China's BYD is looking to compete in all major vehicle segments in Australia, and will roll out even more models in a bid to become a household name.
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BYD Australia may have just announced the Atto 2 small SUV and Sealion 8 seven-seater for Australia, but it has plans to field competitors in even more segments it currently does not play in.
Speaking to Drive, BYD Australia Head of Product Sajid Hasan said the current line-up of six models, with two more incoming in the next 12 months, will not offer a broad enough market coverage for the brand.
“It’s going to grow a lot more form here, but aside from Atto 2 and Sealion 8, we’re not ready to reveal [the next models],” Hasan said.
“We do aim to pretty much cover every segment, BYD globally has a product in each segment.”
At present, BYD Australia splits its line-up between battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
In the all-electric camp, there is the Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal, and Sealion 7 playing respectively in the small hatchback, small-to-mid-size SUV, medium sedan, and mid-size SUV segments.
As for the PHEVs, the Sealion 6 is a mid-size SUV, while the Shark 6 is a dual-cab ute – albeit with less braked towing capacity and payload than traditional diesel-powered rivals.
The Atto 2 will be BYD’s all-electric small SUV contender, while the Sealion 8 serves as a plug-in hybrid seven-seat large SUV, due to launch respectively later this year and early in 2026.
However, this leaves gaps in the line-up that could be filled by a number of options cherry-picked from the global BYD portfolio.
“There’s an opportunity in the light hatch segment, the medium rugged SUV segment, large rugged SUV segment,” Hasan told Drive.
The BYD Seagull, also known as the Dolphin Mini or Dolphin Surf in some markets, could easily fulfill the light hatchback role and has long been mooted for an Australia arrival.
Not only would the Seagull slot in below the Dolphin in terms of size, but likely also in price, which would make it Australia’s cheapest new electric vehicle (EV) if it were to arrive.
For reference, the current title holder is the BYD Dolphin Essential at $29,990 before on-road costs.
As for the rugged SUVs, they could come courtesy of BYD’s Fangchengbao sub-brand, which will be marketed as Denza in some export markets.
Both Bao models are fitted with plug-in hybrid powertrains and both are underpinned by the same ladder-frame chassis used in the Shark 6 ute.
However, Hasan also tempered BYD’s expansion expectations with the fact that the brand will not bring in models where there is no demand, or if the dealer network cannot support the number of cars on showroom floors.
“We’d have to balance the growth of our own company and network with that portfolio of product,” Hasan said.
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Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
