BYD has put a sharp $61,990 plus on-road costs starting price on its new M9 plug-in hybrid people-mover, pitching the newcomer surprisingly close to mainstream rivals such as the top-selling Kia Carnival while significantly undercutting the latest crop of electrified Chinese people-movers.
The eight-seat M9 Dynamic will open the range at $61,990 plus ORCs, while the better-equipped seven-seat M9 Premium costs $72,990 plus ORCs.
The Premium will be the first into Australian showrooms in the coming months, with the Dynamic to follow later.
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The pricing continues BYD’s increasingly aggressive approach to the Australian market, coming just days after the Atto 1 became Australia’s cheapest new car with a sub-$20,000 drive-away offer.
The M9 will become BYD’s first Australian people-mover and its seventh all-new model launched locally within 12 months as the Chinese brand continues its rapid expansion into new segments as it seeks market domination.
The M9 pricing looks particularly competitive considering this is a large plug-in hybrid people-mover rather than a conventional petrol or diesel model.
The cheapest Kia Carnival is the $54,560 plus-ORCs S diesel, while the Carnival S Hybrid starts at $56,310. At the other end of the range, the GT-Line Hybrid costs $76,840.
That means the entry M9 costs only $5680 more than the cheapest Carnival hybrid, while the better-equipped M9 Premium is $3850 cheaper than the flagship Carnival hybrid.
The M9 also significantly undercuts the latest wave of electrified Chinese people-movers entering Australia.
The GAC M8 plug-in hybrid starts at $76,590 plus ORCs, while the battery-electric Denza D9 opens at $88,185, the XPeng X9 at $89,900 and Zeekr 009 at $115,900.
Both M9 variants are front-wheel drive and employ BYD’s latest DM-i 5.0 plug-in hybrid system, combining a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with a single front electric motor. There is no rear motor or all-wheel drive.
BYD has so far released detailed Australian specifications only for the Premium, with full specifications for the cheaper Dynamic to come later.
What is confirmed is a significant difference in battery capacity. The Premium uses a 36.6kWh BYD Blade battery, while the Dynamic gets a smaller 20.39kWh unit.
In Premium specification the M9 produces a combined maximum 218kW. Its petrol engine develops 315Nm, while the front electric motor produces 300Nm, and BYD claims 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds.
The Premium has a claimed 145km WLTP electric range and up to 850km of combined petrol-electric range.
There are some interesting fuel consumption numbers in BYD’s own Australian documentation.
The detailed specification sheet lists WLTP combined consumption at 2.4L/100km and 7.3L/100km when the battery reaches a critical state of charge, as well as CO2 emissions of 9g/km.
However, the front page of the same Australian brochure advertises fuel consumption of “from 0.4L/100km” with sufficient battery state of charge, also described as a WLTP combined-cycle result.
The Premium can charge at up to 85kW DC or 7kW AC, with BYD claiming an 18-minute 30-80 per cent DC recharge. Vehicle-to-load (V2L) output is rated at up to 6kW.
The M9 is a substantial machine, measuring 5145mm long, 1970mm wide and 1805mm high on a 3045mm wheelbase.
The Premium weighs 2650kg and has a 3374kg gross vehicle mass, while luggage capacity is 470 litres with all three rows in use. Braked towing capacity is 1500kg.
It also gets BYD’s DiSus-C adaptive damping system and 18-inch wheels wearing Michelin e.Primacy tyres.
The seven-seat Premium uses a 2+2+3 configuration, with second-row captain’s chairs offering heating, ventilation, massage and a near zero-gravity seating position.
The driver also gets a massage function and both front seats are heated and ventilated.
Technology includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, 15.6-inch central infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air updates and four-zone voice control.
The Premium adds a 15.6-inch ceiling-mounted rear entertainment display and 12-speaker audio system, while an integrated refrigerator/hotbox can chill its contents to minus 6 degrees Celsius or heat them to 50 degrees.
Safety equipment includes up to nine airbags, a 360-degree camera, five millimetre-wave radars, eight ultrasonic sensors and an extensive suite of driver-assistance technology.
BYD says high-strength steel makes up 73 per cent of the M9’s structure.
The post BYD M9 lands from $61,990: Forget other Chinese people-movers, the M9 is aimed straight at the top-selling Kia Carnival appeared first on EV Central.
