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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Going the distance in a plug-in hybrid on a Malaysian road trip
Find out what's new on ST website and app. KUANTAN – With its electric models that have marine animal-inspired names like Seal and Sealion selling so well in Singapore, Chinese company BYD is now bringing in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The Sealion 6 DM-i is a sport utility vehicle (SUV) equipped with a petrol engine and an electric motor. Its batteries get charged when the car is on the move or when it is plugged into a wall charger. The SUV decides how to use the two sources of propulsion – petrol engine or electric motor alone, or a mix of both. Combined, the Sealion 6 can travel 1,100km on a full tank of fuel and a fully charged battery. Ahead of its official launch on July 16, The Straits Times had a chance to find out how it performed, during a four-day, three-night Singapore-Malaysia round-trip drive organised by BYD. For this first-time PHEV driver, the EV-to-engine transition felt seamless. The car is a great companion for long road trips with the family. It offers cabin comfort for passengers, space for four roll-on suitcases and tech features to keep everyone plugged in and occupied on long drives exploring Malaysia, without anyone worrying about where the next charging station is. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Drivers were told to drive normally. Each car was loaded with four adults and their bags, and the air-conditioning was set to full blast to beat the heat. The route through Malaysia included congested cities, hill climbs, highways and winding coastal roads. By the third day of hard driving, the low-fuel warning light in the test cars came on, after clocking between 761.6km and 803.1km, and using up around 50 litres of petrol. The difference in the range could have been due to how each car was driven. It seemed they performed best when the accelerator was feathered gently. By the time the low-fuel indicator lit up, the car should have had around 10 litres of fuel left in the tank. This suggested that the Sealion 6 DM-i should be able to cover nearly 1,000km with its 60-litre fuel tank. This was quite good, considering that throughout the drive, we drove as quickly as the traffic allowed and made no effort to be exaggeratedly fuel-efficient, such as doing without air-con or going unrealistically slow. Passengers and route The fam: (from left) Abel with Glenn Ong (Kiss92), Li Mei (UFM1003) and Vanessa Jane Seah (SPH Media). They all took turns to drive. PHOTO: ABEL ANG I shared 'my' car with three others invited for the trip . They were radio jockeys Glenn Ong from Kiss92 and Li Mei from UFM1003, and producer Vanessa Jane Seah from SPH media. We all took turns to drive. We started in Singapore at the BYD showroom in Alexandra Road and headed across the border via the Second Link. At the petrol station in Gelang Patah, Johor, our fuel tanks were filled to the brim and the trip meter reset to zero. From there, the convoy made stops in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands, Kuantan and Melaka, before returning to Singapore. BYD said the driving route was designed to demonstrate how the car would perform under typical family road-trip conditions. Challenges included congestion in Kuala Lumpur, highway cruising on the North-South Highway, the steep climb up Genting Highlands and winding coastal roads through Kuantan. A 'family' trip During the trip, I had a great time getting to know the other members of my Sealion 6 'family'. On the long drives between stops, we chatted about our loves, lives and aspirations, while Vanessa played tunes from her 58-hour music playlist. On the first night, we stopped at the Ikan Glamping campsite outside Kuala Lumpur. The luxury campsite in Bentong has 18 luxury tents – complete with air-con and hotel-style amenities. We were lulled to sleep by chirping crickets and awoke to gentle sun rays peeking into the tents. Glamping out: The 'tents' at the campsite near Kuala Lumpur come complete with air-con and hotel-style amenities. PHOTO: ABEL ANG On the second day, craving some exercise, Glenn and I made the 272-step climb up Batu Caves to visit the temple cave perched atop the hill . It is guarded by a towering statue of Lord Murugan, a Hindu god of war, victory, wisdom and love. 272 steps later: Checking out Batu Caves, protected by Lord Murugan, a Hindu deity that is the god of war, victory, wisdom and love PHOTO: ABEL ANG Navigating sharp turns and steep inclines, our car took us up to Genting Highlands, where we spent the second night. The challenging route allowed us to channel our inner 'race car drivers', taking corners and pushing the engine to its limit. I cannot confirm or deny whether our car left any burnt rubber and skid marks on the sharper bends up the hill. On the way to Kuantan, after overnighting in Genting, we drove through Pahang, which produces the most durians in Malaysia. What better way to memorialise the trip than to stop by the roadside for a durian feast? The highlight for me was the third and final night's stay at the Mangala Estate Boutique Resort in Kuantan. The 67-private villa property is tucked away in the wetlands and palm groves of a small seaside town of half a million inhabitants. I soaked in the private pool of the villa, surrounded by nature and uplifted by birdsong. About 100 varieties of birds are endemic to the region. The soak soothed my tight shoulders and aching back, having spent too many hours on the road. First-time PHEV driver I had never driven a petrol-hybrid or an electric car before, so I was curious to see if a PHEV like the Sealion 6 would be any different from the petrol-powered vehicles I knew so well. The Sealion 6 drives no differently, as I discovered, so there was no learning curve. Driving the car in electric or hybrid mode (when both the engine and electric motors are at work) did not seem to affect its performance. The transition between the electric motor and engine-assisted drive modes proved to be smooth. Power to choose: The option to fill up, in addition to plugging in, means that there