Deliveries began in late August

1,000th handover ceremony held Thursday in Seocho-gu

Sea Lion 6 tops imported PHEV registrations for August, September and October

AWD variant expands lineup

Officials pose for a photo at the Sea Lion 6 DM-i 1,000th customer delivery ceremony held Thursday at the BYD Auto Seocho showroom in Seocho-gu, Seoul. From left: Liu Xueliang, BYD Group vice president; the 1,000th customer; and Kwon Hyeok-min, CEO of DT Networks. [BYD Korea]
Officials pose for a photo at the Sea Lion 6 DM-i 1,000th customer delivery ceremony held Thursday at the BYD Auto Seocho showroom in Seocho-gu, Seoul. From left: Liu Xueliang, BYD Group vice president; the 1,000th customer; and Kwon Hyeok-min, CEO of DT Networks. [BYD Korea]

BYD has delivered its Sea Lion 6 DM-i plug-in hybrid electric SUV to its 1,000th customer in South Korea, roughly two months after full deliveries began in late August. The model has also topped monthly registrations among imported plug-in hybrid vehicles for three consecutive months.

BYD Korea said the 1,000th delivery ceremony for the Sea Lion 6 DM-i took place Thursday at the BYD Auto Seocho showroom in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

The event was attended by Liu Xueliang, BYD Group vice president and general manager of the Asia-Pacific automotive sales division; Ding Haimiao, CEO of BYD Korea; Jo In-cheol, head of BYD Korea's passenger vehicle division; and Kwon Hyeok-min, CEO of official dealer DT Networks.

The customer who received the 1,000th vehicle said the purchase decision came after carefully comparing price, fuel efficiency and ride quality.

"I had some preconceptions at first, but after a test drive I was very satisfied," the customer said. "I looked closely at the price, fuel efficiency, ride quality and design, compared it with other vehicles, and then made my decision. I would confidently recommend it to anyone thinking about switching cars."

The Sea Lion 6 DM-i is BYD's first PHEV model launched in the South Korean market. It was unveiled at the Busan Mobility Show in June and deliveries began in late August.

Sales momentum has held steady. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), the Sea Lion 6 DM-i recorded 500 new registrations in August and 311 in September, topping the imported PHEV segment by model for two consecutive months.

In October, a total of 363 units were registered — 190 front-wheel-drive models and 173 all-wheel-drive models — with the two variants finishing first and second, respectively, in imported PHEV registrations. The Sea Lion 6 DM-i has now led the segment every month from August through October.

BYD Korea is using the Sea Lion 6 DM-i to expand its domestic business beyond battery electric vehicles into the PHEV segment. The strategy centers on reducing range anxiety associated with long-distance driving — a concern less relevant to PHEVs — to broaden consumer choice.

The Sea Lion 6 DM-i uses BYD's proprietary DM-i plug-in hybrid system, which differs from conventional hybrids by prioritizing the electric motor for propulsion while drawing on the gasoline engine as needed depending on driving conditions.

For everyday short-distance trips, the vehicle runs on its battery and motor like a pure electric vehicle; for longer journeys, the gasoline engine can take over. External charging is also supported, allowing drivers to reduce fuel consumption whenever charging infrastructure is available.

The front-wheel-drive model sold in South Korea is equipped with an 18.3 kWh Blade Battery and can travel up to 70 kilometers on electric power alone under domestic certification standards. It is priced at 37.5 million won ($27,900).

BYD Korea added an all-wheel-drive variant last month. The AWD model places electric motors on both the front and rear axles, enabling 0-to-100 km/h acceleration in five seconds. Battery capacity increases to 26.6 kWh, extending the electric-only range to up to 93 kilometers. The AWD model is priced at 41.9 million won.

"We are deeply grateful for the attention customers have shown, reflected in the Sea Lion 6 DM-i topping the imported PHEV segment for three consecutive months," a BYD Korea official said. "We will continue to leverage BYD's electrification technology and product competitiveness to deliver new mobility experiences and meaningful choices to customers in Korea, and to contribute to the growth of the domestic eco-friendly vehicle market."

Meanwhile, BYD Korea is marking the 10th anniversary of its Korean subsidiary with a nationwide "DM-i Fuel Efficiency Challenge," running Friday through Nov. 22 at major showrooms across the country.

Participants will drive the Sea Lion 6 DM-i and compete for the best fuel efficiency. The customer who records the highest fuel efficiency nationwide will receive a one-year test-drive pass for the vehicle. BYD Korea plans to use such hands-on events to increase consumer touchpoints for its PHEV lineup.


kwater@heraldcorp.com