Busy BYD! China's BYD has two new plug-in hybrid models, but will the Seal 06 and Qin L come to Australia to join Atto 3, Dolphin and Seal?

One of the world's largest hybrid and electric car brands, BYD, is adding two new models to its already stacked line-up of cars, with the Seal 06 and Qin L plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sedans.

Preliminary details of the two cars, both unlikely to land in Australia (any time soon at least), were revealed the usual way, via the Chinese government's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) homologation system, which is publically accessible in China and a regular source for local auto media.

The two new PHEVs will join the dozens of other badges available from the BYD brand in China, both being slightly different versions of models already available in their domestic market - and one in Australia, with the BYD Seal one of three of the company's electric cars on sale here.

Via information and images gathered by CarNewsChina, it's apparent the BYD Seal 06's design is closely related to the Seal electric car as sold in Australia, with a different face to accommodate more intake grilles, and as a result, different headlights to the rest of the brand's ‘Ocean Series' range.

While the Seal EV measures in at 4800mm long, 1875mm wide, 1460mm tall, with a 2920mm wheelbase, the Seal 06 PHEV measures 4830mm/1875mm/1495mm respectively with a 2790mm wheelbase.

Based on BYD's DM-i hybrid platform, it appears there's a version with a 60km electric driving range and one good for 90km, with 120kW and 160kW electric outputs, respectively joining a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 47kW on its own.

These two drivetrains appear to be the same units used in the Qin L, a longer wheelbase version of a model not sold in Australia.

Slightly longer than the Seal 06 (4830mm/1900mm/1495mm/2790mm wheelbase), the Qin L is expected to go on sale this year, though chances of it coming to Australia are even slimmer than those of the Seal 06.

The local line-up of BYD's Atto 3, Seal and Dolphin is to be bolstered by the company's sub-brand YangWang, a luxury nameplate with an off-roading PHEV SUV called the U8.

BYD also has a ute waiting in the wings, with Australian development having been part of the model's gestation. Little is confirmed about the model as yet, but a hybrid drivetrain with impressive range is promised.

In late 2023 BYD's local representative, Luke Todd, told CarsGuide, "we're trying to push as hard as we can to get as much as we can for Australia," in reference to the U8, also implying there could be more on the cards from the brand in future.