carsten Breitfeld said in an interview. Overseas markets will account for half of Byton’s projected global annual sales of 300,000 vehicles four years after production kicks off, led by the U.S., he said.