BYD India is set to expand its product strategy beyond pure battery-electric vehicles with the introduction of the Seal U plug-in hybrid SUV later this year, marking the company’s entry into India’s plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) segment.
The announcement was made by Rajeev Chauhan, Head of Electric Passenger Vehicle Business at BYD India, during the unveiling of the company’s DM-i (Dual Mode Intelligent) technology in India.
“We will have our first car on this platform, DM-i technology, within this year and that car will be Seal U,” Chauhan said.
The launch represents a significant milestone for BYD India, which has focused exclusively on electric vehicles since commencing passenger vehicle operations in the country in 2021. The company currently offers four electric models in the Indian market — the Atto 3, Seal, eMAX 7, and Sealion 7.
According to Chauhan, the move into plug-in hybrid technology complements BYD’s broader new-energy vehicle strategy rather than signalling a shift away from electrification.
“Since then, over the last five years, we have introduced five products built entirely on electric platforms. Today, we are choosing a second path, and this is a first for India,” he said.
BYD is positioning its DM-i technology as an electric-first mobility solution designed to offer the benefits of electric driving while addressing concerns related to long-distance travel and charging infrastructure. Unlike conventional hybrid systems that rely primarily on the internal combustion engine, DM-i vehicles operate predominantly on electric power, with the petrol engine supporting the system when required.
“The simplest way we define this category is that this is an electric-first vehicle. You drive essentially on electricity,” Chauhan explained.
BYD’s DM-i technology is backed by nearly two decades of plug-in hybrid development. The company introduced the BYD F3DM in 2008, which it describes as the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid vehicle. Since then, BYD has sold more than 8 million vehicles based on its plug-in hybrid technology, establishing itself as one of the world’s largest PHEV manufacturers.
Chauhan emphasized that the introduction of DM-i aligns with BYD’s mission of expanding access to electrified mobility and encouraging more consumers to experience electric driving.
“This is not a path that we are straying from. It is fully consistent with our philosophy of new-energy vehicles. The objective is to bring more customers into the fold where they can experience electric-first driving,” he said.
BYD currently assembles its vehicles in India from semi-knocked-down (SKD) kits at its manufacturing facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The upcoming launch of the Seal U DM-i is expected to strengthen the company’s presence in the rapidly evolving Indian new-energy vehicle market.
