BYD has largely established a foothold in the Singapore market on the indubitable strength of its battery-electric vehicle (BEV) models.
But for its next immediate chapter, it appears to be leaning back partially onto combustion power again, with a quadruple showing of fresh faces on our shores meant to reinforce its leadership in plug-in hybrid technology.
The name you’ll want to take most notice of, not coincidentally, was the one taking centrestage at its booth at the Singapore Motor Show 2026 this past weekend: The Seal 6 DM-i. (Quick note: Both its luxury sub-brand DENZA and ultra-luxe marque Yangwang also brought out incredible displays, which you can read about here.)
It’s not surprising if the name already sounds familiar on multiple levels. Standing for ‘Dual Mode Intelligent’, the term ‘DM-i’ first made its debut on the plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 DM-i, referring to its powertrain’s combination of both combustion and electric power.
Meanwhile, the Seal 6 EV was launched here in October 2025 as BYD’s cheapest electric sedan, slotting beneath the larger Seal in the lineup.
It’s not entirely wrong to think of the Seal 6 DM-i as the plug-in hybrid twin of the Seal 6 EV — especially in terms of size — with the former promising to offer some extra versatility (and assurance) to drivers who don’t want to go the full-electric route yet.
Units already on sale in international markets are powered jointly by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine and an electric motor, with a combined WLTP-rated range of well over 1,000km.
Still, there are notable differences between the Seal 6 EV and Seal 6 DM-i.
Even from a styling standpoint, the Seal 6 DM-i has a softer front end that drops the full-width chrome piece and light bar on the Seal 6 EV for rounder head light clusters and a more ‘sealed off’ snout.
The two cars also ride on different platforms, and while the Seal 6 DM-i is longer overall than the Seal 6 EV, its wheelbase is slightly shorter too. Based on what Sgcarmart saw at the Show, even their steering wheels are different.
But here’s where the Seal 6 DM-i promises the best of both worlds on another level: It’s available as both a sedan and a wagon. (In Europe, the latter is marketed as the Seal 6 DM-i Touring.)
A wagon body style naturally comes with its own benefit; the flatter roofline lends itself to a bit more headroom for rear passengers, while cargo hauling capabilities are also enhanced with the extra boot space and the car’s two-box shape.
Logic and numbers aside, however, wagons are simply more beloved by enthusiasts. That alone could give the Seal 6 DM-i a special appeal not wielded thus far by any BYD we’ve seen.
While BYD Singapore hasn’t revealed official specifications for the Seal 6 DM-i yet, plans are already in place to launch the car to the market officially by the second quarter of 2026. Sgcarmart also understands that the model will be sold with a Category B COE — already an indicator that it will offer more power than the Seal 6 EV.
The Seal 6 DM-i twins aside, BYD also took the chance over the Motor Show weekend to showcase two other plug-in hybrid models, comprising the Shark 6 pickup and Tai 7 SUV (the latter is marketed under BYD’s Fangchengbao sub-brand in China).
Sgcarmart also understands that there are (sadly) no plans at the moment to sell both in Singapore, but the two models nonetheless reinforce BYD’s plug-in hybrid vision. This includes not just ‘DM-i’ technology targeted at driving range and efficiency, but also ‘DM-o’ (Dual Mode Offroad) and ‘DM-p’ (Dual Mode Performance) applications.
[[nid:727690]]
This article was first published in sgCarMart.
Read the full article here
