BYD Ti7 teased: seven-seat plug in hybrid due to arrive this year
BYD will launch a new seven-seat PHEV over the coming months, and it could have some impressive figures...
BYD seems to be covering all bases with the plethora of models already available here in the UK, and it's ready to venture into a new market: the chunky off-road SUV – and it'll come in the form of the new BYD Ti7.
In a post on social media earlier this month, BYD teased its new model hidden under a sheet, with no details except for the fact that it will be a seven-seat plug-in hybrid. While the company hasn’t confirmed it’ll specifically be the Ti7 – short for Titanium 7 –, this model fits the brief and is already available in the brand's home market of China, where it's badged under BYD's premium subsidiary brand Fangchengbao.
No UK-specific details have been revealed yet, but in China, the Ti7 is available with both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Its plug-in hybrid setup combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with either one or two electric motors, with a maximum all-electric range of 118 miles – although that's on China's more lenient CLTC test cycle. It's likely it'll have a lower figure here in the UK. For reference, the Land Rover Defender has an official EV range of just 30 miles.
Of course, the new model is still under wraps here in the UK, but under the sheet, it gets a boxy silhouette similar to that of the Ti7 on sale in other markets. It bears striking resemblance to the Land Rover Defender, and it's set to be similar in size, too. But it'll need some serious off-road capabilities to beat that model.
Inside, the Ti7 in China gets a large 15.6in central infotainment touchscreen alongside a 12.3in digital driver's display, as well as a panoramic sunroof, a rear passenger touchscreen and a head-up display.
Recently, a version of the Ti7 with 'Flash charging' was unveiled in China, with the ability to charge at speeds of up to 1500kW with BYD's latest tech – but that one is all-electric and is not expected to make it here to the UK.
More details about BYD’s new seven-seat PHEV will be revealed in the coming weeks. Prices are yet to be announced, but we expect it’ll be keenly priced compared with rivals, at around £40,000. That’s much cheaper than the Land Rover Defender 110, which costs from £62,915.
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