On May 24th, the unveiling ceremony of the “birthplace of the world’s first plug-in hybrid car” was held at BYD Xi’an High-tech Industrial Park. BYD, the pioneer and practitioner of domestic plug-in hybrid technology, officially started mass production of its first plug-in hybrid car in Xi’an in 2008, making the high-tech industrial park in Xi’an a very important production base for BYD.
The commemorative plaque of the birthplace of the world’s first plug-in hybrid car is shaped like the number “1”. It not only marks the birthplace of BYD’s first plug-in hybrid model, but also showcases BYD’s efforts to be a leader in research, production, and sales, delivering advanced technology to consumers and establishing BYD’s presence in the global automotive industry.
Back in December 2008, the world’s first plug-in hybrid car, the BYD F3DM, rolled off the production line at the BYD High-Tech Industrial Park in Xi’an. The vehicle’s DM dual-mode technology officially pioneered the hybrid technology route with electricity as the main source, introducing the “short-distance electric, long-distance gasoline” driving mode. This innovative concept may have been criticized at the time, but now, BYD’s ideas are definitely advanced and leading, breaking not only technological barriers but also restrictions on professional charging stations, blending fuel and pure electricity, providing consumers with more interesting driving experiences and power performance.
Looking back on BYD’s development history, it is easy to see that as the first company in the world to develop plug-in hybrid technology, BYD entered the automotive industry in 2003 and realized early on that diversified powertrain options would drive the rapid development of the entire automotive industry. Therefore, it began research and development of hybrid models. After four generations of technological refinement and innovation, BYD has established itself as a leader in the field of hybrid powertrains with its stable and superior products. Whether in the domestic market or the international market, whenever hybrid technology is mentioned, BYD’s presence is inevitable.
Thanks to such technology and products, BYD’s plug-in hybrid vehicle sales have increased 30 times from 48,000 in 2020 to 1.43 million in 2023. Currently, BYD’s plug-in hybrid vehicle sales rank first globally, with a market share of around 50% in China. This means that for every 2 plug-in hybrid cars sold in China, one is a BYD.
Although BYD has achieved impressive results, the development of new technologies has not stopped. At the unveiling ceremony, BYD indirectly revealed that on May 28, the fifth generation DM technology will be released in Xi’an. This technology will once again set a new record for low fuel consumption and improve vehicle power and performance. This will challenge consumers’ perceptions of traditional fuel vehicles. The fifth generation DM technology is currently in the confidential stage, and we are looking forward to its official release. Let’s all look forward to the new technology launch event in Xi’an on May 28.