BYD is fighting a downward trend in its home market. And the best remedy to counter such a dip is a fresh product. Enter the Song Ultra EV, a car that aims to set a benchmark for what a mid-size electric SUV can deliver for the money. Buyers didn’t fail to notice.
The Ultra is the newest addition to BYD’s successful Song series, a compact SUV that launched in Europe under the Atto 3 moniker. It features BYD’s e-Platform 3.0 Evo with an 800-V electrical architecture and the company’s second-generation Short Blade Battery.
BYD’s second-generation Short Blade Battery uses LMFP chemistry (lithium-manganese-ferro-phosphate) and is backed by a lifetime cell warranty. Energy density has risen 40% compared to its predecessor, partly due to a space-optimized cell-to-pack structure. The Song Ultra is the first mass-market model to carry it.
Flash Charging
The numbers it produces are impressive: a charge from 10% to 70% takes five minutes; from 10% to 97%, nine minutes. Even at minus 30 degrees Celsius, the penalty is just three additional minutes.
BYD reaches this performance at its brand new Flash Charging stations, which can reach peaks at 1,500 kW and are set to cross into Europe. Though unconfirmed, it is not hard to imagine the Song Ultra finding its way to foreign markets. BYD is becoming increasingly dependent on exports to keep the bookkeepers happy.
In China, BYD offers four variants of the Song Ultra, ranging from 151,900 to 179,900 yuan (roughly €19,500 to €23,000 at current rates). The two shorter-range versions use a 326 hp rear motor with a 68.4 kWh pack delivering 620 km on the optimistic CLTC cycle.
Step up to the long-range variants and a 367 hp motor pairs with an 82.7 kWh battery for 710 km. All variants top out at 210 km/h, with a 2,840 mm wheelbase accommodating ample rear legroom for an SUV of this size.
Screens and a flat bed
The cabin leans into comfort. A 15.6-inch rotating central display dominates the dashboard, supported by a large instrument cluster and an even bigger head-up display.
Front seats offer ventilation, heating, and ten-point massage. When the mood calls for it, the front and rear seats fold into a continuous sleeping surface approximately 1.8 meters long. Storage runs to 150 liters up front and 730 liters at the rear, expandable to 1,659 liters with seats folded.
Technically, all trims come with BYD’s DiSus-C continuous damping system, working with a McPherson front and five-link rear suspension. The latter is also the preferred solution to boost ride comfort.
Cannibalism?
Demand, which had already been building before the official launch, is strong. Pre-sale orders surpassed 21,500 units in the three weeks following the opening of reservations.
After the car went on sale, that momentum turned into a full-on rush. BYD dealers averaged 15 orders per store in the first 72 hours alone, with store footfall up 40 percent.
However, Chinese buyers typically file as keen early adopters. Demand often free-falls in the period following the launch. However, as a bestseller, the Song has a strong chance of becoming an enduring success.
The question is whether the range gets cannibalized, with the new model eating into the Sealion 06 EV’s customer base. It’s the inevitable toll of a lineup growing as fast as BYD’s. Other rivals targeted include the Xpeng G6, Leapmotor C11, Deepal S7, and Tesla Model Y.
