Latest news with #StellaLi
Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Rome lights up with 1,000 drones for the launch of BYD's new electric Dolphin Surf
ROME, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A luminous drone show lit up the skies above Rome for the first time, set against the backdrop of the Olympic Stadium. The occasion was the launch of the Dolphin Surf, a new compact and low-cost electric vehicle from Chinese automotive giant BYD. The group chose the drone show – a format long popular in Asia – to dazzle guests in the Monte Mario stand and the wider public. The event combined lights, music and 3D shapes formed in the night sky hundreds of metres above ground, in a futuristic display open to all residents. The technology used, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), allows for remotely coordinated flight — a high-tech alternative to fireworks, just as spectacular but without the explosions. The highlight of the show was a giant glowing outline of a car floating above the Eternal City, virtually passing through some of Rome's most iconic landmarks: the Colosseum, the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius on the Capitoline Hill and St Peter's Basilica. The words 'Join the green wave, BYD Dolphin Surf' followed, emphasising the sustainability goals of the fully electric model. The message 'Build your dreams' closed the show — the full phrase behind the BYD acronym. The launch event at the Olympic Stadium attracted influencers and guests from entertainment, media and business circles. Among those hosting the evening were BYD vice president Stella Li and Alfredo Altavilla, special advisor for the European market. The show concluded the Dynamic Launch Event, a day-long showcase in which BYD introduced its new EV to the Italian capital. Already present in 29 countries, the company plans to expand into 12 more by the end of the year. The Dolphin Surf targets a segment of consumers who might not typically consider buying an electric vehicle. Its competitive price — under €20,000 — is key to this strategy. The model also features a compact design ideal for city driving and fast-charging capability, reaching 80% battery in just 22 minutes from a 30% charge. With the Dolphin Surf, BYD is aiming to shake up both the European and global electric vehicle markets. For more information: Press Office LaPresse - A photo accompanying this announcement is available at A video accompanying this announcement is available at
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rome lights up with 1,000 drones for the launch of BYD's new electric Dolphin Surf
ROME, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A luminous drone show lit up the skies above Rome for the first time, set against the backdrop of the Olympic Stadium. The occasion was the launch of the Dolphin Surf, a new compact and low-cost electric vehicle from Chinese automotive giant BYD. The group chose the drone show – a format long popular in Asia – to dazzle guests in the Monte Mario stand and the wider public. The event combined lights, music and 3D shapes formed in the night sky hundreds of metres above ground, in a futuristic display open to all residents. The technology used, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), allows for remotely coordinated flight — a high-tech alternative to fireworks, just as spectacular but without the explosions. The highlight of the show was a giant glowing outline of a car floating above the Eternal City, virtually passing through some of Rome's most iconic landmarks: the Colosseum, the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius on the Capitoline Hill and St Peter's Basilica. The words 'Join the green wave, BYD Dolphin Surf' followed, emphasising the sustainability goals of the fully electric model. The message 'Build your dreams' closed the show — the full phrase behind the BYD acronym. The launch event at the Olympic Stadium attracted influencers and guests from entertainment, media and business circles. Among those hosting the evening were BYD vice president Stella Li and Alfredo Altavilla, special advisor for the European market. The show concluded the Dynamic Launch Event, a day-long showcase in which BYD introduced its new EV to the Italian capital. Already present in 29 countries, the company plans to expand into 12 more by the end of the year. The Dolphin Surf targets a segment of consumers who might not typically consider buying an electric vehicle. Its competitive price — under €20,000 — is key to this strategy. The model also features a compact design ideal for city driving and fast-charging capability, reaching 80% battery in just 22 minutes from a 30% charge. With the Dolphin Surf, BYD is aiming to shake up both the European and global electric vehicle markets. For more information:- A photo accompanying this announcement is available at A video accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
BYD Documents Sought by House Panel in Probe of US Electric Bus Unit
Chinese automaker and Apple Inc supplier BYD is being asked to turn over its books to the House Homeland Security Committee, as part of an investigation into national security risks posed by transportation manufacturers affiliated with the ruling Chinese Communist Party, the committee told Bloomberg. Documents related to 'the corporate structure, data security practices and operational footprint' of the company were requested as its 'growing roles in the electric bus market, and the deployment of your vehicles across American transit systems, raise serious concerns about potential foreign influence, data exposure and system vulnerabilities,' the panel said in the letter, which is addressed to Stella Li, head of BYD's American business, and co-Chief Executive Officer Patrick Duan.
