4 Chinese Plug-In Hybrid SUVs Coming Your Way: MG Starlight 460 To BYD Leopard 8
India’s automotive space, particularly the mass-market segment, is fairly new to the idea of plug-in hybrids. We have had both mild and strong hybrids on sale here for a long time. However, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are a totally different breed. They have significantly larger EV batteries and claimed ranges than strong hybrids, and are more fuel efficient. A wave of Chinese PHEV models is waiting to enter the Indian market in the near future. Here is a closer look at these.
JSW MG Motor India will launch its first plug-in hybrid three-row SUV this year. It will be based on the Wuling Starlight 560 sold abroad and the project itself is internally called ‘520’. It will be a three-row family SUV that will compete with the Mahindra XUV 7XO and Tata Safari when launched. Test mule sightings reveal that the India-spec will closely resemble the global Starlight 560 with its design. The market launch is expected around the festive season.
Powering the Starlight 560 SUV will be a PHEV powertrain comprising 1.5-litre naturally aspirated Atkinson cycle petrol engine, a 20.5 kWh LFP battery pack and electric motors. This powertrain will have a combined system output of 194 bhp and 230 Nm. It will be able to do the 0-100 kph sprint in just 9.7 seconds and will have a top speed of 170kph.
Since the vehicle has a large battery pack, the Starlight 560 will have an EV-only range of around 125km per full charge. The SUV is expected to return a combined range of 1100 km per tank of fuel.
The Starlight 560 will be a feature-rich SUV and will come with the likes of a 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, six-speaker audio, an 8.8-inch digital driver display, panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, automatic climate control, and more. When launched, this SUV will likely be priced in the range of Rs 25-32 lakh, ex-showroom.
JSW is preparing to set up its own independent passenger car vertical in India, under the name JSW Motors. It is known to be planning a series of products including the Jetour T2-based plug-in hybrid. When launched, the T2-based SUV will compete with the Fortuner here. It will come with features like 15.6-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital cluster, 50W wireless charging bay, ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera and more.
JSW will bring the iDM plug-in hybrid variant of the T2 to the Indian market. The powertrain in this case, will consist of a 1.5L turbo petrol engine making 154 bhp and 220 Nm, mated to two electric motors and a 26.7 kWh battery pack. The vehicle will feature a dedicated hybrid transmission, and will have a combined system output of 375 hp and 610 Nm. It will also have an electric-only NEDC range of 140 km per charge.
BYD is expected to launch the Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid in India by the end of this year. It will likely have an ex-showroom price of around Rs 30-40 lakh. In terms of design, the Sealion 6 will borrow heavily from the Sealion 7. It will have a feature-rich cabin- 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen, a 10-speaker Infinity audio, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, ventilated seats, dual wireless chargers, panoramic sunroof, level 2 ADAS, and more are to be expected.
The Sealion 6’s powertrain will consist of a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a 18.3 kWh battery pack and an electric motor. It will have an EV-only range of around 90 km per charge. It will come with a 60-litre fuel tank and will have a total range of 1,000 km. Globally, the Sealion 6 is offered in two variants- the lower spec produces 217.5 hp and the higher-spec makes 323 hp. It will have all wheel drive system (AWD) on offer.
BYD has filed a design patent for the Leopard 8 plug-in hybrid SUV in India. While that itself doesn’t guarantee a market launch, sources have hinted that BYD is considering this SUV for the Indian market. The Leopard 8 will then be positioned as BYD’s flagship model here. This SUV follows the company’s ‘Starship’ design language. It is large and rides on 21-inch alloy wheels. It has a bold, aggressive styling and a muscular stance. It will even have a tailgate-mounted spare wheel.
Powering the Leopard 8 will be a PHEV powertrain that uses a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine as its base. It will be paired with dual electric motors and a large 36.8 kWh battery pack. This setup will have a combined output of 738 hp and 760 Nm. It will be able to do the 0-100 kph sprint in just 4.8 seconds. The all-electric range will be around 125km per charge. It will also get BYD’s YunNian-P intelligent suspension system that can adjust ride height and damping.