BYD is in the process of rolling out its premium Denza brand in Australia, and what could be one of its upcoming models has just been revealed with an electric powertrain.
Technically falling under the Fangchengbao brand – from which the large B5 and B8 off-road SUVs are borrowed for the local Denza lineup – the Ti7 (short for Titanium 7) was launched in China last September as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
However, a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filing – shared by CarNewsChina – has detailed new electric powertrains for the boxy SUV.
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The single-motor rear-wheel drive variant produces 300kW of power, while the dual-motor all-wheel drive variant features 215kW front and 300kW rear electric motors. As with other vehicles from the wider BYD group, the Ti7 will use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) ‘Blade’ battery.
More detailed technical specifications aren’t yet available but are expected soon from Fangchengbao itself.
There are no visible changes between EV and PHEV versions of the Ti7. MIIT filings don’t include interior imagery, but we expect the Ti7 PHEV’s interior design to carry over, including a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and 26-inch head-up display.
In PHEV guise, the Ti7 comes with a turbocharged 115kW/225Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and either 26kWh or 35kWh batteries for up to 200km of range under the CLTC cycle.
The Ti7 can be had with either a single 200kW/315Nm electric motor, or dual 160kW/260Nm and 200kW/360Nm electric motors.
The electric Ti7 variants have the same exterior dimensions as PHEV ones, measuring 4999-5050mm long, 1995mm wide and 1865mm tall on a 2920mm wheelbase.
That makes the Ti7 around 200mm longer and 95mm wider than the similarly boxy Hyundai Santa Fe, on a 105mm longer wheelbase. Despite this, it only seats five.
While the Ti7 features unibody and not body-on-frame construction, the latter being more common with off-road vehicles, it does have a maximum wading depth of 600mm, and approach and departure angles of 24 and 25 degrees, respectively.
The Ti7’s launch outside of China was previewed last November at the Bangkok motor show, where it was revealed wearing BYD – and not Denza – badging.
BYD executives also appeared to suggest earlier this month that the Ti7 would come to Australia.
“I actually have my team up in Queensland doing some local evaluation with some of the R&D managers from a few core projects,” chief product officer Sajid Hasan told CarExpert.
While the executive team wouldn’t be drawn on what model was being tested, Mr Hasan confirmed it was an off-road vehicle with either a plug-in hybrid powertrain or an electric vehicle with a range-extending petrol engine.
“They are tuning the suspension, electric motor output, petrol motor output, acceleration response, traction control system – there’s a bit of an off-road exercise that’s happening at the moment – and that tune will be deployed for the Australian vehicles. So, it’s happening, and it’s very exciting,” he said.
Given its boxy styling, off-road ability and Fangchengbao parentage, the Ti7 would arguably be a more logical fit for the Denza brand than the BYD brand in Australia.
The Ti7 has gotten off to a strong start in China. In January, it was the 18th best-selling model in the Chinese market, beating the Tesla Model Y in 20th.
The launch of electric versions could help further boost sales.
Fangchengbao’s Chinese lineup is split between body-on-frame SUVs under the Leopard series – the B5 and B8 sold here as Denzas – and Titanium-series unibody SUVs comprising the Ti7 and the mid-size Ti3 EV.
MORE: Denza B7 looms: BYD’s new extended-range EV off-roader gets local tuning