In the latter half of 2024, BYD Cars Philippines has kept us very busy because they launched four new models over 5 months. Well, the fourth launch is just about to happen in a few days, but still that's pretty unheard of given the timespan for one brand.

In July, they launched the Sealion 6; a crossover that has the premium look, solid build, and advanced technology that lets you drive and charge like an electric vehicle, but still take advantage of the gasoline infrastructure that already exists. It's no surprise that the order books are overflowing, as customers really flocked to the Sealion 6 because of its range and it's very attractive price tag.

Not too long after the Sealion 6, BYD also launched the Seagull; a small, neatly-designed, and well equipped urban EV that can go the distance, and really look good doing it. There's also a good demand for that and something that even I would personally consider if I was in the market for an EV for daily use.

Then last month, they launched the Seal; it's also an EV, but it's far more on the premium and performance side of things. Let me tell you know that when you put your foot down, it'll pin you to the seat and thrust you forward with gusto.

The next model is the Seal 5; we can't tell you much about it until the launch on November 21, but it's definitely something with serious potential to revive interest in a compact (ish) sedan. Oh, and it uses a similar system to the BYD Sealion 6. And the price will start at just under PHP 1M.

During the production of our video, we spoke to BYD executives both from the Ayala-led AC Mobility side and the importer BYD Philippines (an official subsidiary of BYD) about the challenges of launching one model after another in quick succession. This type of rapid market introduction is far more common in China with its huge auto industry, rather than in a market such as ours wherein the legacy brands from Japan, Korea and US tend to play a bit more conservatively.

But we were told we haven't seen anything yet. They said that if we thought the last half of 2024 was busy for BYD in the Philippines, 2025 will be even more so.

We weren't given the exact number of units, but this is a brand that launched 4 new models in 5 months. So does that mean we could see around 8 or 10 new BYD nameplates introduced in the Philippines in 2025? Maybe, but that would be unheard of for a single brand if they do that.

What it really signifies is how BYD sees the Philippine market, as many of the new model launches in the Philippines aren't too far behind BYD's model launches in other markets, as we've become accustomed to waiting a year or so for the legacy brands to offer products here after the world or regional premiere. This shows how much potential they see in Filipino consumers.

As for the the nameplates, we were not told exactly what models to expect. We have our guesses, but at this point your guess is as good as ours. Just look at the BYD Global website and check out what else they have, and what you think would be a good fit here. There are even premium models under the “Yangwang” brand like the U8, but they might want to see how that brand could be renamed for export markets.

Personally, I really want to try out the BYD Shark. I'm a pick-up truck enthusiast after all.