Auto Express
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
BYD's plug-in hybrid onslaught to be led by 124-mile secret weapons
Chinese giant BYD is already making a major impact on UK car buyers with its rapidly expanding range of electric cars. Now it's aiming to win more sales on a fresh battleground – the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) market. The brand's executive vice president, Stella Li, has revealed plans to supplement the existing BYD Seal U DM-i – the sole BYD hybrid model currently sold in the UK – and the Seal 06 DM-i that will be arriving soon with a succession of new PHEV cars for Europe. Li explained: 'We're going to continue to bring more PHEVs here, the DM-i, and then different models. So by then, the EV range will easily be 80 kilometres to 120 kilometres [50 miles to 75 miles]. And in the future, if you need it, it can be 200 kilometres [124 miles]. Advertisement - Article continues below 'We're going to cover from small to medium size and to the bigger size and also from SUV to sedan and station wagon.' The electric range of plug-in hybrids is particularly significant in the UK because of the impact it has on Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax. A few PHEVs, including the MG HS PHEV as well as the Volkswagen Passat and Golf eHybrids, currently have official WLTP EV ranges of over 70 miles, putting them in the five per cent BiK tax bracket. A PHEV with an EV range of over 130 miles, however, would be taxed at the same 2 per cent rate as a pure electric car under today's system. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below A 200km EV range equates to 124 miles and Li says that the technology which can achieve this is close to a European launch. 'It's in China now and then it is within one to two years,' she continued. The car she may be referring to is the N9 from BYD's Denza premium brand, a full-size SUV recently launched on to the Chinese market. It uses the firm's latest e-Platform 3.0 chassis technology and a dual-motor plug-in hybrid powertrain with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a large 49kWh battery pack. The set-up delivers an electric range of just over 125 miles, although this is measured on the less stringent Chinese CLTC efficiency tests. The UK launch of the Denza brand has already been confirmed and it may well bring with it the latest generation of BYD plug-in hybrid technology as seen on the N9. The BYD PHEV models currently in the UK are still a generation behind the brand's most advanced tech, but it is coming soon. Advertisement - Article continues below The UK taxation issue with PHEVs is further complicated by ongoing plans to make official efficiency tests more exacting so that they better reflect the real-world emissions of PHEVs. Whatever the testing regime in Europe, Li is in no doubt that the technology needs to move forward – but is also confident that BYD already has the answers. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below 'PHEV is an important product but we need to have a different technology,' she said. 'First, the EV range [must be] long and second, fuel consumption [must be] lower, even lower than an ICE car.' Plug-in hybrids have been popular for years, but short EV ranges have meant they can spend a lot of time with a flat battery, running as a particularly heavy and inefficient petrol car. With a real-world EV range of over 100 miles, more PHEV owners could realistically use their cars purely on electric power most of the time, charging just once or twice a week and only using the petrol engine on longer journeys. BYD believes its new generation of hybrid tech puts it close to that goal. It also says other OEMs are being forced to turn to 'inferior' range extender hybrid technologies – where a petrol engine is used to charge a battery that drives the wheels – in a bid to keep pace. 'A lot of OEMs are now trying to come closer to our technology with the range extenders but our DM–i is far above,' said BYD's European market special advisor, Alfredo Altavilla. 'The beauty of the DM-i is that you can have three different ways of using the car. Just EV, a combination of EV and ICE and pure ICE. It's your decision depending on how much power you need from the engine. The range extender is behaving in only one way.' How big could plug-in hybrids be for BYD and the UK car market as a whole? The brand is very aware that the European car makers are pushing governments and the EU to allow hybrid cars with long EV ranges to be sold beyond the proposed 2035 petrol and diesel ban. And the firm is planning for PHEVs and pure EVs to be sold alongside each other in a mix that's determined by local market demands, for some time to come. 