BYD Australia has partnered with salary packaging and novated leasing provider Smart to give more Australians access to electric vehicles through workplace benefits and potential tax savings.
The strategic partnership will integrate Smart’s novated leasing services into the customer journey for BYD and its premium DENZA brand, allowing eligible buyers to explore salary packaging options when purchasing a vehicle.
Smart provides salary packaging services to employees across the government, healthcare, education, corporate and not-for-profit sectors. Through its employer clients, the company reaches more than 2.5 million Australians.
The partnership is designed to help customers understand the affordability, tax implications and total cost of ownership of a new energy vehicle before making a purchase decision.
Novated leasing integrated into the dealership experience
Under the arrangement, eligible customers will be able to access Smart’s salary packaging support through participating BYD and DENZA dealerships.
This will allow buyers to compare the cost of purchasing and operating a vehicle through a novated lease, including the potential benefits available for eligible electric vehicles under the Australian Government’s electric car discount.
BYD Australia General Manager Wing You said integrating novated leasing support into the dealership experience would make it easier for customers to assess their options.
“As BYD continues to grow in Australia, we are focused on making new energy vehicle ownership as simple and accessible as possible for our customers,” You said.
“Partnering with Smart allows us to integrate novated leasing support into the dealership experience, helping customers understand affordability, savings and ownership options at the point of sale.”
The partnership reflects the increasing importance of salary packaging and novated leasing in the Australian electric vehicle market.
For eligible employees, a novated lease can allow some vehicle purchase and operating costs to be paid from a combination of pre-tax and post-tax income. Eligible battery electric vehicles can also receive additional tax advantages under current government policy settings.
EV sales continue to rise
The announcement comes as electric vehicle adoption continues to grow across Australia.
According to figures included in the announcement, battery electric vehicles represented 23 per cent of the new vehicle market in June 2026.
BYD reported year-to-date Australian sales of 52,335 vehicles to the end of June, more than double the result recorded over the same period in 2025.
The manufacturer has expanded its Australian range across several market segments, while DENZA is positioned as its premium new energy vehicle brand.
Smart supports more than 580,000 salary packaging customers and manages more than 120,000 novated lease and fleet vehicles.
Smart Group Executive, Novated Leasing and Electric Vehicle Services, Sid Jha, said the partnership would help remove friction from the EV purchasing process.
“This partnership brings together two market leaders with a shared ambition to accelerate Australia’s transition to electric vehicles,” Jha said.
“BYD has transformed the Australian market by making EVs more accessible, and Smart can now help remove another major barrier by integrating novated leasing into the customer journey.”
Helping customers understand the true cost
A key focus of the partnership will be helping customers move beyond the vehicle’s purchase price and understand its total cost of ownership.
This can include finance repayments, registration, insurance, servicing, tyres, charging costs and the potential tax treatment available through a novated lease.
“Smart reaches more than 2.5 million Australians through employers nationally,” Jha said.
“By integrating salary packaging into the BYD customer journey, we can remove friction at a critical point in the purchase process and give customers a clearer view of cost, savings and ownership options before they make a decision.”
Jha said the arrangement was intended to make EV ownership more attainable rather than simply providing another vehicle finance option.
“We can help customers understand whether a BYD through a Smart novated lease works for them, compare the cost of owning and running an EV, and give them the confidence to make the switch to electric,” he said.
The partnership demonstrates how vehicle manufacturers, leasing providers and employers are increasingly working together to simplify the transition to electric vehicles.
By providing salary packaging information at the point of sale, BYD and Smart aim to help eligible customers make a more informed comparison between an EV and a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle.