is none of the anxiety associated with using a pure electric car. PHOTO: ABEL ANG Given BYD's popularity and reputation as one of the pioneers of mass-market EVs, I had high expectations for the electric-assisted start-up with the battery assist helping to overcome the additional weight of the EV battery. It turned out to be quick and agile. The car starts off in electric mode and the transition to fuel-assisted driving, when the engine chips in, is always seamless. Even at highway speeds beyond 110kmh, the car remained quiet. Putting myself in the shoes of a dad on a solo-vehicle road trip, I found having the option to recharge or refuel strangely comforting. I did not experience range anxiety because I knew I had the option of refuelling at petrol stations. Handling and creature comforts The car handled Genting Highlands' winding uphill roads with confidence and agility. There was no noticeable struggle with the car , even with four adults and luggage. Throughout the drive, the engine delivered good torque, thanks to the hybrid set-up. The body roll felt well contained for a family SUV of this size too. The air-conditioning was strong even when temperatures soared past 35 deg C on most of the days . The ample charging points (USB-A, USB-C, wireless charging for devices front and rear) kept the phones of the four occupants – and other devices like cameras – charged. The interior finish felt premium, with ergonomic leather seats, ambient lighting and a panoramic sunroof. At various points, people were popping their heads through the sunroof for better views or to take more exciting photos of the convoy . The 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen was easy to use. With an Infinity 10-speaker sound system, it was a pleasure to listen to the playlist Vanessa contributed from her phone. My companions enjoyed playing with the built-in voice command feature too. We could get the car to open and close the sunroof, and initiate the voice control system by saying 'Hi BYD'. There was ample legroom at the back, so there were no fights over space. Ample space: A different way to measure boot capacity PHOTO: BYD The 574-litre boot was sufficiently spacious to carry our four roll-on suitcases and small personal bags. As someone who will be in the market for a replacement when my car is due to be scrapped, the Sealion 6 DM-i will be an ideal first hybrid for long-distance road trips with the kids. With around 1,000km of driving range, it offers stress-free road trips exploring Malaysia and farther afield, without the driver worrying about where the next charging station will be. BYD Sealion 6 DM-i Price: $212,888 with COE Motor: Permanent synchronous with 18.3kWh LFP battery and 1.5-litre range extender (97hp) Transmission: Hybrid single-speed Power: 160kW Torque: 300Nm 0-100kmh: 8.5 seconds Top speed: 170kmh Fuel/power consumption: 0.9 litres/18.8kWh per 100km Charging capacity: 2.7kW AC; 18kW DC Agent: E-Auto
Business Times
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid becomes first car with a petrol engine that BYD brings to Singapore
[SINGAPORE] For the first time, China auto giant BYD has launched a car with a petrol engine in Singapore, joining its current range of full electric vehicles (EVs) here. Set to be launched on Wednesday (Jul 15), the Sealion 6 DM-i large sport utility vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) that runs on petrol, but can also cover short distances on electricity alone. It is priced from S$212,888 including a Certificate of Entitlement. BYD said the aim is to capitalise on Singapore's expanded charging facilities and greater acceptance of EVs, while still appealing to customers who worry about range. BYD Singapore managing director James Ng told The Business Times: 'We feel it is timely to introduce our Sealion 6 to Singapore now as the charging network is quite widespread, (yet) there are still a handful of customers who want to drive further, such as to Malaysia, but have concerns about chargers.' Conventional hybrid EVs have a petrol engine, electric motor and battery. They recover energy from braking or slowing down, and can cover very short distances on full electricity, typically less than 1 km. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Unlike conventional hybrids, PHEVs have larger batteries that can be charged from an external source – the same as EVs – and can therefore travel further on full electric power. BYD's PHEVs combine the strengths of battery EVs and an internal combustion engine, said Ng. 'With the electric range, you can charge every two or three days and drive it like an EV, but also go further without worry.' Less range anxiety The Sealion has a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor, with a maximum combined output of 216 kilowatts (kW). The car is capable of 18 kW direct-current fast charging, meaning its 18.3 kW-hour battery pack can be charged in around 80 minutes. BYD estimates the car's electric range at around 80 km and its total maximum range at 1,100 km. BYD began operating in Singapore in 2014, and previously sold only EVs here. Fuelled by aggressive sales tactics and government EV incentives, the Chinese brand has risen to the top of the Republic's market, with 3,827 cars registered in the first five months of 2025. It aims to sell 10,000 cars by the end of the year. PHEVs have been available in Singapore since 2013, but have not seen widespread adoption as they are typically more expensive than both conventional hybrids and EVs, due to the higher cost of larger batteries and lesser incentives. Incentives for EVs go up to S$40,000, but the maximum incentive for a PHEV is S$2,500. In the first five months of 2025, 159 PHEVs were registered, compared to 7,838 EVs. But PHEVs make up a big chunk of its sales elsewhere. Of 380,000 passenger vehicles that BYD sold across all markets in June, 45 per cent were PHEVs. In China, where most of BYD's sales are, the same incentives apply to EVs and most PHEVs. In Singapore, PHEVs have mainly come from more luxurious brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, with mainstream manufacturers like GAC, Jaecoo and Mazda introducing PHEV models here only this year.
