Look out Alphard: BYD eMAX9 PHEV now in the Philippines

BYD Cars PH officially launches eMAX9 DM-i MPV

Just a month after launching the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of its three-row Tang, BYD Cars Philippines has unveiled the eMAX 9 DM-i PHEV. Serving as the brand's flagship 7-seater van, the eMAX 9 benefits from the brand's Super DM-i powertrain, along with countless amenities and features.

In case you're wondering why it looks familiar, this is the same as the BYD Xia that debuted earlier this year and is also based on the Denza D9.

At the heart of the eMAX 9 is a 1.5L turbocharged engine that serves as the generator for the front electric motor and lithium-iron phosphate battery pack. The electric motor produces 271 PS with 315 Nm of torque, which is also what the Tang DM-i produces. However, the eMAX 9 DM-i is available with two battery sizes: 20.4 kWh for the Advanced and 36.6 kWh for the top-of-the-line Premium.

On a full charge, the eMAX 9 DM-i Advanced can travel up to 95 km on EV mode and has a combined system range of up to 945 km. On the other hand, the eMAX9 DM-i Premium can travel up to 170 km on battery power and has a total system range of over 1,000 km.

When it comes to recharging the battery, the eMAX 9 comes with a 7kW AC charger, as well as a fast DC charger that's rated at 41 kW for the Advanced and 43 kW for the Premium. BYD says the Advanced and Premium versions can be recharged from 15% to 100% in 3 hours and 5 hours, respectively, via AC charging. On the other hand, using a fast DC charging system can replenish the battery from 30% to 80% in just 30 minutes. Last but not least, the eMAX9 DM-i comes with a vehicle-to-load (V2L) and comes with a 7kW charging cable as standard.

Size-wise, the eMAX9 measures 5145mm long, 1970mm wide, 1805mm tall, and has a 3045mm wheelbase. It also has a ground clearance of 157mm and a turning radius of 5.7 meters.

Open the doors and the eMAX 9 welcomes passengers into a pair of captain seats on the second row. In the Premium version, both captain seats are power-adjustable with lumbar support, headrest with side wings, and a power-adjustable leg rest. The Advanced variant also comes with captain seats, but they are only manually adjustable. The third row comes with seating for three passengers and can be split-folded 60:40. The Premium benefits from power-adjustment, while the Advanced is only manual-adjustment.

For extra pampering, the driver and captain seats are ventilated and also come with a massage function for the Premium version. The Advanced, on the other hand, only gets a ventilated function for the driver's seat.

Other notable amenities include full leather upholstery, a three-zone climate control system, an 8 or 12-speaker system (depending on the variant), a power sunroof, a 50W wireless charger, smart keyless entry, tray tables for the second row, a power tailgate, a 360-degree camera system, front & rear parking sensors, and a host of USB and Type-C charging ports.

Infotainment comes in the form of a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It supports both wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, and comes with BYD Cloud Services, over-the-air (OTA) updating, intelligent voice assistant, and 4G connectivity.

For extra peace of mind, the BYD eMAX9 DM-i is available with the brand's DiPilot suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which is standard on the Premium variant. This gives it a host of intelligent driver aids like adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, rear collision warning with rear-cross traffic alert, intelligent high beams, lane departure assist, blind-spot detection, and emergency lane-keeping assist.

Pricing of the BYD eMAX9 DM-i is as follows:

BYD eMAX9 DM-i Advanced – PHP 2,678,000

BYD eMAX9 DM-i Premium – PHP 2,998,000