BYD initially launched as an all-electric automobile (EV) model in Australia, however the Chinese language auto model has attracted extra demand for its plug-in hybrid (PHEV) fashions because it continues to develop its lineup.
Talking with CarExpert, BYD Australia chief working officer Stephen Collins mentioned the break up between the corporate’s PHEV and EV gross sales is at present round 60:40, largely as a result of Shark 6 dual-cab PHEV ute.
“In case you take the holistic enterprise, the final quantity I noticed was about 60 per cent plug-in hybrid, however quite a lot of that this 12 months has been pushed by [the] Shark,” Mr Collins mentioned.
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“However we’ve acquired [the] Sealion 7 [mid-size electric SUV] which has been the biggest-selling EV now for the previous couple of months that’s actually dominating, significantly with novated leasing. [Those numbers] are going to vary a bit as we go into completely different segments.”
BYD Australia chief product officer, Sadid Hasan, added that the model’s present gross sales combine and altering market situations can also be influencing its future mannequin technique – naturally, skewing to PHEVs.
“I feel what we’ll see within the short-term is extra of an emphasis in rolling out plug-in hybrids, however we’ll proceed so as to add EVs alongside the way in which and we’ll be monitoring the whole market take-up, and seeing what’s the applicable product and when is the suitable time to roll it out,” Mr Hasan mentioned.
That technique is abundantly clear within the model’s subsequent spherical of product launches – of the six new fashions launching throughout the BYD and upcoming Denza premium manufacturers between November and early 2026, 4 shall be PHEVs.
Of those 4 new fashions – all of that are SUVs of some type – two shall be BYD-branded vehicles within the new Sealion 5 and Sealion 8, whereas the Denza B5 and B8 are bigger off-road SUVs. All will take the Chinese language model into new territory inside the Australian market panorama.
The opposite two BYD fashions to be launched quickly would be the Atto 1 electrical hatchback and the Atto 2 small electrical SUV, which can each be right here inside the subsequent month or so.
BYD has been making a huge impact on the Australian gross sales charts, ending in sixth place general in August and September with 5084 registrations (up 178.4 per cent), and is at present sitting in eighth place year-to-date (up 149.8 per cent).
The Chinese language model’s top-seller up to now in 2025 stays the Shark 6, which hit the market working however has come off the boil a bit since then, with 14,111 deliveries to September this 12 months.
Following not too far behind is the Sealion 7, which at 8483 models thus far this 12 months hasn’t fairly caught as much as the Shark 6, however has been neck and neck with the favored Tesla Mannequin Y over the previous few months within the battle for the title of Australia’s favorite EV.
The third hottest BYD mannequin thus far this 12 months the plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 medium SUV, which has managed to search out 6793 new Australian houses in its first full 12 months on sale.
Ought to BYD Australia’s gross sales momentum proceed, it hopes to be a top-three auto model right here by the tip of 2026, leapfrogging the likes of Kia, Mazda and Hyundai, in addition to fellow Chinese language manufacturers GWM, MG and Chery, as a part of its plan to maneuver from being a ‘new challenger model’ to a ‘mainstream participant’.
Keep tuned to CarExpert for extra BYD information and evaluations within the coming weeks.
