FiestaST
Honorary Master
Drive.com.au review of the Sealion 7 Performance
-
Join the MyBroadband community
South Africa’s biggest forum. Discuss, discover, and connect with thousands of members.
-
Question of the Day: Which is the most hair-raising South African mountain pass you've driven?
The BYD (EV) Thread
- Thread starter FiestaST
- Start date
FiestaST
Honorary Master
CarSauce review of the Sealion 7
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
New BYD Seal 6 GT: electric hot hatch for SA?
We’ve discovered a fresh trademark filing that suggests the BYD Seal 6 GT electric hot hatch – boasting up to 310 kW – could be in the Chinese firm’s plans for South Africa…
After a relatively subdued start in South Africa, BYD looks to be ramping up its local operations, with the Shark 6, Sealion 6 and Sealion 7 all set to launch soon. And, judging by recent trademark filings, yet more models are on the horizon, potentially including the BYD Seal 6 GT electric hot hatch.
Yes, Cars.co.za has discovered that BYD Auto’s global head office applied to trademark “BYD Seal 6 GT” in South Africa in early January 2025, with the status currently listed as “pending”. Interestingly, this badge is slightly different to the “Seal 06 GT” moniker used in China.
Of course, we should point out that a trademark application is by no means a guarantee the automaker will use the badge in question. But it certainly appears that this electric hot hatch is at least under consideration for Mzansi.
As an aside, the Shenzhen-based firm filed to protect several other nameplates locally late in 2024, including “M6”, “M9”, “e6” and “V9”. Then, in January 2025, it applied to trademark “BYD Seagull” in SA after doing the same with “BYD Dolphin Mini” – the export name for this model – about a year prior. Should the latter receive the green light for Mzansi, it would likely slot in below the Dolphin as the brand’s most affordable EV.
We’ve discovered a fresh trademark filing that suggests the BYD Seal 6 GT electric hot hatch – boasting up to 310 kW – could be in the Chinese firm’s plans for South Africa…
After a relatively subdued start in South Africa, BYD looks to be ramping up its local operations, with the Shark 6, Sealion 6 and Sealion 7 all set to launch soon. And, judging by recent trademark filings, yet more models are on the horizon, potentially including the BYD Seal 6 GT electric hot hatch.
Yes, Cars.co.za has discovered that BYD Auto’s global head office applied to trademark “BYD Seal 6 GT” in South Africa in early January 2025, with the status currently listed as “pending”. Interestingly, this badge is slightly different to the “Seal 06 GT” moniker used in China.
Of course, we should point out that a trademark application is by no means a guarantee the automaker will use the badge in question. But it certainly appears that this electric hot hatch is at least under consideration for Mzansi.
As an aside, the Shenzhen-based firm filed to protect several other nameplates locally late in 2024, including “M6”, “M9”, “e6” and “V9”. Then, in January 2025, it applied to trademark “BYD Seagull” in SA after doing the same with “BYD Dolphin Mini” – the export name for this model – about a year prior. Should the latter receive the green light for Mzansi, it would likely slot in below the Dolphin as the brand’s most affordable EV.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Katelknaap
Expert Member
Anyone know if there is a BYD dealer in Cape Town yet? My Google searches only finds a Gauteng based dealer. Wonder what their plans are for the rest of the country.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Fully Charged Show review of the BYD Shark
Kolmogorov
Well-Known Member
Yes, MG and BYD dealership (Mekor) on the corner of Christiaan Barnard and Jack Craig.
(Funny that you asked - I drove past it for the first time yesterday)
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
BYD sub-brand Denza for SA? 7 trademark filings unearthed
Will BYD launch its Denza sub-brand in South Africa? A flurry of trademark applications suggests this Chinese marque may well be planned for local roads…
BYD Auto has filed trademark applications in South Africa not only for the “Denza” logo but also for as many as 7 separate model nameplates, suggesting the Chinese firm’s sub-brand may well be on the cards for a local introduction.
As a reminder, Denza traces its roots back to 2010, when it was founded as a joint venture between BYD Auto and Daimler AG (which we know today as the Mercedes-Benz Group). In September 2024, however, the German group transferred the last of its stake in the venture to BYD, with Denza thus becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chinese giant.
With the Denza marque recently confirmed for fellow right-hand-drive market Australia, we set about digging for evidence that the brand may come to Mzansi, too. We soon found that BYD applied to trademark the “Denza” logo in SA in June 2024, less than a month after filing to protect the “Denza B5” and “Denza B8” nameplates.
