Today’s news cycle has been dominated by BYD with the launch of the Seal Dynamic and 2024 Atto 3, as well as confirmation of the premium Denza brand coming to Malaysia. But that’s not all – the company has also announced during its press conference today that it will be bringing its Super Dual Mode (DM) plug-in hybrids into the country.

According to BYD Malaysia managing director Eagle Zhang, the firm is looking to introduce its efficiency-focused DM-i and performance DM-p powertrains. Zhang’s wording made it seem that they will be brought in under Denza, but that’s fairly unlikely in the short term, given that the only Denza model that has been converted to right-hand drive so far is the electric D9 MPV.

Instead, BYD will likely start selling PHEVs in Malaysia under its own brand first, with the Sealion 6 almost certain to be the first candidate. The car, a rebadged Seal U, is already on sale in Thailand, priced at 939,900 baht (RM121,500) for the sole Dynamic variant.

For that, you get a single electric motor at the front that produces 197 PS and 300 Nm of torque, paired with a 98 PS/122 Nm 1.5 litre Xiaoyun naturally-aspirated, Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine. Total system output is rated at 218 PS and 300 Nm, getting the Sealion 6 from zero to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds.

Juicing the electric motor is an 18.3 kWh Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that provides an impressive 92 km of all-electric range – contributing to a combined petrol-electric range of 1,092 km. It also supports DC fast charging, albeit only up to 18 kW, taking 35 minutes to top up the battery from 30 to 80%. Also accepted is AC charging up to 6.6 kW.

Beyond that, BYD could bring in the DM-i version of the Denza D9, which boosts the electric motor to 231 PS and 340 Nm and the petrol engine (through a turbocharger) to 139 PS and 231 Nm. A slightly larger 20 kWh battery provides a CLTC-rated electric range of 103 km.

Meanwhile, the more powerful DM-p all-wheel-drive setup can be found in the BYD Han and Tang, as well as the Denza N8. This delivers around 490 PS and a CLTC electric range of around 200 km. No mention of the off-road-biased DMO, despite the Bao 5 – from the rugged Fangchengbao brand, also known as the Leopard 5 – being previewed at the Malaysia Autoshow in May. The 4×4 is under consideration for our market, however, so don’t rule it out just yet.

One potential roadblock locally is the lack of incentives for plug-in hybrids versus full electric vehicles, pushing the price up on these cars – unless, that is, BYD goes the CKD local assembly route. This is where a Denza PHEV would make more sense, as its more upmarket positioning would make a high price easier to swallow in our cost-sensitive market.

GALLERY: BYD Sealion 6 DM-i

GALLERY: BYD Bao 5 at Malaysia Autoshow 2024

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