BYD puts range extender EV system to luxury MPV with Xia

Xia is a 7-seat plug-in hybrid MPV

The Sealion 6 is proving to be a good seller for BYD in the Philippine market because of the long-range capabilities of its plug-in hybrid system. Now, the same technology has been applied to an MPV that could go against the likes of the GAC M8, the GWM Wey GaoShan, and even the Toyota Alphard.

BYD has previewed the 7-seater Xia MPV at the Chengdu International Motor Show in China. And yes, it’s a model that will be sold in the global market featuring the latest generation of BYD’s DM-I plug-in hybrid technology.

Size-wise, the BYD Xia measures 5145mm long, 1970mm wide, and 1805mm tall with a generous 3045 mm wheelbase.

For now, interior pictures are yet to be revealed by BYD. But on the exterior, BYD followed the Dragon Face design language and gave their own take on the typical styling we see with luxury MPVs nowadays. It has a prominent front grille complemented by massive faux bumper intakes and sleek LED headlights.

The Xia is equipped with rear sliding doors that we presume will have a one-touch open/close function, while the rear gets a single full-width LED taillight.

Full specs of the Xia’s hybrid system is still unavailable as of the moment, but the MPV could feature a 260 PS electric motor powered by a large Blade battery and a 1.5-liter turbo engine as a range extender to form the range extender/plug-in hybrid architecture. Furthermore, the fifth-generation DM-i system promises even greater fuel efficiency than the Sealion 6 which has the fourth-generation technology.

As expected, the Chinese market will get the first dibs of the BYD Xia by this year, while overseas markets, which could include the Philippines, might have the MPV by 2025.