AsiaOne
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
We drive the new BYD Sealion 6 across Malaysia and (try to) answer your questions, Lifestyle News
While acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs) in Singapore has been growing rapidly in recent years, as evidenced by the fact that 40 per cent of new cars registered in the first quarter of 2025 are EVs, there remains a significant proportion of the car buying public that aren't ready to dive right into full electric motoring yet. BYD, as the top-selling car brand here, recognises this as a challenge to be tackled, and to that end, is introducing its first-ever plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) model to be sold in Singapore - the Sealion 6. The car will officially launch on July 16 here, but before that, BYD invited AsiaOne to go on a road trip across Malaysia with the Sealion 6 as a preview of sorts. Prior to the trip, we put out a post on our Instagram Stories to solicit questions from you guys about the Sealion 6. Unfortunately, we didn't get many responses, but we will still try our best to answer what we think would be the most common queries about BYD's latest offering. Is the BYD Sealion 6 a Ferrari? One odd comment we received on our Instagram post simply said 'Ferrari', not even with a question mark. We weren't quite sure what to make of that really, but let's try to address it anyway. No, the BYD Sealion 6 is not a Ferrari, not in the slightest. It certainly doesn't have the performance figures to match, unlike perhaps its full-electric sibling, the Sealion 7 (more on that later). The BYD Sealion 6 is powered by a 1.5-litre inline four petrol engine which, on its own, produces a mere 98hp and 122Nm of torque. That doesn't sound like much, but the engine is also paired with an electric motor that develops 197hp and 300Nm of torque. Together, they combine for a total output of 218hp and 300Nm of torque. You'll note that it's not a straightforward addition of engine plus motor, and that's because BYD's system has a complex way of managing both to come up with the most efficient output for this particular application. In any case, the car's performance is probably best described as adequate, with 0 to 100km/h coming in at 8.5 seconds. It copes well if you're just cruising on the North South Highway towards Kuala Lumpur, but it certainly does struggle if you need to climb the steep hills of Genting Highlands, especially with four adults and their luggage on board. It drives like the SUV that it is too, meaning that it generally feels safe and refined but not particularly eager or engaging. The BYD Sealion 6 is a car that enjoys a casual cruise down the highway, rather than tackling the twisty and winding back roads of Malaysia. What's the difference between the BYD Sealion 6 and Sealion 7? Here's the part that's going to get slightly confusing, but the basic breakdown is that, for Singapore at least, the Sealion 7 is sold as a full electric vehicle, and the Sealion 6 is offered as a PHEV. Of course, there's a bit more to it than that, but we'll try to simplify it as much as we can. Essentially, in China, BYD uses the name Sealion for a number of models, available as regular internal combustion petrol cars, PHEVs, and full EVs. You can have a Sealion numbered from 5 through 8, each roughly corresponding to their size and positioning in BYD's lineup, but the car being launched here is actually known as the BYD Song Plus in China, and has been on sale there since 2020. As such, it is actually an older product than the Sealion 7 which was introduced in 2024, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming BYD's best-selling SUV model in China. You can sense the Sealion 6's lesser status from its interior, which feels slightly less premium than the Sealion 7. The materials don't feel as plush or upmarket, and it loses a number of features over the Sealion 7, such as a head-up display and memory seats, although overall fit and finish remain relatively decent. And of course, as mentioned earlier, the Sealion 6 has a relatively modest power output, as compared to the electric Sealion 7 which has up to 523hp and 690Nm of torque in top-spec Performance form. Can the BYD Sealion 6 really drive for more than 1,000km on a full tank? On paper, yes. BYD set a challenge for us to hit at least 1,100km before refuelling, as we criss-crossed Malaysia to places as diverse as Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands, Kuantan and Malacca. The idea is that the electric motor, which is good for a range of around 80km or so, will take care of the early parts of the trip, while the petrol engine, which can also be used to recharge the battery, will kick in once the electrical juices run out. The reality is though that none of the cars in our convoy came close to the target, and all of us clocked