The BYD Yuan Plus is also available for pre-order in Australia and will enter Singapore in the second quarter.

(Image credit: BYD)

BYD has launched its first model targeting global customers, in a move that will further expand the company's global presence.

BYD today officially made available in China the Yuan Plus, the first SUV from the company's all-electric platform e-platform 3.0 and its first model built for the global market, after it was announced at the Guangzhou Auto Show last November.

The exterior of the BYD Yuan Plus features the same Dragon Face 3.0 design language used in the flagship Han sedan, with the Chinese character "元" (yuan) emblazoned on the chrome trim at the front.

The model features integrated taillights at the rear with a minimum luminous surface width of 5 mm.

The model's length, width and height are 4,455 mm, 1,875 mm and 1,615 mm respectively, and the wheelbase is 2,720 mm. Getting the largest possible wheelbase for a fixed body length is an advantage of the e-platform 3.0.

The car's interior features a rotatable center screen and a smaller instrument screen.

The BYD Yuan Plus is powered by a drive motor with a peak power of 150kW and a peak torque of 310Nm, with a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 7.3 seconds.

The model is equipped with blade batteries with an energy density of 150 Wh/kg using lithium iron phosphate chemistry and is available in two range versions.

It has a combined CLTC range of 430 km with a 49.92 kWh battery pack and 510 km with a 60.48 kWh battery pack.

The BYD Yuan Plus is currently available in China in five versions, including two with a range of 430 km at a subsidized price of RMB 131,800 ($20,840) and RMB 138,800, and three with a range of 510 km at RMB 141,800, RMB 151,800 and RMB 159,800, respectively.

At the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show on November 19, BYD unveiled the Yuan Plus, which was available for pre-order in China on January 1, 2022.

The Yuan Plus has received more than 20,000 pre-orders in China since January 1, BYD said.

In addition to targeting Chinese consumers, the BYD Yuan Plus is also the automaker's first global passenger car for strategically targeting overseas markets, and opens for pre-sale in Australia today under the Atto 3 name.

Two models of Atto 3 would enter the Australian market with the official guide prices ranging from 44,990 to 47,990 AUD (approximately $32,350 to $34,500), BYD said.

In addition to Australia, the BYD Yuan Plus will also enter Singapore.

On December 20 last year, BYD said it would work with E-Auto, its official dealer partner in Singapore, to bring the Yuan Plus to local consumers, according to a press release sent to CnEVPost.

"This SUV marks a new era of BYD vehicles in Singapore, promising improved power, a new design language, and an excellent battery range," BYD said.

"We are anticipating strong interest in this newly launched BYD Yuan Plus in Singapore as it features BYD's latest e-platform 3.0 and highly regarded Blade Battery technology," James Ng, Managing Director of BYD Singapore, said.

As China's largest new energy vehicle (NEV) maker, BYD has a very rich product matrix, which is an important factor in its continued leadership.

BYD sold 93,168 NEVs in January, up 361.7 percent year-on-year and essentially unchanged from the 93,945 units sold in December, the third month in a row that BYD exceeded 90,000 units.

Earlier this month, the company hinted at a sales target of 1.5 million units this year, implying a 153 percent increase from the 593,700 units sold in 2021.