Fang Cheng Bao's first model, the Bao 5, will make its real-life debut on August 25 at the Chengdu auto show. In addition to the Bao 5, BYD today unveiled the Bao 3, and the Super 8, a concept for the Bao 8.
(Fang Cheng Bao's Bao 5. Image credit: CnEVPost)
BYD (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) officially launched its personalized sub-brand Fang Cheng Bao, the brand's dedicated technology platform, and unveiled its first model to expand its product coverage to the mainstream off-road market.
The Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) giant formally introduced the Fang Cheng Bao brand, unveiled its technology platform called DMO, and introduced the brand's first model, the Bao 5 ("豹5" in Chinese), at a launch event held today at its Shenzhen headquarters.
BYD's hybrid technology platform previously included the DM-i, which focused on fuel economy, and the DM-p, which focused more on performance. The company's all-electric vehicle platform is called e-Platform 3.0.
DMO is Fang Cheng Bao's dedicated platform, where O stands for off-road, according to BYD.
After introducing the Bao 5, which was previously previewed for months, BYD unexpectedly announced two other models -- a Bao 8 concept and the Bao 3.
CnEVPost previously used Leopard 5 to refer to the Bao 5, but we've learned that the English names for Fang Cheng Bao's models have yet to be finalized, but it's possible that the Bao 5 will be used instead of Leopard 5.
Official unveiling of Fang Cheng Bao brand
BYD announced on June 9 that its sub-brand, previously codenamed F brand, has been officially named Fang Cheng Bao, and since then, BYD has been previewing the brand on social media channels.
Through Fang Cheng Bao, BYD will bring customers around the world an unprecedented professional and personalized car experience, and work with them to unleash a greater transformation of NEVs, said Wang Chuanfu, the company's chairman and president, at today's launch event.
Fang Cheng Bao will integrate BYD's expertise, design concepts, and vertically integrated supply chain system in an effort to give every owner more exclusive possibilities in their vehicle, Wang said.
To support this effort, Fang Cheng Bao's sales and service centers will not only feature car sales and delivery, but will also offer official tuning services.
Fang Cheng Bao is currently building more than 100 channel touchpoints in 60 cities across China, including sales and service centers, Mini sales and service centers, and retail centers, BYD said today.
DMO technology platform
The DMO is a ground-breaking hybrid technology platform that is the latest general attack of BYD's NEVs on traditional fuel vehicles, Wang said.
NEVs built on the DMO platform will be primarily powered by electric drives, thus allowing off-road vehicles to achieve low fuel consumption, BYD said.
Compared to fuel-powered off-road vehicles in its class, DMO models can achieve 35 percent fuel savings in combined conditions, according to BYD.
While achieving better fuel economy, the DMO platform will also deliver strong performance.
The DMO is equipped with a longitudinal EHS electro-hybrid system, in which the 1.5T or 2.0T Xiaoyun engine delivers performance comparable to that of a fuel car's 5.0 T engine, delivering up to more than 500 kW of system power, as well as 32,000 N of traction, BYD said.
BYD will use the DMO as a starting point to enter the personalized segment where traditional fuel vehicles such as hardcore SUVs and sports cars are overwhelmingly dominant to reshape the rules of the market, Wang said.
BYD will also use DMO models to explore more diversified automotive product forms and possibilities, bringing customers unique car experiences in different personalized scenarios, the company said.
Three models: Bao 5, Bao 8 and Bao 3
BYD officially unveiled the Bao 5, the first production model of the Fang Cheng Bao brand, at today's launch event, which it has been warming up for months.
The Bao 5 is a hardcore SUV that will be equipped with technologies including DMO and DiSus-P to provide customers with an unprecedented personalized NEV experience, BYD said.
DiSus is an intelligent body control system unveiled on April 10, and DiSus-P is the most advanced of the system's three branches, which BYD previously described as the world's first intelligent hydraulic body control system.
The Bao 5 will make its real-life debut at the Chengdu auto show on August 25, where Fang Cheng Bao will have a separate stand.
In addition to the Bao 5, BYD also unexpectedly unveiled the Super 8, a concept of the Bao 8, as well as another model, the Bao 3.
The Super 8 is a departure from the traditional square box design, showcasing Fang Cheng Bao's future exploration of hardcore SUVs, according to BYD.
The Bao 3, on the other hand, is a trendy new species that will allow customers to explore the world of fun in a freer way, BYD said.
BYD didn't provide more information on the Bao 3, but a video shown at the launch event hinted that the model could compete with the Yep, a mini electric vehicle launched on May 25 by SAIC-GM-Wuling.
The Fang Cheng Bao brand is expected to further expand the price range covered by BYD's models while offering personalized models.
BYD, which currently targets the sub-RMB300,000 ($41,120) market, is entering the premium segment with sub-brands including Denza, Fang Cheng Bao and Yangwang.
The Bao 5 is expected to target a market priced between RMB 400,000 and RMB 600,000, previous information showed.
Fang Cheng Bao is also expected to provide new momentum for BYD's sales growth in the coming years.
BYD sold a record 262,161 NEVs in July and more than 1.5 million units from January to July.
The company is targeting sales of at least 3 million vehicles this year and striving to reach 3.6 million, Wang said previously.
($1 = RMB 7.2961)
BYD sells record 262,161 NEVs in Jul, exceeds 1.5 million units in Jan-Jul period
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