BYD is shaking up the Chinese automotive market with its latest offering for budget-conscious buyers: the Qin Plus DM-i plug-in hybrid. With a starting price of 79,800 yuan, roughly $11,000, it stands out as one of the most competitively priced PHEVs in its segment and beyond.
“The price will make gasoline car assemblers tremble,” BYD said in a statement on its social media channels. “The Glory Edition will become a benchmark for the compact car segment.”
Indeed, as pointed out by Chinese media, the Qin Plus DM-i undercuts the base versions of competing vehicles such as the similarly sized VW Lavida, China’s best seller, by around 15 percent, the Toyota Corolla by over 40 percent, and the hybrid Prius by over 50 percent.
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The leading Chinese electric vehicle company has been building the Qin Plus DM-i for quite some time, but this new cut-price variant, the Glory Edition, is 20,000 yuan (~$2,700) cheaper than the previous entry-level version. While it may not be a pure battery-electric vehicle like many other BYD models that have been making headlines, the brand has proven itself to be very adept at building PHEVs too.
All versions of the Qin Plus DM-i, including the Glory Edition, feature largely the same powertrain. This consists of a 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated engine rated at 110 horsepower and 99.5 lb-ft (135 Nm) of torque. Additional power is provided by an electric motor available in two configurations: 180 hp / 233 lb-ft (316 Nm) and 197 hp / 240 lb-ft (325 Nm).
Rounding out the powertrain are one of BYD’s Blade batteries, offered in 8.32 kWh and 18.32 kWh capacities. We presume the Glory Edition has the smaller of the two packs, given that it has an all-electric range of just 55 km (34 miles).
Given the low starting price of the PHEV, you could be excused for thinking the interior would be extremely basic. However, that’s not the case. All versions of the Qin Plus DM-i come with a well-equipped cabin that includes a large central infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster. Additionally, it can be equipped with leather seats, metal speaker grilles and air vents, as well as a leather dashboard.
BYD isn’t just competing in the affordable vehicle market. With new models like the YangWang U8 SUV and YangWang U9 supercar, the company aims to compete with more premium brands as well.
