Drive.com
Chinese automotive giant BYD has revealed one of its biggest SUVs yet, as the company looks to take a larger slice of the growing luxury family and executive SUV market.
The new Tai 9 has been unveiled under BYD’s Fangchengbao brand and could eventually make its way to export markets under the Denza badge.
At more than 5.2 metres long, the six-seat SUV is one of the largest vehicles in the BYD stable and will target buyers looking for space, luxury and plug-in hybrid performance.
The Tai 9 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 100kW, supported by two 200kW electric motors, with one mounted on each axle.
A 66.5kWh battery is claimed to provide up to 310 kilometres of electric driving range under China’s CLTC testing standard.
The model is also expected to be compatible with BYD’s ultra-fast Flash Charging system.
Inside, the Tai 9 will feature a 2+2+2 seating layout, giving occupants a more premium “business-class” arrangement with individual seating in the second row.
Full details of the interior equipment and luxury features are yet to be announced.
At 5270mm long, the Tai 9 sits alongside some of the biggest SUVs in the BYD family, including the BYD Great Tang and Denza N9.
The SUV uses a monocoque chassis rather than a more traditional off-road-focused construction, with the emphasis placed on comfort, refinement and on-road ride quality.
Its styling follows the themes introduced on the smaller Ti 7, although the larger model adopts softer curves and less squared-off bodywork.
Whether the Tai 9 will come to Australia remains uncertain.
BYD already offers a growing range of SUVs locally, while its premium Denza brand is expected to play an increasingly important role in the Australian market.
The smaller Ti 7 is already available in right-hand drive in the United Kingdom, raising the possibility that the Tai 9 could also be engineered for right-hand-drive markets.
However, BYD and Denza already have several large three-row SUVs to choose from, including the N8L and N9, meaning the company may opt to bring only one of them to Australia to avoid crowding its local line-up.
The Denza N9 has already been spotted testing in Australia in right-hand-drive form, adding further intrigue over which of BYD’s growing fleet of large luxury SUVs will eventually be offered here.
For now, the Tai 9 is another sign of BYD’s rapid expansion beyond affordable electric cars and into larger, more premium vehicles.
