BYD achieves 1,300-mile driving range with latest PHEVs

BYD rolled out the Qin L, with an expected price tag of RMB 120,000 ($16,560), at this year’s Beijing Auto Show in the Chinese capital on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Credit: BYD

BYD on Tuesday unveiled its latest-generation plug-in hybrid platform DM-i 5.0. The company said the technology gives its newest models a driving range of 2,100 kilometers (1,305 miles) at a starting price of only RMB 99,800 ($13,772), an advance that will likely accelerate China’s transition from fossil fuels to green vehicles.

Why it matters: The launch comes after figures from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) show that new energy vehicles (NEVs), most of which are battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids, represented more than half of China’s personal vehicle market in the first half of April.

The surpassing of the 50% mark in vehicle registrations in China came for the first time in the week of May 13-19 in a historic moment. The milestone means that NEVs are now mainstream in the country, BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu claimed on Tuesday, citing official figures (our translation).

Details: BYD said its fifth-gen dual-mode (DM) hybrid technology features an integrated system that covers all aspects of thermal and energy management, comprising cooling modules for front-end body parts, batteries, and in-car infotainment software.

China’s biggest EV manufacturer also announced a breakthrough among production vehicles for their gasoline engines worldwide, as its new PHEVs can potentially convert 46.06% of the thermal energy they produce during combustion into mechanical energy, indicating a more efficient performance than rivals’ offerings.

The company said it has also managed to reduce the excessive energy consumed in extreme weather conditions and achieved fuel consumption of 2.9L/100 km with an empty battery on the new platform. This gives its Qin L and Seal 06 compact sedans a driving range of 2,100 km on a full tank and full charge.

The Qin L sedan, first unveiled at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, measures 4.8 meters in length and spans a 2,790-millimeter-long wheelbase. It comes as a mid-range offering between the Qin Plus and the more premium Han under the Dynasty family that accounted for nearly half of BYD’s sales last year.

The Qin L has a similar-sized sibling, the Seal 06 DM-I, which is characterized by a more sleek and sporty design to attract younger customers. Both models have five variants respectively, providing an all-electric driving range between 80 km and 120 km and are priced between RMB 99,800 and RMB 139,800.

Context: A growing number of automakers in China are pivoting their efforts to develop PHEV models, as BEVs remain on a slow growth trajectory. Sales of PHEVs, which include extended-range hybrids (EREVs) in China, surged 64.2% year-on-year in April, compared with the 12.1% growth rate achieved by BEVs, CPCA figures showed.

A week earlier, Chery launched the Fulwin T9, a plug-in hybrid crossover with a similar price range to BYD’s Song Plus, while Dongfeng unveiled its latest answer to the popular crossover, the Aeolus L7, with an estimated 1,500 km of driving range.

Geely and Changan sell PHEVs under their Galaxy and Deepal lineups, respectively, while international majors from Volkswagen to Toyota are reportedly accelerating their steps to introduce such offerings in China.

READ MORE: Chinese officials reaffirm commitment to EV ambitions and promise raft of support measures amid industry doubts

Jill Shen is Shanghai-based technology reporter. She covers Chinese mobility, autonomous vehicles, and electric cars. Connect with her via e-mail: [email protected] or Twitter: @jill_shen_sh
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