'There are countries which are more EV oriented where the largest part of the mix would be EV and others, especially in southern Europe, where plug-in hybrid would be the vast majority of the mix, like in China,' said Li. Come and join our WhatsApp channel for the latest car news and reviews... Find a car with the experts BYD beats Dacia, Honda and Citroen: Chinese EV giant already outsells 'big' UK brands EV sales were up slightly last month year-on-year, but overall car sales were down as buyers tried to dodge increased road tax Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond These are the most important new cars headed our way, from brands including Audi, BMW, Dacia, Ferrari, Ford, Skoda and more Best cars & vans 8 Apr 2025 Shanghai Motor Show 2025: what all the big car brands are up to The Shanghai Auto Show is now an established part of the automotive calendar – we've got a full list of show debuts New BYD Dolphin Surf is the UK version of the Seagull EV BYD's entry-level electric car will aim to take on the Dacia Spring at around £15,000 Kia is returning to its 'Keeping It Affordable' roots Kia is returning to its 'Keeping It Affordable' roots Mike Rutherford thinks new cars are simply too expensive, but some manufacturers are starting to do something about it Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution Half a million extra PHEVs could reach UK roads by 2030 in place of cleaner EVs due to changes surrounding the ZEV Mandate Best electric cars 2025: the top 10 best EVs you can buy Best electric cars 2025: the top 10 best EVs you can buy Thinking about making the switch to an electric vehicle? Here are the EVs that should be on your shortlist, and why… Best cars & vans 14 May 2025
The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
BYD Seal 06 plug-in hybrid on the cards for Australia after UK launch
Tesla arch-rival BYD will launch the Seal 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sedan and wagon in the United Kingdom (UK) as the Chinese brand expands its range of right-hand drive models – with the local arm telling CarExpert it's evaluating an Australian launch. The Chinese car brand will launch the Seal 06 DM-i as a rival to the BMW 3 Series and Skoda Superb – both offered with plug-in hybrid tech in the UK – sometime in 2025, but has not announced prices or exact timing. It's expected to be priced similarly to the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV SUV currently offered in the UK (sold as the 'Seal-U') at £33,000 ($68,700) – and priced from $42,990 before on-road costs in Australia. BYD has not yet confirmed the Seal 06 DM-i for local showrooms, but a spokesperson for the automaker told CarExpert the Seal 6 DM-i is under evaluation for Australia in both sedan and wagon body styles. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The sedan was introduced in China in May 2024 boasting a claim of 2100km total driving range and fuel efficiency of 2.5L/100km. The 20mm longer Seal 6 DM-i wagon – measuring 4850mm on the same 2790mm wheelbase as the sedan – was revealed at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show. The front-wheel drive sedan/wagon uses the DM-i 5.0 architecture, distinctly different from the e-Platform 3.0 Evo underpinning the rear-wheel drive electric BYD Seal already in Australian showrooms. The latest gen BYD hybrid tech – badged 'DM-i' which stands for 'Dual Mode-intelligence' – sees the Seal 06 powered by a 74kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The standard configuration uses a 120kW electric motor and 10kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery pack for a claimed 53km of electric driving, with an optional 160kW motor and 16kWh battery extending range to 83km. The Sealion 6 was the most popular plug-in hybrid in Australia in 2024, with strong competition expected from a new-generation Toyota RAV4 PHEV arriving in 2026. The Sealion 6 was overtaken by the Ford Ranger-rivalling BYD Shark 6 as the best-selling plug-in hybrid in Australia in the first three months of 2025. BYD is expanding its hybrid offering globally as changes to upcoming internal combustion engine bans in Europe and the United