BYD Sealion 6 rolls into Singapore, first PHEV from BYD here

Think BYD only makes electric cars? You might want to reconsider that assumption.

After first embarking on a 1,300km-long teaser road trip from Singapore to Kuantan and back down, the plug-in hybrid BYD Sealion 6 DM-i has officially been launched in Singapore. Its splashy local launch event saw more than 400 guests in attendance at Shangri-La Singapore on Wednesday afternoon (16 July 2025), where they were reminded of BYD's growing market dominance in Singapore.

The Sealion 6 DM-i marks the first plug-in hybrid model from BYD in Singapore, promising to bridge full electrification with practical versatility

But back to the main headline this time. While the Sealion 6 DM-i sports a similar visual outlook to the Sealion 7 with its bracket-like head lights, it swims into uncharted waters for BYD in Singapore by marking its first model ever to have a combustion engine under the hood.

'DM-i', which stands for 'Dual Mode - Intelligent', references the car's plug-in hybrid powertrain, which can switch seamlessly between a highly-efficient 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine and a 145kW electric motor fed by an 18.3kWh Blade Battery (or rely on both together). The latter gives the car an electric-only range of up to 80km, and impressively, supports DC charging. Combined peak output from the DM-i Super Hybrid system stands at a healthy 160kW (215bhp) and 300Nm. 

No, you're not hallucinating - that's a 1.5-litre engine under the hood, which forms part of the car's DM-i Super Hybrid system

The car's 18.3kWh battery gives it an electric-only range of 80km, and can support DC fast charging

If you're wondering how exactly the Sealion 6 DM-i stands out within the BYD family, driving range is most certainly its calling card when stacked against all of its other fully-electric siblings.

BYD Singapore states that under local driving conditions, the SUV is capable of a "long cruising range" of more than 1,200km when fully refuelled and with its battery fully charged. As demonstrated in its cross-border jaunt earlier in July 2025, its marathoning capabilities make it perfect for longer road trips, with BYD referring to it as a "vehicle that adapts to your lifestyle, and not the other way around".

Drivers can manually select between keeping the car in pure EV or hybrid mode - but the Sealion 6 DM-i operates by default on an 'electric-first' basis 

Another quality worth highlighting about the Sealion 6 DM-i's powertrain is that it enables the car to behave more like an EV than an ICE car.

With the car operating by default on an 'electric-first' basis, its electric motor is tasked exclusively with powering the front wheels at low to medium speeds, allowing owners to drive about in a silent and emissions-free manner.

At medium to high speeds, its 1.5-litre engine is then awoken in the capacity of a generator to feed the battery. Thereafter, it's only when the car is being pushed to its limit that the engine comes in fully to propel the car directly in tandem with the electric motor. As we noted on our first drive with the car, smoothness and refinement are amplified as a result, allowing the Sealion 6 DM-i to boast "creamy" power delivery.

The Sealion 6 DM-i should be well-liked by families with its spacious rear bench and 425-litre boot

Intriguing powertrain aside, the Sealion 6 DM-i excels on the practicality front.

While residing within the same mid-sized SUV segment as the Sealion 7, its boxier shape and flatter roofline provides rear passengers with slightly more headroom, with seats that can be reclined for extra comfort. Its 425-litre boot is also decent for its size, and can be further expanded to 1,700 litres with the 60:40 second row folded flat.  

What's more, as we've come to expect from BYD, standard equipment levels are generous.

Ventilated seats are offered here as standard

The car also gets a massive panoramic sunroof with a sunshade

Front occupants won't have to fight over who gets to charge their phone, thanks to a dual-wireless charging tray, while all on board will get to savour road-trip playlists to the fullest on long drives with the car's premium Infinity by Harman Kardon sound system. Amidst these creature comforts, a full-digital dashboard, consisting of a 12.3-inch curved instrument cluster and 15.6-inch rotating infotainment touchscreen, adds a good dose of modernity. 

Furthermore, the Sealion 6 DM-i comes with a full suite of safety assistance systems, including the likes of Emergency Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Detection, and Intelligent Cruise Control. All of these are sure to take some of the stress out of long road trips (as mentioned, this is already a certified border-crosser).

Handy safety assistance features such as Intelligent Cruise Control should make long drives on the North-South Highway more fuss-free

Speaking at the launch, Mr James Ng, Managing Director of BYD Singapore and the Phillipines, highlighted the brand's enduring popularity among Singapore buyers, revealing that the 840 units sold in June 2025 had marked the brand's best month for the year so far.

The Chinese carmaker has seen its lineup of models steadily increase in recent times, with the Sealion 6 DM-i following hot on the heels of the Sealion 7 that launched in January's 2025 Singapore Motor Show. 

Mr James Ng revealed at the launch that BYD had recorded its best sales month for 2025 in June, with the brand set to introduce the compact Atto 2 crossover soon to its growing family

Within the last 12 months, BYD has also fielded a Cat A-friendly compact electric MPV in the form of the M6, and a full-sized electric MPV with its luxury sub-brand: The DENZA D9. Additionally, the BYD Seal, Atto 3, and Dolphin all received recent updates for the 2025 model year. (In tandem, BYD Singapore has continued to grow its retail network with the latest addition of Jack Cars as an authorised dealer.)

And this family is set to grow even bigger still. Soon to be launched in Singapore - as revealed by Ng at the event - is the BYD Atto 2, another compact electric crossover that will sit beneath the Atto 3 in terms of positioning and size.

The Sealion 6 DM-i is now on sale in Singapore, and launches with a special price of $212,888 (inclusive of a guaranteed COE) - which places it slightly above the single-motor Sealion 7. The plug-in hybrid SUV also retails with a six-year car warranty, 10-year battery warranty, and 10 years worth of free servicing*.

*Terms and conditions to apply