BYD in Brazil has introduced a new powertrain set-up developed specifically for the Brazilian market.
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BYD’s ‘Super Hybrid’ vehicle comes with biofuel compatibility. The latest BYD powertrain innovation makes its debut in the SONG PRO COP30, a special edition that it says will be donated to the forthcoming UN climate summit in the country.
The new version of Super Hybrid was unveiled at a ceremony to officially inaugurate BYD’s final-assembly line in Camaçari, Brazil – the factory where the SONG PRO is produced. The car features DM-i (Dual Mode Intelligent) technology, like the systems seen in popular European-market models such as the SEAL U DM-i and the SEAL 6 DM-i.
BYD says it offers a predominantly EV driving experience, with the combustion engine functioning primarily as a power generator for the battery, even when driving in hybrid mode.
In the case of the SONG PRO, engineers from China and Brazil collaborated on a version of the Super Hybrid system’s 1.5-engine that can run on any ratio of petrol and ethanol, Brazil’s popular green fuel (derived from sugar cane), while offering strong performance and high efficiency.
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By GlobalDataAs part of a ceremony attended by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a SONG PRO COP30 rolled off the production line in Camaçari to become BYD’s 14 millionth new-energy vehicle globall.
Thirty examples of the special edition are being donated to COP30, the forthcoming United Nations climate summit in Brazil.
BYD founder and CEO Wang Chuanfu said: “After two years of effort by more than 100 Chinese and Brazilian engineers, today our 14 millionth vehicle rolls off the production line equipped with the world’s first plug-in hybrid engine dedicated to biofuel. This is not just a technological breakthrough – it is a green and sustainable solution tailor-made for Brazil.”
He added: “Two years ago, on a visit to Brazil, I realised the potential of ethanol. We then decided that we would bring our plug-in hybrid technology, but with a flex engine developed by and for this country. The car we are delivering today to President Lula is proof that BYD not only invests in Brazil but also co-creates with Brazil unique solutions for the world.”
Global and regional executives from BYD were also present at the ceremony, including Stella Li, Global Executive Vice President and CEO of BYD for the Americas and Europe, Tyler Li, CEO of BYD Brazil and Alexandre Baldy, Senior Vice President and Head of Sales and Marketing at BYD Brazil.
Part of BYD’s policy of localised production in key regions, the new Brazilian factory has been operating since July, after being ‘built in a record timeframe of just 15 months’. It has the capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles per year in its first phase and 300,000 in the later stage, and already employs more than 1,500 people. It is the largest electric vehicle production facility in Latin America and BYD’s largest facility outside Asia. When completed, the complex will manufacture the brand’s main models.
During a meeting with President Lula, Mr. Wang Chuanfu confirmed a new investment to expand the factory and double its annual production capacity, from the planned 300,000 vehicles to up to 600,000 units per year.
Stella Li, BYD Executive Vice President and CEO of BYD for the Americas and Europe, said: “BYD believes in the growth potential of the Brazilian market, has long-term plans for a population that deserves increasingly better vehicles, and will continue to invest to help boost the economy, create jobs, and train the workforce. This factory is 100% Brazilian, created so that Brazilians have access to better, more modern, connected, technological, and sustainable cars.”
“Ethanol is one of Brazil’s greatest strategic advantages in the energy transition. Incorporating it into our DM-i architecture represents a historic advance: we value the national renewable energy matrix, in addition to offering consumers a vehicle with greater efficiency, lower environmental impact, and aligned with the country’s energy reality. It is a crucial step toward consolidating Brazil as a global leader in sustainable mobility,” said Tyler LI, President of BYD Brazil.
In Brazil, BYD has expanded its dealer network to more than 200 stores, including sales points in all states, capitals and major cities, and plans to reach 250 outlets in the coming months, it said.