between 700 to 900km, with AsiaOne's car finally succumbing at 761.6km driven. Granted, we weren't exactly gentle with the car for some parts of the journey, especially during the climb up to Genting, but it is still mildly disappointing, given that 1,000km is a realistically achievable goal that some other hybrids can hit. Ultimately, range is dependent on a great number of factors, including driving style, type of roads and terrain, and vehicle load. If you're taking a nice and leisurely drive to, say, Penang, you'll probably come closer to the 1,000km target versus traversing small mountain roads on the way to Cameron Highlands. How much does the BYD Sealion 6 cost? The price will only be officially announced at the car's launch on July 16, but it is expected to cost slightly more than the Sealion 7, which currently starts at $206,888 with COE as of July 2025. Yes, you read that right, the Sealion 6 will be more expensive than the Sealion 7. The reason for this is down to government incentives. As a full-fledged EV, the Sealion 7 enjoys up to $40,000 in rebates, consisting of an EV Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) of $15,000, and a $25,000 rebate for being in the lowest band of the Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES). In contrast, the Sealion 6 PHEV only gets a $2,500 rebate as it falls into the second lowest band of the VES. That $37,500 difference is clearly going to be significant, although BYD says it will try its best to price the Sealion 6 as closely as possible to the Sealion 7. At the end of the day, PHEVs like the Sealion 6 are really meant for those who are still not quite ready to jump into the full EV driving experience just as yet, for reasons such as range anxiety and lack of convenient access to regular charging. Whether customers will ultimately embrace it is a question that will be answered in the months ahead, but given BYD's track record of success so far, we wouldn't bet against it. [[nid:719528]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
Business Times
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
BYD Sealion 6 review: A long-distance relationship
[KUANTAN] Straight after a four-day, 1,200-km road trip in Malaysia, I rushed home and smooched the wife, as married men are wont to do. 'Is that a car key in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?' she asked, with a glimmer in her eye. To my total consternation (and her bitter disappointment), it was the key to a BYD Sealion 6 DM-i that was now sitting at Vantage Automotive. Maybe I'd subconsciously separated the Sealion 6 from its key because I felt the car deserved a bit of rest, after hauling me through half of Malaysia. That beats my wife's theory, at least, that I had it on me because I am, in her words, a 'forgetful git'. In any case, there is no rest for BYD and its five dealers this year. Having registered 3,827 new cars here in the first five months of the year, the brand has set itself a target of 10,000 sales for 2025. To hit that, it needs the Sealion 6 to succeed where no one else has. The five-seat crossover is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with a 18.3 kWh battery that can propel it for a claimed 80 km. When that runs low, a 1.5-litre engine fires up to generate electricity and keep things moving. It also helps the front-mounted motor shove the car along, if needed. That makes the Sealion 6 a kind of gateway electric vehicle (EV). The average driver here can do two days on battery power, then recharge and repeat. And when the mood strikes, long road trips are a simple matter of heading out the door with your bags and passport. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up To prove the point, BYD handed a convoy of cars to the media and sent us glamping in Janda Baik, climbing the steep hairpins of cloud-covered Genting Highlands and skimming across the country to Kuantan, before trotting back to Malacca for a bit of culture. None of the six cars made it to 900 km before needing fuel, which is disappointing. Between the 60-litre tank and BYD Blade Battery under my bum, I was expecting to at least match BYD's range claim of 1,100 km. Some plain hybrid cars without plug-in technology can go that far, after all. But then they generally don't feel like EVs to drive, which is the Sealion 6's trump card. It gets underway with a smooth, silent surge, and unless you're really going for it or heading up Genting's steeper sections, you won't notice the engine waking up. To be sure, 8.5 seconds to 100 kmh isn't slow, and the instant response to the accelerator pedal makes you feel well armed for the cut-and-thrust of daily traffic. Between the leisurely steering and the general refinement, the Sealion 6 isn't a sporty car, but it's an excellent cruiser. Long days behind the wheel were a breeze, thanks to a quiet