BYD stirs EV rivalry in China with on-vehicle DJI drone system to spur sales

BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is offering an on-vehicle drone system to help boost sales, raising the bar in China’s US$1.48 trillion domestic auto market amid a cutthroat price war.

The Shenzhen-based group launched the “Lingyuan” drone system in a partnership with the nation’s top maker DJI on Sunday, adding more intelligent and premium features to its line-up of EVs. The system consists of a docking station on the roof, enabling the drone to take off, charge and track EV travels.

The first-of-its-kind drone system is available in mainland China for now, priced at 16,000 yuan (US$2,195) and comes with a drone, a drone hanger, an on-board module handle and apps for artificial intelligence (AI) recognition and film editing.

The collaboration “involves starting from fundamental technology, designing and developing a fully integrated system from the ground up”, BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu said at the launch on Sunday. “This has successfully achieved a deep integration of cars and drones.”