China’s BYD launches six new electrified vehicles

China’s most successful electric car maker, BYD, has launched six new electric vehicle and plug in hybrid models at its spring launch event in Beijing.

At the Beijing launch event, it highlighted a brand new architecture (known as BNA, BYD New Architecture) that it will use for all its plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles, which will now include 3 more pure electric vehicles and three more “dual-mode” vehicles (or rather, PHEVs – plug-in hybrids)

Its 6 new electrified “dynasty series” cars are the Qin Pro PHEV Super Edition, a new Song MAX PHEV, a new Generation Tang 6-seater PHEV, a new Yuan EV535, Qin Pro EV Super Edition, New Generation Tang EV, as well as three new ICE vehicles, Sina auto magazine reports.

The new upgraded electric architecture, which covers core tech including chassis and motor, reportedly bring all three new EV models over 400km range.

The Qin Pro EV, which has been given 39 upgrades compared to the outgoing model, gets the longest range, with an NEDC rating of 520km (although this rating notoriously exaggerates actual real world range).

The new generation of Tang EV 600D, which benefits from the most advanced version of the BNA architecture, has a NEDC-rated range of 500km, and can handle fast charging up to 80kW, for an extra 100km battery life after just 12 minutes of charging.

It is the first vehicle to use BYD’s pure electric intelligent electric four-wheel drive, with a maximum power output of up to 360kW, and acceleration from 0-100km/hr in only 4.1 seconds.

The brand new Yuan EV535 (BYD’s most successful EV series to date), has a NEDC range of 410km according to Sina, even though going by to BYD’s usual naming convention this means it should have 535km.

Of its new PHEV range, details seem to be light on the ground – BYD’s own press release is not exactly clear on a number of details such as range and battery size.

Of what we can make out, the new generation of executive-grade Tang DM 6 seater SUV provides full-time electric four-wheel drive, with power output equal to that of a V8+, the carmaker says, for a price of 300,000RMB ($A62,800 at today’s rates).

In comparison, the Qin Pro PHEV “Super Edition” priced at 150,000RMB ($A31,400 at today’s rates) packs in the power of a V6 – a power output that the carmaker says it would normally reserve for a 500,000RMB ($A104,000 at today’s rates) priced vehicle.

The third PHEV at the launch – BYD’s flagship intelligent MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), the new Song MAX PHEV celebrated its world premiere – will be made available with 2 battery sizes for 81 km and 51 km of range.

The introduction of the six new electrified vehicles shows if anything a positive attitude by the EV maker for the continuation of EV sales, despite a trade war with the US resulting in falling sales for the Chinese auto market for the first time in over 20 years.

The only carmaker globally to be selling electric vehicles at a volume on par with EV juggernaut Tesla, BYD is showing no signs of easing off – in February it reported almost 29,000 “new energy vehicle” (NEV) sales for January, a 290% increase from the same time last year.

Indeed, it also now has to contend with competitor Tesla, which commenced deliveries of its very successful Tesla Model 3 electric sedan in China only last month – all this plus EV subsidies are due to be cut this June.