According to a recent Weibo post by BYD, the Chinese automaker will be introducing the fifth generation of its DM-i hybrid system tomorrow, May 28. According to Lu Tian, one of the company executives, the Qin L sedan will go on sale on the same day, packing this exact powertrain.
BYD has been producing hybrid vehicles based on an in-house design known as the DM (Dual Mode) for two decades now. To commemorate the occasion, the automaker has even put up a monument to its first PHEV sedan, the F3DM, near its factory in Shaanxi Province. That car had been made from 2008 until 2013. The fourth generation of the DM powertrain has been around since 2021, coming in two flavors – the sporty DM-p and the fuel-efficient DM-i.
The fifth generation promises us an average economy of 2.9 liters per 100 kilometers, which corresponds to a cool 81 miles per U.S. gallon. With the tank full, the combined-mode range goes up to 2,000 km (1,242 miles). Going forward, BYD plans to switch all of its numerous sub-brands to using this hybrid system.