BYD's rugged plug-in hybrid SUV, known in its home market as the Fangchengbao Tai 7, will wear the Ti 7 badge in South Africa. Confirmation came after a Cape Town dealership advertised open pre-orders on Instagram, and the model is now slated to arrive in January or February 2027 — though an earlier debut has not been ruled out.
Power comes from BYD's flagship DM-p plug-in hybrid setup, pairing a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors for a combined 360 kW and 620 Nm, fed to all four wheels. The claimed 0-100 km/h time is 5.3 seconds, while a stated electric-only range of 130 km points to the 35.6 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack.
Measuring 4,999 mm long and 1,995 mm wide, the Ti 7 matches the Land Rover Defender 110 and Toyota Land Cruiser 300 for footprint. Its off-road numbers include 210 mm of ground clearance, 24- and 25-degree approach and departure angles, and a 600 mm wading depth.