Fangchengbao: BYD to launch hybrid 4x4s in UK to rival Defender

BYD will bring its new range of Fanchengbao off-roaders to the UK as part of a push to broaden its market coverage and the range of powertrain choices it offers.

Fangchengbao is one of three BYD sub-brands, sitting alongside the premium-focused Denza marque and more upmarket Yangwang range, and could be the first to enter UK dealerships.

The SUV-focused brand was introduced at the Chengdu motor show in 2023 with a trio of rugged electrified 4x4s named Bao 3, Bao 5 and Bao 8 - numbered according to their size, and company president Stella Li told Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that it will export them to the UK.

“We will bring Fangchenbao,” she confirmed, predicting that the marque “will be very popular in the UK.”

“In the UK the roads are narrow but we love these big SUV off-road cars, so Fangchenbao will be here,” she said, referencing the popularity of large premium SUVs in this market - from which BYD has until now been absent.

The mid-sized Bao 5 – the brand's first production car and the most likely to come to the UK – is roughly the same size as the Land Rover Defender 110, conceived as a premium family SUV with the ability to go off-road. It combines high levels of material quality and technology with 220mm of ground clearance and approach and departure angles of 35deg and 32deg respectively.

It's based on a ladder-frame architecture that BYD calls the 'DMO Super Hybrid Off-Road' platform, and takes its power from a range-extender system which pairs a 1.5-litre turbo engine with an electric motor on each axle, pumping out up to 677bhp and 561lb ft - more than any Defender, including the new V8 Octa.

Meanwhile, a sizeable 31.8kWh battery (which serves as a structural element) supplies enough power for a claimed EV range of up to 78 miles on China's CLTC cycle - though that's likely to be nearer 50 in practice.

The larger Bao 8 - sized more in line with the Defender 130 with 120mm extra space between the wheels – swaps to a more powerful 2.0-litre engine and boosts power from its two EV motors to 268bhp (front) and 402bhp (rear) for a combined output north of 900bhp.

The four-tonne Bao 8 comes with a choice of six or seven seats in China, and uses the same Disus-P hydraulic suspension system as the Yangwang U8 and U9 - meaning it can 'dance' while static and drive on three wheels.

It is unclear, though, if BYD deems such a large and powerful model suitable for the UK.

The entry-level Bao 3, meanwhile, is a pure-electric rival to the likes of the Ford Explorer and Skoda Enyaq, with a claimed range of 317 miles and a choice of two four-wheel-drive powertrains producing either 146bhp or 292bhp. It has only been revealed in concept form so far.

Li separately confirmed plans to launch three new plug-in hybrids in Europe in 2025, but Autocar understands these will be in addition to the Fanchengbao cars - possibly including Europe-adapted versions of the Seal 06 DMI, Seal 07 DMI and Song-L DMI models it sells in China.

The company will also launch three new EVs to the European market next year, likely including the Ocean-M hatchback and the Sea Lion crossover.

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