BYD to take on intl brands with new hybrid Qin Plus

China's BYD launched the latest version of its popular hybrid Qin Plus DM-i sedan on Friday.

It will help it make further inroads into the A-class sedan segment still dominated by international brands including Volkswagen, said the Warren Buffett-backed carmaker.

Called the 2023 Champion version, the A-class model is available in five variants, with their electric range standing at 55 km and 120 km respectively.

It features a 1.5-liter engine, BYD's electric hybrid system as well as Blade batteries. They enable it to accelerate from zero to 100 km/hour in 7.3 seconds, but its fuel consumption stands at 3.8 liters per 100 km.

Compared with its predecessors, the new version has a new exterior color and a new interior color. Also, it has an 8.8-inch floating dashboard and the DiLink 4.0connectivity system.

The Qin Plus DM-i first became the best-selling A-class sedan in China in September 2022. Its sales last year hit over 310,000 units, enabling BYD to overtake FAW-Volkswagen as the sales champion in the country.

BYD sold 95,442 vehicles last month, up 58.6 percent year-on-year, much higher than the average. Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that total vehicle sales totaled 1.65 million in January, down 35.5 percent year-on-year.