PORTRAIT
With Dorothée Bonassies, the new managing director of its French branch, BYD The company has appointed an experienced woman, demonstrating its desire to strengthen its structures and do things properly. A graduate of Skema Lille, she gained experience in the automotive industry at Renault before taking the helm of Skoda France in 2018, and then Volkswagen Group in France on January 1, 2024.
Appointed on November 1st, Dorothée Bonassies brings her experience and dynamism to the head of the French branch of the Chinese brand, enthusiastically embracing an adventure that could seriously change the global automotive market.
What would lead someone like you, who has just led a major European group like Volkswagen in France, to join a Chinese brand like BYD?
It's the allure of a new world, the appeal of this company, which is quite extraordinary. It's the world's leading manufacturer of electric cars, enabling electrification with extremely well-equipped, exceptionally well-designed, and exceptionally well-finished products, with unbeatable offerings and prices.
Isn't there an element of risk for you, since we can't be certain about the commercial success of a new brand?
You can never be completely certain, but you feel incredibly empowered when you join the brand. I've been here for three weeks now, and I've already had the chance to do quite a few network visits, meet with dealers and salespeople. And when you see the confidence they have in the brand, in the product, the confidence that customers place in them as they come and visit our showrooms so naturally, you really feel strong. I can tell you, it gives you energy, enthusiasm, and it's truly galvanizing!
Are you learning Mandarin?
(Laughs). I'd need to take the time, to acquire some knowledge. But I'm starting to study Confucius.
Does the fact that BYD is recruiting someone with your experience indicate that this brand is keen to establish a strong presence in France?
BYD is clearly interested in experienced people. I'm not the only one who has joined this brand. This is certainly a sign of their desire to succeed together, with a cohesive, competent, professional team that is highly committed to the brand's success.
Your brand has an English name. Should it be pronounced BYD in English or bid?
BYD (English pronunciation, letter by letter), it's more elegant. Build Your DreamsThat's even better. We've entered a dream world.
“Our customers see models that they like. It was truly love at first sight.
But it's not an easy brand with English model names and numbers that are pronounced in French. It makes for a kind of gibberish.
I don't think this poses any problems for our customers. They see models they like. It's truly love at first sight. The desire and pleasure they feel when they come to pick up their cars at the dealership is evident in their shining eyes and their enthusiasm. They feel they've made a good, smart purchase at a fair price. BYD has real appeal. We're going to be one of the players that will bring customers back to our dealerships and reignite the French appetite for buying new vehicles.
Aren't you afraid your customers will get lost in your range? You have three Ato models, a Seal that's both a sporty sedan and an estate, and two SUVs, models with similar names like Seal and Sealion? Isn't that a bit complicated?
I don't think it's complicated. I've had the opportunity to speak with our sales team; they appreciate that each model is available in two versions. Our cars are already extremely well-equipped, so two versions are sufficient, with two powerful engines: an electric one and our Super Hybrid, which is currently a huge success in France. This allows them to be agile in presenting our models. Admittedly, the range is extensive. It goes from the Dolphin Surf, our city car, which received a 5-star Euro NCAP rating, to the Han, which is a very large SUV. We have showrooms that are 80 square meters, with demonstration vehicles. So, we can test our models, and in particular this Super Hybrid engine, which we offer across our entire range.
What is the positioning of the Sealion 5 in your range? Is it destined to become a flagship model?
Yes, because it's a family SUV, a hefty 4,73m vehicle, offering incredible interior space, premium-level design, top-of-the-line equipment, and above all, Super Hybrid technology at an unbeatable price of €29.990 (€30.990 since January 1st). This is simply unavailable on the French market.
What sales volume are you aiming for with this model in 2026, knowing that Renault reaches 11.000 registrations with Espace and Rafale?
We'll see. We have high ambitions, but they're reasonable. We're launching Sealion 5 in January. We think it will be quite successful.
Will Karaoke (offered in the multimedia system) make a difference?
It's a little extra, a little wink, it's the fun and playful side. It's really the car, the family model that can entertain the whole family.
Why are you creating some ambiguity by saying your car is both a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid? Plug-in models are only useful if you recharge them…
It's true there's a charging point, but this Super Hybrid can operate without being recharged. You recharge it during daily use, which allows you to drive in all-electric mode every day. But on more mixed driving cycles, you really benefit from the performance of this powertrain, with exceptional fuel consumption of less than 3 liters per 100 km.
“Customers come naturally out of curiosity and are won over by their trial”
How do you plan to convince French drivers, who are very attached to their brand, that your engine makes a difference?
They're already convinced. We see it in the visits, in the traffic in our showrooms. They come naturally, out of curiosity. They've heard about BYD and are won over by their test drive. At every dealership opening—and we have them every month—the dealers tell us, "It's impressive, we opened a month ago, and we've already made 40 or 50 sales," especially in locations where we weren't expecting such figures in the first few months. BYD naturally has a very impressive power of attraction.
Your brand is rapidly expanding, how do you plan to reduce your delivery times?
We are very strong on delivery times. You order a vehicle today from the factory, and you receive it in three months. That timeframe is fixed. We make a strong commitment to our customers regarding delivery times. The entire logistics chain is controlled by the company. This is one of BYD's strengths. We are a manufacturer with very strong vertical integration, extending all the way to logistics. We have our own ships and we truly guarantee on-time delivery.
Unlike Japanese manufacturers who limit their ranges to four or five models, your range is very broad, isn't that too ambitious?
This allows us to meet all customer expectations. Our ambition is that every customer can find the model that suits them, from the Dolphine to SUVs that are over 5 meters long.
You built your factory in Szeged, Hungary. How many cars per year do you expect to produce?
We're currently in the pre-production phase for the first quarter, and then we'll begin full-scale production of our vehicles in the second quarter. This will start with the Dolphin Surf, our city car, followed by the Atto 2, and then two other vehicles per year. We're aiming for a production of 150.000 vehicles per year.
Interview by Thierry Vautrat and Patrick Koune
