BYD's eMax 9 DM-i is set to be a luxury van market disruptor

The luxury van segment in the Philippines is mostly dominated by the likes of the Toyota Alphard, with other offerings like the Kia Carnival and GAC M8 also being alternatives with electrification in them.

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But BYD Cars Philippines is looking to disrupt that market with the all-new eMax 9 DM-i, its first luxury minivan offering.

Coming in with two variants, the Advanced and Premium, it's priced at Php 2,678,000 for the former, and Php 2,998,000 for the latter, and they offer a whole lot for their asking prices.

The biggest draw to this minivan is its plugin hybrid drivetrain, as the Super DM-i powertrain mates a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor for a total combined power output of 271hp and 315Nm of torque. The Premium variant also uses the DiSus-C suspension, giving it adaptive damping for a very smooth and comfortable ride.

Both come with a lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) BYD Blade Battery, but at two different sizes: the Advanced variant features a smaller 20.4kWh battery good for up to 95km of pure electric range, and a total range of up to 945km. Meanwhile, the Premium variant has a 36.6kWh battery capable of up to 170km of pure electric range and a total range of 1,000km.