States (California specifically) may be pushed back. "Our target is really to have people in daily use using the EV [mode], but then if they want long distance, given a chance to charge, they have the freedom to go to anything," said BYD executive vice-president, Stella Li. It joins other car makers such as Honda, Volvo, Porsche and Kia that have switched focus to hybrid vehicles, revising previous electric vehicle sales targets. MORE: Everything BYD Content originally sourced from: Tesla arch-rival BYD will launch the Seal 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sedan and wagon in the United Kingdom (UK) as the Chinese brand expands its range of right-hand drive models – with the local arm telling CarExpert it's evaluating an Australian launch. The Chinese car brand will launch the Seal 06 DM-i as a rival to the BMW 3 Series and Skoda Superb – both offered with plug-in hybrid tech in the UK – sometime in 2025, but has not announced prices or exact timing. It's expected to be priced similarly to the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV SUV currently offered in the UK (sold as the 'Seal-U') at £33,000 ($68,700) – and priced from $42,990 before on-road costs in Australia. BYD has not yet confirmed the Seal 06 DM-i for local showrooms, but a spokesperson for the automaker told CarExpert the Seal 6 DM-i is under evaluation for Australia in both sedan and wagon body styles. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The sedan was introduced in China in May 2024 boasting a claim of 2100km total driving range and fuel efficiency of 2.5L/100km. The 20mm longer Seal 6 DM-i wagon – measuring 4850mm on the same 2790mm wheelbase as the sedan – was revealed at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show. The front-wheel drive sedan/wagon uses the DM-i 5.0 architecture, distinctly different from the e-Platform 3.0 Evo underpinning the rear-wheel drive electric BYD Seal already in Australian showrooms. The latest gen BYD hybrid tech – badged 'DM-i' which stands for 'Dual Mode-intelligence' – sees the Seal 06 powered by a 74kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The standard configuration uses a 120kW electric motor and 10kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery pack for a claimed 53km of electric driving, with an optional 160kW motor and 16kWh battery extending range to 83km. The Sealion 6 was the most popular plug-in hybrid in Australia in 2024, with strong competition expected from a new-generation Toyota RAV4 PHEV arriving in 2026. The Sealion 6 was overtaken by the Ford Ranger-rivalling BYD Shark 6 as the best-selling plug-in hybrid in Australia in the first three months of 2025. BYD is expanding its hybrid offering globally as changes to upcoming internal combustion engine bans in Europe and the United States (California specifically) may be pushed back. "Our target is really to have people in daily use using the EV [mode], but then if they want long distance, given a chance to charge, they have the freedom to go to anything," said BYD executive vice-president, Stella Li. It joins other car makers such as Honda, Volvo, Porsche and Kia that have switched focus to hybrid vehicles, revising previous electric vehicle sales targets. MORE: Everything BYD Content originally sourced from: Tesla arch-rival BYD will launch the Seal 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sedan and wagon in the United Kingdom (UK) as the Chinese brand expands its range of right-hand drive models – with the local arm telling CarExpert it's evaluating an Australian launch. The Chinese car brand will launch the Seal 06 DM-i as a rival to the BMW 3 Series and Skoda Superb – both offered with plug-in hybrid tech in the UK – sometime in 2025, but has not announced prices or exact timing. It's expected to be priced similarly to the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV SUV currently offered in the UK (sold as the 'Seal-U') at £33,000 ($68,700) – and priced from $42,990 before on-road costs in Australia. BYD has not yet confirmed the Seal 06 DM-i for local showrooms, but a spokesperson for the automaker told CarExpert the Seal 6 DM-i is under evaluation for Australia in both sedan and wagon body styles. