BYD plans new EV and PHEV blitz by the end of next year

Chinese brand will offer almost every BYD model with a fully electric or plug-in hybrid version, plus new Denza premium models

The BYD Seal 6 and Sealion 5 will be available with all-electric or plug-in hybrid tech (BYD)

In just over two years, BYD has launched six new models with its latest – the BYD Dolphin Surf – being launched in the UK right now.

Currently the range comprises six of what BYD refers to as ‘new energy vehicles’ – a combination of fully electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models, technology BYD refers to as a DM-i.

However, that’s set to more than double by the end of next year with every BYD model bar one to be offered as a full EV or PHEV, plus more new models to come.

In BYD retailers now are the Dolphin Surf, Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal and Sealion 7 all-electric models, plus the Seal U DM-i plug-in hybrid. The Atto 2 compact EV SUV will be joining the line-up in the coming months to make it seven cars in under three years.

There are many more models to come with BYD executive vice-president Stella Li recently telling The Independent: “We will introduce five DM-i models into Europe in the next one and a half years.”

The upcoming BYD Atto 2 will be offered as a full EV or as an Atto 2 DM-i plug-in hybrid model (BYD)

The first to arrive are the Seal 6 DM-i and the Sealion5 DM-i. The Seal 6 will be available as a saloon and an estate car, while the Sealion 5 is a mid-size SUV.

BYD has now confirmed that every new model in future – plus existing models – will be available as both DM-i plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars, starting with the Seal 6 and Sealion 5. The only car not to follow that rule will be the new budget EV supermini, the Dolphin Surf.

Talking at the launch of the Dolphin Surf in London, BYD special adviser, Alfredo Altavilla, confirmed that the Seal and Sealion 6 would be coming to the UK “soon, very soon”.

Altavilla went on to confirm the plans for twin EV and PHEV models. “Fundamentally, by the end of 2026, 90 per cent of our line-up will have both the DM-i and EV version,” he said. “It will be every car line with the exception of the Dolphin Surf, which will remain as an EV.”

BYD premium brand Denza's first car in Europe will be the Z9GT rivalling the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo (BYD)

Asked to confirm that the BYD DM-i and EV models would be twins rather than separate models, meaning the upcoming Atto 2 compact SUV that was planned as an EV will also be a PHEV, Altavilla said: “90 per cent means that they will be both”.

It’s not only BYD models that are coming to the UK in 2026. Next year will see the launch of BYD’s premium brand Denza, with three new models set to arrive. “Denza will start off in three main segments,” said Altavilla. “A sedan the Z9GT, an MPV the D9 and then an SUV – this will be the startup. Then we will complete the line-up, especially in the SUV subsegments.”

Altavilla told us that Denza will also have its own retailers rather than rely on BYD’s growing network of dealers. “Dealing with premium customer is a different job than dealing with the mass market customer,” he said. “We believe that only investors who are already used to dealing with customer in that segment deserve to be appointed Denza dealers. Some of them will be in common with BYD, but most of them will be specific to Denza.”