BYD has a sub-brand FangChengBao and FangChengBao has a new Bao 5 hybrid SUV.
In a world full of Chinese car brands you’ve never heard of before comes just one more – FangChengBao. This one is a sub-brand of the popular BYD brand and is apparently off-road focused in its positioning. The first product shown in Beijing this week is the Bao 5.
If the name is a bit of a put off, maybe giving it some meaning first might help. “FangCheng” apparently stands for “formula” while “Bao” stands for “Leopard”. The Bao 5 is the first model to come from this brand with the Dual Mode Off-Road Super Hybrid Platform or the DMO platform. The DMO platform is primarily electric driven with off-road capabilities. In the BAO 5, it comes with a 1.5 turbo petrol motor. The total system output is 505kW and 760Nm of torque, which is pretty impressive for such a boxy thing. The BAO 5 can do 0-100km/h in just 4 seconds too and has 16 different driving modes to help it navigate anything from swampy terrains, to gravelly slopes. Plus, it has a super tight turning radius of just 3.4 meters for maximum maneuverability.
On a full tank of petrol and with a fully-charged battery, the Bao 5 can do 1200km in terms of range. It has 6kW Vehicle-to-Load capability too if you want to go camping with this thing.
The DMO platform in this application also features a non-load-bearing frame with cell-to-chassis technology for the Blade Battery, which itself adopts a 5-layer protection structure and a ring-type double protection system. This gives the Bao 5 an underbody resistance capability of 1200J, which is 10 times above the industry standard. With 96% high-strength steel, the chassis is extra strong and even features dual force-transfer paths to reduce front-impact intrusion by 30% and side impact intrusion by 25%. Plus, the BAO 5 comes as standard with 11 airbags and L2+ Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.
The Bao 5’s interior features a newly-designed user interface called FiLink for its multi-screen dashboard. You’ll also find Nappa leather seats and a Devialet audio system with 18-speakers. When it comes to customisations, you can choose up to 7 exterior colours, 3 interior colours and multiple wheel designs and pedal options. Pricing in China ranges from RMB 289,800 to 352,800, which is RM187K to RM228K. FANGCHENGBAO will also introduce 2 more models in the future – the Bao 3 and Bao 8.
