Smart and Sustainable Electric Mobility
Pre-sales for the new Song Plus DM-i start at RMB 169,800 and the Song Plus EV at RMB 179,800.
(Image credit: BYD)
BYD (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has been rolling out updated versions of its existing models over the past few months, and now it's the turn of the Song Plus line of SUVs.
BYD today began pre-sales of the 2023 Song Plus DM-i and Song Plus EV, and as it has done previously, the new energy vehicle (NEV) giant is naming these improved models Champion Editions.
BYD stopped production and sales of vehicles powered entirely by internal combustion engines in March 2022 to focus on plug-in hybrid models and pure electric models, the former being the DM series and the latter being the EV series.
Its product array includes the Dynasty series and the Ocean series, while the Song family models include both the Song Pro DM-i and Song Max DM-i in the Dynasty series and the Song Plus models in the Ocean series.
The new Song Plus DM-i is available in four versions with starting prices of RMB 169,800 ($23,810), RMB 179,800, RMB 189,800 and RMB 199,800 respectively.
The previously available BYD Song Plus DM-i was offered in seven versions with starting prices ranging from RMB 154,800 to RMB 218,800.
This means that the starting price of the 2023 Song Plus DM-i has been increased by RMB 15,000.
It is worth noting, however, that the Song Plus DM-i's two previously least expensive versions had an NEDC battery range of just 51 kilometers, which BYD has eliminated on the improved versions of the model.
The entry-level version of the new Song Plus DM-i has a battery range of 110 km and costs slightly more than the previous 110 km range version at RMB 167,800.
Nevertheless, BYD is likely to let the price drop when the model is officially launched, as is its usual practice.
The Song Plus EV Champion Edition also comes in four versions, starting at RMB 179,800, RMB 189,800, RMB 199,800 and RMB 219,800 respectively.
The previously available 2022 Song Plus EV has only two versions, with starting prices of RMB 186,800 and RMB 203,800 respectively. They both have an NEDC range of 505 km.
This represents a RMB 7,000 reduction in the starting price of the 2023 Song Plus EV.
The length, width and height of the new BYD Song Plus are 4,775 mm, 1,890 mm and 1,670 mm respectively, with a wheelbase of 2,765 mm.
For comparison, the old Song Plus has a length, width and height of 4,705 mm, 1,890 mm and 1,680 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,765 mm.
This means that the new Song Plus is longer but lower than the previous model.
The Song Plus DM-i Champion Edition is powered by an engine with a maximum power of 81 kW and uses an electric motor with a maximum power of 145 kW and a top speed of 170 km/h.
Compared to the old Song Plus DM-i, the engine power of the new model remains the same, but the electric motor power is higher than the 135 kW of its predecessor.
The Song Plus DM-i Champion Edition is available in two pure electric range versions with NEDC ranges of 110 km and 150 km and battery pack capacities of 18.3 kWh and 26.6 kWh, respectively.
The 2022 Song Plus DM-i has an NEDC range of 51 km, 100 km and 110 km and a battery pack capacity of 8.3 kWh and 18.3 kWh, respectively.
The Song Plus EV Champion Edition has two range versions with NEDC ranges of 520 km and 650 km, and a blade battery capacity of 71.8 kWh and 87.04 kWh, respectively.
The older Song Plus EV has an NEDC range of 505 km and a battery pack capacity of 71.7 kWh.
($1 = RMB 7.1304)
BYD confident of gaining higher market share in next 3-5 years, says president
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General Motors on Monday unveiled a new Buick EV concept for China. The Buick Proxima is the product of GM's China Advanced Design Center in Shanghai, which has pivoted to focus on EVs, according to a press release. A flagship sedan built on a dedicated EV architecture, it sports gullwing doors that are typical concept-car fare, but will likely... 
The moves include holding auto festivals in 100 cities and promoting consumption of NEVs in rural areas.
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China has launched a nationwide promotion covering the rest of the year to boost auto consumption, which is critical to economic growth.
The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced specific arrangements in a notice issued today on a campaign to promote auto consumption, including holding auto festivals in 100 cities and promoting new energy vehicle (NEV) consumption in rural areas.
The MOC will promote local governments and enterprises to introduce initiatives to support auto consumption, use local financial resources, and encourage financial institutions to introduce auto credit financial support measures, according to the notice.
The MOC will organize the launch of the NEV consumption season campaign in the near future and guide various NEV consumption promotion activities in rural areas.
Car companies are encouraged to launch practical models suitable for rural areas, and the MOC will coordinate and promote the improvement of charging infrastructure systems in rural areas.
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) was asked to organize auto companies to participate in these activities and to introduce preferential initiatives for car purchases, according to the notice.
At the same time, the notice stressed that local government departments should do their part in reviewing fair competition for support policies, including subsidies, that are planned to be introduced to ensure they are universally applicable to all enterprises.
The campaign will run from June to December, according to the notice.
The move comes at a time of weak growth in Chinese auto sales, with the sector facing challenges after state subsidies expired at the end of last year.
China's retail sales of passenger cars rose 28.6 percent to 1.74 million units in May, up 7.3 percent from April, according to data released earlier today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
From January to May, China's passenger car retail sales were 7.63 million units, up 4.39 percent year-on-year.
NEVs fared slightly better, but at a significantly lower rate than last year.
Retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China were 580,000 units in May, up 60.9 percent year-on-year and up 10.5 percent from April, according to the CPCA.
From January to May, retail sales of passenger NEVs in China were 2.42 million units, up 41 percent year-on-year. For comparison, last year's January-May passenger NEV retail sales grew 117.21 percent year-on-year.
China NEV retail up 10.5% MoM to 580,000 in May, CPCA data show
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The US overtook Germany as the world's second-largest EV market in the first quarter, while China remained in the lead, Counterpoint said.
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In the first quarter, the US overtook Germany as the world's second-largest electric vehicle (EV) market, while China still holds the lead, market research firm Counterpoint Research said in a report yesterday.
Global passenger EV sales grew 32 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, with one in seven vehicles sold in the quarter being electric, the report said.
Global EV sales were largely driven by China with 56 percent of total EV sales in the first quarter coming from this market, said Abhik Mukherjee, a research analyst at Counterpoint.
In China, while overall passenger vehicle sales fell 12 percent in the first quarter, EV sales rose a remarkable 29 percent year-on-year, the report said.
The removal of subsidies for NEV purchases in China led to lower-than-expected EV sales in January.
Tesla cut prices on its models globally in January, and then other car brands announced similar price cuts on their models starting in February, which led to improved sales of EVs, the report said.
During the February-March period, nearly 40 automakers, including BYD, NIO, XPeng, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Honda and Toyota, cut the prices of their vehicles by hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars, which eventually stoked a competitive price war in China, the report noted.
Initially, it was thought that the price war would soon be over and the automakers would benefit from increased sales. However, as the price war continues to stretch, several Chinese automakers have reported reduced earnings or even losses, according to the report.
Globally, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 73 percent of all EV sales in the first quarter, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) made up the rest.
The top 10 EV models accounted for 37 percent of total passenger EV sales in the first quarter, with Tesla's Model Y remaining the world's best-selling model, followed by Tesla's Model 3 and BYD's Song, Counterpoint said.
In the first quarter, Tesla's Model Y became the world's best-selling passenger car model, even surpassing traditional fuel cars, according to the report.
By the end of 2023, global EV sales are expected to exceed 14.5 million units, said Soumen Mandal, senior analyst at Counterpoint, adding that US EV sales are expected to grow significantly this year with the implementation of the tax credit subsidy.
China NEV retail up 10.5% MoM to 580,000 in May, CPCA data show
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