Inicio BYD China’s BYD launches hybrid EV with 1,243-mile range, LFP battery

China’s BYD launches hybrid EV with 1,243-mile range, LFP battery

China's BYD launches hybrid EV with 1,243-mile range, LFP battery

The BYD Seal 06 DM-i station wagon’s base model maintains an impressive fuel consumption rate of 74.7 miles per gallon and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds.

China’s BYD launches hybrid EV with 1,243-mile range, lithium ferrophosphate battery

The BYD Seal 06 DM-i wagon

Poprace/Wikimedia Commons

Chinese auto giant BYD has launched its latest plug-in hybrid station wagon—dubbed Seal 06 DM-i—in the domestic market at a starting price of $15,230 (109,800 yuan). The new Seal 06 DM-i wagon has a mixed driving range of 1,243 miles, fuel consumption rate of 74.7 miles per gallon (mpg), and a trunk space of 670 liters.

Station wagons are not very popular in China, as most customers prefer SUVs. This has resulted in domestic brands staying away from producing many of them.

However, as new energy vehicles become more common, wagons are starting to gain attention. Their lower bodies and streamlined shapes make them slightly more efficient than crossovers while offering similar practicality. Thus, BYD believes the Seal 06 DM-i wagon could be a good fit for overseas and also the domestic market in the near future. 

Vehicle accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds

In recent years, Chinese automakers have introduced several new energy station wagons, including models like the Zeekr 001, Zeekr 007 GT, Nio ET5 Touring, Denza Z9 GT, and Neta S. Many of these vehicles have already made their way to Europe or are preparing to enter the market soon. BYD is also planning to bring its new Seal 06 DM-i wagon to European buyers, according to a report by CarNewsChina.

The BYD Seal 06 DM-i wagon focuses on practicality, offering a trunk with about 23.7 cubic feet of space that expands to 54.1 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded flat. The car supports Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), allowing it to act as a power source when needed, a feature which would prove useful for camping or outdoor activities.

The vehicle uses BYD’s fifth-generation plug-in hybrid system. The base model has a 1.5-liter (91 cubic inches) engine producing 99 horsepower, paired with a 161-hp electric motor. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds and maintaining a fuel consumption rate of about 75 mpg. The system is powered by a 10.08 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery from FinDreams, providing an electric-only range of up to 50 miles under CLTC standards.

Stronger hybrid model offers 215 hp and 93-mile EV range

The second powertrain option pairs the same 1.5-liter engine with a stronger electric motor that produces 215 horsepower. This boost cuts acceleration of 0 to 60 mph to just 7.7 seconds. It uses a larger 18.7 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, offering about 93 miles of electric-only range. 

The battery can recharge from 30% to 80% in 25 minutes. Fuel consumption is around 55.4 mpg due to the extra weight. Featuring a 17.2-gallon tank, this plug-in hybrid can travel up to 1,243 miles on a full tank and battery charge.

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BYD has equipped the entry-level model with its DiPilot 100 driver assistance system, known as ‘God’s Eye C’. The ‘100’ stands for its computing power of 100 trillion operations per second (TOPS), enabling autopilot driving on highways. Furthermore, the wagon comes with 12 cameras, 5 millimeter-wave radars, and 12 ultrasonic sensors.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bojan Stojkovski Bojan Stojkovski is a freelance journalist based in Skopje, North Macedonia, covering foreign policy and technology for more than a decade. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, ZDNet, and Nature.

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