Chinese automaker BYD is surprising the domestic car industry with the launch of a new model at a very low price. That’s the Qin Plus DM-i Plug-in Hybrid model with a starting price of 79,800 TWD, equivalent to 272 million VND. At this price, the Qin Plus DM-i becomes the most competitive model in its segment, at least in China – where it is sold.
In a social media post, BYD boldly declares: “The price will make gasoline car manufacturers tremble.”
According to BYD, the Qin Plus DM-i has dimensions of 4,765 x 1,837 x 1,495 (mm), with a wheelbase of 2,718 mm. With these dimensions, the Qin Plus DM-i is a C-segment sedan, equivalent to the Toyota Corolla Altis or the KIA K3.
However, with a price of less than 80,000 TWD, the Qin Plus DM-i is 15% cheaper than the best-selling Volkswagen Lavida in its segment in China, 40% cheaper than the Toyota Corolla Altis, or 50% cheaper than the Toyota Prius.
Moreover, surprisingly, BYD is planning to launch a Glory Edition version at a lower price of 20,000 TWD (68 million VND), making the price of the car… really unbelievable.
The entire Qin Plus DM-i lineup will use a 1.5L natural gas turbocharged engine with 110 horsepower, and 135 Nm of torque. Moreover, this model is also equipped with an electric motor with 2 power levels: 180 horsepower / 316 Nm or 197 horsepower / 325 Nm.
< p> Unlike regular hybrid models, the Qin Plus DM-i is a plug-in hybrid – meaning users can charge the car’s battery. According to BYD, the Qin Plus DM-i uses a Blade battery developed and produced by the company, with a capacity of 8.32 kWh or 18.32 kWh.
With the 2 battery capacities, the Qin Plus DM-i can travel 55km or 120km (according to NEDC standard) in pure electric mode.
The NEDC combined fuel consumption is 1.2 liters / 100km or 0.7 liters / 100km, corresponding to the 2 battery versions. Even when the battery is at its weakest, the fuel consumption of this car is still impressive. All versions have a NEDC result of 3.8L / 100km.
With the super low price, users may expect to have a car with a basic, rudimentary interior. However, the Qin Plus DM-i is not like that. The Qin Plus DM-i is equipped with a large central entertainment screen, along with a digital instrument cluster. Customers can also choose to have leather interior (including seats and dashboard area). In addition, the Qin Plus DM-i can also be equipped with a panoramic sunroof.
After its launch, BYD announced that it had received over 15,000 orders in just 3 days.
