Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
Solar Transport and Automotive Resources Corp. (STAR Corp.) distributor of BYD in the Philippines, celebrated its Fourth Year Anniversary last September 28 at the BYD Shaw Showroom in Mandaluyong City.
STAR Corp. managing director Mark Andrew Tieng shared the significant milestones of the company from 2016 to 2017. “In the last four years, BYD introduced various technological advances in the automotive industry. In fact, BYD is now the top supplier of electric vehicles in the world, with a market share of 13.2 percent, which is even higher than Tesla’s 9.9 percent. In the Philippines the passenger vehicle market is growing so fast and BYD has its own line-up of vehicles representing them on the road,”
The anniversary evening’s theme was “Driving to the Future”, and with this unveiled the newest model to join their lineup, the All-new BYD S1 and the All-New BYD Lithium Ion Phosphate Forklift.
S1 Subcompact SUV
Exterior
It’s a 5 door, 5 seater subcompact SUV ideal for city driving but can easily handle out of town trips. It has a sporty and stylish exterior accented by a chrome grille and color keyed door handles. Illuminated LED logos are unmistakably BYD. The 17-inch alloy wheels give it an athletic stance, its rear mounted spare, wrap around cladding and rear spoiler adds to its character. Its Halogen headlamps are height adjustable with DRL’s, it also has power-folding side mirrors, rear window defogger, right side-view mirror mounted camera.
Inside
There are luxurious leather seats, folding 60:40 split rear seats open up the 340L cargo area to a spacious 1200L. The instrument cluster is barrel type LED illuminated and included is the useful Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Standard is the 8” Android Multimedia System, Bluetooth hands free and streaming compatible, USB and aux with steering mounted controls. Adding to passenger convenience is the additional 12V outlet in the rear. Park assist comes from rear and side mirror mounted cameras along with 4 rear parking sensors. Integrated with the air conditioning is an air purification system which cleans the air of dust, pollen and other allergens.
Performance
Powered by a fuel injected 1.5L 4 cylinder DOHC, variable valve timing, gasoline engine that puts out 150hp with 240Nm torque mated to a 6-speed dual clutch transmission.
Safety
The S1 scored 5-stars in the C-NCAP ratings, with features which include Electronic Stability Program (ESP), electronic park break, Collapsible steering column, Hill Descent Control, Cruise Control, and electric engine immobilizer. Dual front airbags supplement the three-point seatbelts for all five passengers.
The S1 has an introductory price of Php999,000 until year’s end and comes with a 5-year warranty and FREE 5-Year PMS Oil Change Program Package, 3-years LTO registration, Tint, Matting and an Inventel Dash Cam.
The BYD Lithium Ion Phosphate Forklift
Environmentally Friendly
BYD’s electric counterbalanced forklift offering is earth friendly, powered by BYD’s Lithium Ion Phosphate Battery. It is the smallest and most powerful battery available in the market and the BYD Forklift is the only one of its kind available in the Philippines today. Unlike lead acid batteries, it’s lead free and will not have lead emissions making safe for the driver and the environment.
Safety
The battery has been tested and will not explode when exposed to fire, pierced or improperly charged. It has the ability to work in extreme heat or cold conditions. It can charge fully in two hours, allowing it to run and perform it’s heavy lifting for a full eight hours. Its completely maintenance free for 4000 cycles, which is equivalent to 10 years work life giving the owner almost 50% savings in maintenance costs compared to other electric lead acid electric forklifts and 80% savings compared to diesel forklifts.
Features
The BYD forklift has automatic speed reduction for cornering, forward tilting and overload protection, brake assist, it also has Operator Protection System (OPS) which will disable the forklift unless the driver is seated properly. The battery management system will not allow use of the mast when charge falls below 5% minimizing chances of the battery discharging while the load is up allowing the forklift to be parked properly for charging. There’s a multifunction TFT screen shows travel speed, battery charge and accumulated working hours. It also has 3 speed settings to suit the operator’s requirements.
This forklift has received the prestigious International Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY) Award in 2016.
BYD also introduced its FREE 5-year PMS Oil Change Program. The 5-year PMS is given FREE to customers who avail the All-new BYD S1 and BYD S7 units sold from July 29, 2017 onwards. This is inclusive of parts such as oil filter, drain plug washer, gasket, as well as four liters of regular engine oil.
“We are grateful to all of you most especially to our clients, bank partners and media friends for your unceasing support. BYD Philippines has been in the country for four years now and we are proud to say that our customers are very happy and satisfied.” said Mark Tieng.
The Forklift and S1 Subcompact SUV are available for viewing at the BYD Shaw Boulevard showroom, for more details on the All-New BYD S1, the BYD forklift and the 5-year PMS Program, call STAR Corp. at 632-5338888 or log on to www.byd.com.ph.
Words and Photos by Neil Pagulayan