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The sedan was introduced in China in May 2024 boasting a claim of 2100km total driving range and fuel efficiency of 2.5L/100km. The 20mm longer Seal 6 DM-i wagon – measuring 4850mm on the same 2790mm wheelbase as the sedan – was revealed at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show. The front-wheel drive sedan/wagon uses the DM-i 5.0 architecture, distinctly different from the e-Platform 3.0 Evo underpinning the rear-wheel drive electric BYD Seal already in Australian showrooms. The latest gen BYD hybrid tech – badged 'DM-i' which stands for 'Dual Mode-intelligence' – sees the Seal 06 powered by a 74kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The standard configuration uses a 120kW electric motor and 10kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery pack for a claimed 53km of electric driving, with an optional 160kW motor and 16kWh battery extending range to 83km. The Sealion 6 was the most popular plug-in hybrid in Australia in 2024, with strong competition expected from a new-generation Toyota RAV4 PHEV arriving in 2026. The Sealion 6 was overtaken by the Ford Ranger-rivalling BYD Shark 6 as the best-selling plug-in hybrid in Australia in the first three months of 2025. BYD is expanding its hybrid offering globally as changes to upcoming internal combustion engine bans in Europe and the United States (California specifically) may be pushed back. "Our target is really to have people in daily use using the EV [mode], but then if they want long distance, given a chance to charge, they have the freedom to go to anything," said BYD executive vice-president, Stella Li. It joins other car makers such as Honda, Volvo, Porsche and Kia that have switched focus to hybrid vehicles, revising previous electric vehicle sales targets. MORE: Everything BYD Content originally sourced from: Tesla arch-rival BYD will launch the Seal 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sedan and wagon in the United Kingdom (UK) as the Chinese brand expands its range of right-hand drive models – with the local arm telling CarExpert it's evaluating an Australian launch. The Chinese car brand will launch the Seal 06 DM-i as a rival to the BMW 3 Series and Skoda Superb – both offered with plug-in hybrid tech in the UK – sometime in 2025, but has not announced prices or exact timing. It's expected to be priced similarly to the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV SUV currently offered in the UK (sold as the 'Seal-U') at £33,000 ($68,700) – and priced from $42,990 before on-road costs in Australia. BYD has not yet confirmed the Seal 06 DM-i for local showrooms, but a spokesperson for the automaker told CarExpert the Seal 6 DM-i is under evaluation for Australia in both sedan and wagon body styles. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The sedan was introduced in China in May 2024 boasting a claim of 2100km total driving range and fuel efficiency of 2.5L/100km. The 20mm longer Seal 6 DM-i wagon – measuring 4850mm on the same 2790mm wheelbase as the sedan – was revealed at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show. The front-wheel drive sedan/wagon uses the DM-i 5.0 architecture, distinctly different from the e-Platform 3.0 Evo underpinning the rear-wheel drive electric BYD Seal already in Australian showrooms. The latest gen BYD hybrid tech – badged 'DM-i' which stands for 'Dual Mode-intelligence' – sees the Seal 06 powered by a 74kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The standard configuration uses a 120kW electric motor and 10kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery pack for a claimed 53km of electric driving, with an optional 160kW motor and 16kWh battery extending range to 83km. The Sealion 6 was the most popular plug-in hybrid in Australia in 2024, with strong competition expected from a new-generation Toyota RAV4 PHEV arriving in 2026. The Sealion 6 was overtaken by the Ford Ranger-rivalling BYD Shark 6 as the best-selling plug-in hybrid in Australia in the first three months of 2025. BYD is expanding its hybrid offering globally as changes to upcoming internal combustion engine bans in Europe and the United States (California specifically) may be pushed back. "Our target is really to have people in daily use using the EV [mode], but then if they want long distance, given a chance to charge, they have the freedom to go to anything," said BYD executive vice-president, Stella Li. It joins other car makers such as Honda, Volvo, Porsche and Kia that have switched focus to hybrid vehicles, revising previous electric vehicle sales targets. MORE: Everything BYD Content originally sourced from:
