I don’t know how, but BYD manages to get these sorts of headlines almost every week. This time, it’s for the company’s latest crossover SUV – the weirdly named BYD FCB Ti 9 that promises a whopping 1,430-mile (2,300-km) combined range.
BYD might not be great at naming its cars, but the Chinese company sure knows a thing or two about stuffing its vehicles with atrocious numbers that can make its Western counterparts envious. The FCB Ti 9 (short for Fang Cheng Bao) is a plug-in hybrid that was officially unveiled at the Chengdu Auto Show 2026 in China.
First things first – Fang Cheng Bao (FCB) is a China-only carmaker that comes under the BYD umbrella. And while the Ti 9 looks like it’s headed for a China-only release for now, past FCB cars have ventured into Europe, which does suggest we might see this one on Western shores too.
That out of the way, let’s dig in. The Ti 9 comes powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged combustion engine that’s rated for 154 hp. That motor is paired with two electric motors that offer a combined peak power of 536 hp.
Power comes from a 66.5-kWh battery pack, which offers up to 192.6 miles (310 km) of pure electric range and a total range of … wait for it … 1,430 miles (2,300 km) with the gas engine. It also comes with fast charging, which BYD claims can charge the battery from 10% to 97% in just 9 minutes – all thanks to the 1,500-kW Flash Charging technology.
What's especially interesting is how it's getting there. The Ti 9 is no small car. It’s a huge six-seat SUV, 207.48 inches (5,270 meters) long and weighing roughly 2.9 tonnes (6,393 lb). That makes it bigger than traditional full-size SUVs including the Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7.
The 192.6-mile EV range is arguably just as noteworthy. That's an enormous battery for a PHEV – sufficiently large that for many owners, the gasoline engine could remain largely dormant during normal commuting. Then, when you're heading across the country, the ICE powertrain turns the Ti 9 into a conventional long-distance hybrid rather than forcing you to stop and recharge every couple of hundred miles.
The crossover features blacked-out pillars, a high bonnet line, big fenders, large side-view mirrors, and semi-hidden door handles. The 22-inch wheels boast floating center caps with the front brake calipers painted in red. Regulatory filings show that the car will come with three interior layouts: for five, six, and seven people.
You get rectangular, connected headlamps at the front with big, vertical taillights at the rear. The Ti 9 is rear-wheel drive and comes equipped with the DiSus-P Ultra hydraulic suspension. Don’t miss the LiDAR sensor on the top.
Fang Cheng Bao is a BYD sub-brand, but it’s only exclusive to China as of now. So far, the brand has sold 29,613 units in its home country, with most of its cars sold under the Formula Leopard, Denza, and BYD emblems.
Domestic sales of the flagship FCB Ti 9 will begin later this year. Don’t confuse it with the very similar-looking Ti 7, though. Just launched in the UK at £47,995 (US$65,465), that’s basically the Ti 9’s younger sibling. I expect the Ti 9 to follow the same route with a European release later this year or early next year.
Now there’s no dearth of full-size crossover SUVs in the States. But don’t forget its big selling point is its range. There are hardly any other PHEVs that come close to BYD’s claim.
But remember it’s just that – a claim. The 192-mile electric figure is reported as CLTC, which is China's relatively optimistic test cycle. But even if the real-world combined figure falls considerably short of 1,429 miles, it's still an extraordinary claim for a six-seat PHEV this size.
Via: CarNewsChina