The B5 is thought to be the export version of the Boa 5, a plug-in hybrid SUV sold in China under the Fang Cheng Boa brand. This 5-seater SUV – which measures 4 890 mm from nose to tail, making it 130 mm longer than a GWM Tank 300 – seemingly employs the same ladder-frame platform as the BYD Shark 6, though its hybrid powertrain (likewise based on a 1.5-litre turbopetrol unit) has been upgraded to generate a whopping 505 kW.
Will BYD launch its Denza sub-brand in South Africa? A flurry of trademark applications suggests this Chinese marque may well be planned for local roads…
BYD Auto has filed trademark applications in South Africa not only for the “Denza” logo but also for as many as 7 separate model nameplates, suggesting the Chinese firm’s sub-brand may well be on the cards for a local introduction.
As a reminder, Denza traces its roots back to 2010, when it was founded as a joint venture between BYD Auto and Daimler AG (which we know today as the Mercedes-Benz Group). In September 2024, however, the German group transferred the last of its stake in the venture to BYD, with Denza thus becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chinese giant.
With the Denza marque recently confirmed for fellow right-hand-drive market Australia, we set about digging for evidence that the brand may come to Mzansi, too. We soon found that BYD applied to trademark the “Denza” logo in SA in June 2024, less than a month after filing to protect the “Denza B5” and “Denza B8” nameplates.
The B5 is thought to be the export version of the Boa 5, a plug-in hybrid SUV sold in China under the Fang Cheng Boa brand. This 5-seater SUV – which measures 4 890 mm from nose to tail, making it 130 mm longer than a GWM Tank 300 – seemingly employs the same ladder-frame platform as the BYD Shark 6, though its hybrid powertrain (likewise based on a 1.5-litre turbopetrol unit) has been upgraded to generate a whopping 505 kW.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
You can film your BYD on the move with this on-vehicle drone launcher from DJI
The Lingyuan system enables a drone to fly, dock and charge on top of your BYD in between takes
BYD and drone maker DJI have joined forces to create the Lingyuan, a vehicle-mounted drone system that costs just £1,700, and is configured to work while the vehicle is moving. No, you are not in The Matrix.
Translating as ‘Spirit Kite’, the science-fiction-sounding system involves a 30cm-squared slim box fitted to the car’s roof, which can deploy a drone to be your car's shadow.
This isn’t just a case of having a drone landing pad on the back of the motor. There’s been some serious integration, so the drone can soar, track the car and re-dock safely while you cruise (albeit up to 15mph). During that time, the gizmo transmits images in real-time to the vehicle’s central display.
Yep, comfortably ensconced away from the rain, or in the luxury of air-con, drivers use the car's touchscreen to snap stills, hit pause/stop/record and/or share footage, enabling a one-person/one-camera/one-car filming job.
There's also a choice of drones, too. While the Lingyuan hangar is set up to deliver a fast charge to the DJI Air 3S model, the system will also work with a DJI Mavic 3, a model that needs a manual battery swap (arguably better for continuous filming). Underpinned by Huawei’s autonomous driving chip, either quadcopter can fly for up to 35 minutes, at more than 30mph reportedly. Plan to spend at least another grand on top for either device, mind.
The Lingyuan system enables a drone to fly, dock and charge on top of your BYD in between takes
BYD and drone maker DJI have joined forces to create the Lingyuan, a vehicle-mounted drone system that costs just £1,700, and is configured to work while the vehicle is moving. No, you are not in The Matrix.
Translating as ‘Spirit Kite’, the science-fiction-sounding system involves a 30cm-squared slim box fitted to the car’s roof, which can deploy a drone to be your car's shadow.
This isn’t just a case of having a drone landing pad on the back of the motor. There’s been some serious integration, so the drone can soar, track the car and re-dock safely while you cruise (albeit up to 15mph). During that time, the gizmo transmits images in real-time to the vehicle’s central display.
Yep, comfortably ensconced away from the rain, or in the luxury of air-con, drivers use the car's touchscreen to snap stills, hit pause/stop/record and/or share footage, enabling a one-person/one-camera/one-car filming job.
There's also a choice of drones, too. While the Lingyuan hangar is set up to deliver a fast charge to the DJI Air 3S model, the system will also work with a DJI Mavic 3, a model that needs a manual battery swap (arguably better for continuous filming). Underpinned by Huawei’s autonomous driving chip, either quadcopter can fly for up to 35 minutes, at more than 30mph reportedly. Plan to spend at least another grand on top for either device, mind.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
