Dealer teasers confirm Fangchengbao Tai 7 for South Africa as BYD Ti7

Having debuted in the United Kingdom earlier this year, BYD’s Ti7 has been confirmed for South Africa via teaser images posted by dealers on their social media pages. BYD but a Fangchengbao Marketed by BYD-owned Fangchengbao as the Tai 7 in China, the export model will be sold as a BYD and not under the Denza marque as previously alleged. Seemingly, the decision has been strategic as Denza, outside China, has been devised as an off-road specific division despite its B5 and B8 models being sold by Fangchengbao as the Bao 5 and Bao 8 in its home market.

Note: Dealer names and details have been removed. Screengrab: Instagram Consequently, the Ti7 in China is marketed under the Tai or Titanium family of products along with the Tai 3, which isn’t designed for strenuous off-road use. As such, the Ti7 will wear the BYD nomenclature and, based on the teasers, powered exclusively by a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Revealed in China last year, the Ti7 rides on a unibody platform rather than the ladder-frame used by the Bao 5/B5 and Bao 8/B8, and provides seating for seven as standard. Ti7 will provide seating for seven as standard. Picture: BYD Styled to resemble the Defender 110, the Ti7’s dimensions are as follows: Length: 4 999mm; Wheelbase: 2 920mm; Height: 1 856mm; Width: 1 995 mm Plug-in hybrid only Up front, the plug-in hybrid powertrain, under BYD’s DM-p designation, uses the familiar 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine as its base, but with a choice of two battery pack options in China.

Whereas the engine itself develops 115kW/225Nm, the base 26.6kWh battery powers a single front axle-mounted electric motor capable of 200kW/315Nm. While no combined output is known, the so-called Pro variant will get from 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds and do 135km on a single charge according to China’s CLTC cycle. Moving up to the Long Range Max brings the larger 35.6kWh battery paired with the same combustion engine and electric motor.

The result is a claimed CLTC range of 200km and 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds. Interior is dominated by a 15.6-inch infotainment display. Picture: BYD Completing the range, the Max and Ultra variants use the same battery pack as the Long Range Max, but with the addition of a second electric motor on the rear axle.

In a departure, though, output for front module have been reduced to 160kW/260Nm while the rear produces 200kW/360Nm.