BYD teases hybrid plans for India — Sealion 6 PHEV could be first
- 1BYD has officially teased its entry into the hybrid segment with a new campaign
- 2Sealion 6 PHEV has already been spotted testing on Indian roads
- 3BYD has filed a design patent for the Fang Cheng Bao Leopard 8 in India
BYD has so far been known in India only as an electric vehicle brand, but that is now set to change. The Chinese automaker has officially released a teaser confirming its entry into the hybrid vehicle space in India.
The teaser itself is short on specifics, but the groundwork that BYD has quietly laid over the past few months tells the real story. A camouflaged test mule of the BYD Sealion 6 was recently spotted testing on Indian roads, and design patents for the BYD Fang Cheng Bao Leopard 8 have already been filed in India. This suggests BYD could soon introduce plug-in hybrid vehicles in the country alongside its existing EV lineup.
What the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV brings to the table
The BYD Sealion 6, sold globally as the Seal U or Song Plus DM-i, is a midsize five-seat SUV measuring close to 4.8 metres in length. The camouflaged test car recently spotted in India appeared to match the same overall design and proportions. The SUV uses BYD’s DM-i plug-in hybrid technology.
The standard front-wheel-drive version combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor for a total output of around 215hp. It uses an 18.3kWh battery pack and can drive for roughly 80 km in pure EV mode. The higher-spec AWD version gets a more powerful 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine along with dual electric motors, producing a combined 323hp. It uses a larger 26.6kWh battery pack and offers around 70 km of electric-only range.
Both versions are claimed to deliver a combined driving range of over 1,000 km with a full tank and full charge. Inside, the SUV gets a large 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital driver display, and a 10-speaker Infinity audio system. If launched in India, the Sealion 6 PHEV is expected to be positioned in the Rs 40-50 lakh range.
BYD Leopard 8 is a different beast entirely
While the Sealion 6 targets the mainstream premium SUV space, the Fang Cheng Bao Leopard 8 is an entirely different proposition. It is a body-on-frame, off-road-focused SUV that measures 5,195mm in length, 1,994mm in width, and 1,905mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,920mm. It can seat six or seven people depending on configuration, with the six-seater getting captain seats in the second row.
Inside, the Leopard 8 features a triple-screen dashboard setup with a 17.3-inch central touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital driver display, and another 12.3-inch screen for the front passenger. Its plug-in hybrid setup combines a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with a 36kWh Blade battery and dual electric motors. Together, the system produces 737hp and 760Nm, with power sent to all four wheels through an e-CVT gearbox. BYD claims a 0-100 kmph time of 4.8 seconds, an electric-only range of up to 100 km, and a total combined range of up to 1,200 km.
The SUV also gets two electronic differential locks and advanced driver assistance features. Globally, it supports Huawei HiCar connectivity and Huawei ADS 3.0 ADAS technology, though some of these systems could be adapted for India. In terms of positioning, the Leopard 8 is expected to rival premium off-road SUVs like the Land Rover Defender 110.
BYD’s PHEV plans could change India’s hybrid SUV space
Until now, plug-in hybrid vehicles in India have mostly been limited to expensive luxury models from brands like Volvo and Mercedes-Benz. What makes BYD’s entry important is that it could bring PHEV technology to a relatively more affordable segment.
If the BYD Sealion 6 launches in the Rs 40-50 lakh range, it could become one of the most competitively priced plug-in hybrid SUVs in India. Other brands like Chery have also filed PHEV-related patents in India, but BYD appears closest to actually launching plug-in hybrids here. With charging infrastructure still developing across many parts of the country, PHEVs could appeal to buyers who want better fuel efficiency and some electric driving capability without fully depending on charging stations.
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