BYD ETT 44 earns five Euro NCAP stars, but European buyers still face a wait
BYD is preparing to enter Europe’s heavy truck market with the electric ETT 44 and has secured an important mark of quality ahead of the start of sales. Euro NCAP awarded the 4x2 electric tractor unit the maximum five stars and CitySafe recognition.
The ETT 44 is also the first electric truck designed for long-haul transport to be assessed under Euro NCAP’s heavy truck programme. The result shows that electric propulsion does not require compromises on safety, but the test also revealed areas where BYD falls short of Europe’s best.
Visibility from the driver’s seat is BYD’s strength
The ETT 44 scored 89 per cent in the safe driving category. Euro NCAP highlighted its low-mounted cab, additional lower door window and digital mirrors, which reduce blind spots in the driver’s field of view.
Good direct vision also helped the truck earn CitySafe recognition. This is particularly important for heavy trucks in urban settings, as pedestrians and cyclists immediately beside a truck with a high cab can be completely hidden from the driver.
The ETT 44 is not, however, the new safety benchmark in its class. BYD scored 73 per cent in the crash avoidance category, with Euro NCAP identifying shortcomings particularly in systems for preventing frontal collisions and addressing lane departure.
According to the organisation, several driver assistance systems still need refinement to match the best on the market.
Mercedes-Benz and Scania also earned five stars
BYD’s result becomes more interesting when compared directly with its European rivals. In the same round of testing, the Mercedes-Benz Actros F and various versions of Scania’s G- and R-series also earned five stars and CitySafe recognition.
The Iveco S-Way, by contrast, received only two stars. Euro NCAP found shortcomings in both visibility and active safety systems in its standard specification.
BYD has therefore not arrived in Europe with an immediate class-leading result, but achieving five stars with its first long-haul truck is nevertheless a strong start. Just a few years ago, BYD was associated in Europe mainly with electric passenger cars and buses. Now the Chinese group wants a share of Europe’s most conservative transport market as well.
Five stars before sales begin
What makes the ETT 44 unusual is that Euro NCAP assessed the truck before its wider market launch. The organisation describes the model as a new entrant to the European market, but ordinary customers cannot yet simply buy one from a BYD dealership.
For BYD, this makes the five-star rating primarily a starting position. In Europe’s heavy truck market, it faces Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Scania, MAN and other manufacturers that, alongside their electric trucks, have service networks, financing arrangements and the trust of large fleet operators built up over decades.
BYD has, however, passed its first safety test successfully. The ETT 44 must now prove that it can compete just as convincingly on range, charging, reliability and total cost.
