BYD M9 2026 News

BYD's answer to the Kia Carnival is coming to Australia.The BYD M9 plug-in hybrid is due to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year as a new electrified people mover option for buyers.The M9 will directly tackle the conventional hybrid- and diesel-powered Kia Carnival ($54,560, before on-road costs), sporting very similar dimensions.The M9 is BYD’s second people mover put on sale in Australia, following the arrival of the Denza D9 from the brand’s luxury division earlier this year.The M9 name comes from BYD’s Chinese ride-sharing and taxi services sub-brand Linghui.It also shares its underpinnings with the luxury-focused Xia DM-i people mover. It will be available in ‘Dynamic’ and ‘Premium’ grades, initially as a seven-seater that includes second-row captains chairs, before an eight-seater variant arrives afterwards. The front wheels are driven by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and electric motor, but BYD has not revealed output figures yet. In China the engine produces 115kW, while an electric motor adds a further 200kW. It will be equipped with either a 20.4kWh or 36.6kWh battery, offering 145km of electric-only driving range and a total range figure of 850km, according to WLTP standards. BYD confirmed the car will have DC charging capacity and vehicle-to-load capacity so devices can be powered directly from the car. Inside the car is available with heated and ventilated front and second row seats, as well as ‘near’ zero gravity adjustability. BYD has not confirmed a specific launch date, other than it will be in the fourth quarter of this year. The brand will also reveal pricing in Q4 and it is expected to be competitive with the established pack. It will certainly be cheaper than the Denza D9 starting from $95,990, while hybrid variants of the Kia Carnival kick off from $68,540.