cabin, cushiony ride quality and chairs that felt like upholstered marshmallows. That said, it's not quite as plush as the Sealion 7, the newer, pure-electric crossover that has quietly become BYD's best-selling car here. Unlike that car, the Sealion 6 has no head-up display, memory seats or supple Nappa leather. But the Sealion 6 does come with a glass roof (with an actual sunshade), powerful air-conditioning, a sharp 360-degree parking camera and proper mirroring for both Apple and Android phones. It's roomy, too. The back seat is family-ready, and the 574-litre boot swallowed four journalists' gear without bursting at the seams. I'd have liked bag hooks and somewhere to stash the luggage cover, but if you ask me, the Sealion 6's biggest challenge is pricing. As a PHEV, the Sealion 6 qualifies for just S$2,500 in pollution rebates, while the electric Sealion 7 enjoys a S$40,000 discount. That means the Sealion 6 will cost slightly more than the Sealion 7, despite being older, slower, less refined and not quite as posh. That sort of maths might explain why PHEVs have never taken off here. Only about 200 of them found homes in 2024. Still, with EVs all the rage now, PHEVs might catch some of that buzz, and the Sealion 6 is very much for anyone keen on an electric car but not quite ready to break up with Big Oil yet. Yet, given that other plug-ins offered the same proposition to little success, the Sealion 6's mission isn't to conquer the PHEV market, but to establish it. BYD Sealion 6 DM-i Engine 1,498 cc in-line four Engine power 98 hp Engine torque 122 Nm Electric Motor 197 hp, 300 Nm System Power/Torque 218 hp, 300 Nm Battery Type/Capacity Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) / 18.3 kWh Charging Time/Type 2.8 hours (7 kW AC), 1.3 hours (18 kW DC) Electric Range 80 km (WLTP) Combined Range 1,100 km (WLTP) 0–100 kmh 8.5 seconds Top Speed 180 kmh Fuel Efficiency 0.9 L/100 km (combined) Efficiency 18.8 kWh/100 km Agent Vantage Automotive Pte Ltd Price Upon application Available July 16
7NEWS
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Australia's best-selling PHEVs halfway through 2025: BYD dominates
Despite a long history producing plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), BYD only started selling them in Australia in 2024 – and already it's far and away the market leader. In the first half of 2025, total PHEV deliveries in Australia were up 210.2 per cent on the first six months of 2024, to 25,613 – that's sales growth, if not outright sales volume, that outpaces even hybrids (up 14.9 per cent). This means that of the total of 624,130 new vehicles delivered in Australia during the first six months of 2025, 15 per cent were hybrids, 7.6 per cent were EVs, and 4.1 per cent were PHEVs. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In the first half of 2025, BYD alone delivered 14,799 PHEVs, well ahead of stalwart Mitsubishi which was a distant second with 3690 deliveries. Mitsubishi is rolling out an updated Outlander PHEV, while its Eclipse Cross PHEV is in runout. But for a company that was the first to launch a PHEV SUV in Australia all the way back in 2013, it has been rapidly overtaken by BYD. BYD has actually been in the PHEV game longer than Mitsubishi, launching its first such model back in 2008 in China. Mitsubishi revealed its first production PHEV, based on the third-generation Outlander, in 2012. Below is a Flourish chart showing all the brands selling PHEVs in Australia, and their total deliveries in the first half of 2025. We've also included the Leapmotor C10, which is technically classified as an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV). Both of BYD's two PHEVs in Australia alone outsold Mitsubishi's two-model PHEV lineup. The Shark 6 ute has proved a huge success for BYD, and so far this year it's not only the best-selling PHEV in Australia but the 12th best-selling vehicle overall. Sitting in second is the Sealion 6 mid-size SUV, an arch-rival for the Outlander PHEV that sits in third place. The GWM Haval H6 took fourth position, and its sales should get a boost with the introduction of a PHEV powertrain in the 'standard' body, joining the Haval H6 GT PHEV 'coupe SUV' launched earlier this year. Behind this sit Mazda's CX-60 and CX-80 SUVs. The Japanese brand is currently Australia's third largest PHEV brand by sales volume. A new name on these sales charts is Jaecoo, with its first (and thus far only) PHEV, the J7 SHS SUV. Jaecoo was the 10th best-selling PHEV brand, and its J7 was the 10th best-selling PHEV. Below is a chart showing total delivery figures by model for the first half of 2025. BYD only sells PHEV versions of its Sealion 6 and Shark 6; likewise BMW with its XM. However, where a brand also offers non-PHEV versions of a model, we've detailed below the total percentage of sales that PHEV variants account for.
