Yesterday, ACMobility through BYD Cars Philippines, officially launched an electrified crossover that will shake the hybrid compact crossover market. That vehicle is the BY D Sealion 6 DM-i which retails for PHP 1.548 million.

Featuring the best features of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and a battery electric vehicle (BEV), the Sealion 6 is powered by BYD's Super DM-i powertrain that consists of an electric motor and a 1.5L engine that serves as a generator (or range extender) for the vehicle's 18.3 kWh Blade Battery. The result is a total system output of 217 PS with 325 Nm of torque and a claimed range of over 1,100 km on a full tank of fuel and a fully charged battery.

Impressive, but did you know the automaker tested a pair of Sealion 6 vehicles and they were able to go the distance? To demonstrate its ability to do extreme long-distance driving, two Sealion 6 DM-i SUVs took off from Bonifacio Global City (BGC) to take on the Luzon loop. Held from July 20 – 22, 2024, the team was led by former race car drivers Georges and Louis Ramirez.

Both cars were given the goal of driving from Metro Manila to Tuguegarao, to Ilocos, then La Union, and finally back to BGC on one full charge and full tank of its range extender. Driving with the air conditioner on while traveling along a variety of road & traffic conditions, at one point being stuck in a standstill for 50 minutes, and with all the driving done during daytime, the team was able to complete the grueling task in relative comfort.

The distance traveled over three days was 1,297.6 kilometers. But since the two electric compact SUVs still had battery charge good for 30 more kilometers and up to 247 kilometers of range extender distance left, the team decided to drive to Subic Bay for the fourth day to determine the total distance both vehicles could drive on one full tank of its range extender.

After 8 more hours of driving under heavy rain, the two Sealion 6 DM-i vehicles were able to make it back to BGC using battery power under EV Mode. With the range extender spent as early as the San Fernando exit of NLEX, the team was still able to cover a total distance of up to 1,608 kilometers driving under battery power alone. This includes the 48-kilometer extended battery range left as the electric SUVs arrived in BGC.

The whole four-day exercise was observed by the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), ensuring the whole drive was documented and run safely and legally. Moreover, the AAP observers’ presence reassures the public that the run can be done by anyone with a BYD Sealion 6 DM-i.

“With the new BYD Sealion 6 DM-i, we want to change and challenge the new energy vehicle (NEV) segment by redefining expectations in the industry,” said Bob Palanca, Managing Director of BYD Cars Philippines.

With this achievement, BYD Cars Philippines has put every automaker on notice with the Sealion 6 DM-i.