BYD's new sub-brand Linghui has made its formal debut — complete with a dedicated logo and four filings — in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's 403rd batch of the Announcement on Road Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Products.
The four models disclosed — e5, e7, e9 and M9 — clearly echo the contours of BYD's Dynasty series. Industry watchers widely expect Linghui to target the ride-hailing, taxi and rental-fleet market, becoming BYD's dedicated force for B2B mobility.
Set against BYD's push for breakthroughs in global sales, R&D and international expansion in 2025, Linghui's arrival is no accident. It's a deliberate move in BYD's multi-brand strategy to mine niche segments with greater precision.
What stands out?
Backed by the MIIT announcement, Linghui is positioned as an independent BYD sub-brand. Its dedicated logo breaks from the visual systems of the Dynasty and Ocean series, underscoring a differentiated role and brand independence — laying the groundwork for clearer market separation.
The initial filings show a starter lineup spanning sedans and MPVs. Many share underpinnings with BYD's proven products, cutting R&D and ramp-up costs while leveraging market-tested reliability — a match for fleet operators' core demand for durability and stability.
Image source: MIIT
Drilling down: the Linghui e5 mirrors the Qin PLUS EV. Dimensions are 4,805/1,837/1,530 millimeters with a 2,718-millimeter wheelbase, and it uses a 100 kW motor — a precise fit for entry-level fleet sedans.
The e9 tracks the Han series, at 4,995/1,940/1,495 millimeters and a 2,920-millimeter wheelbase, with 135 kW and 150 kW motor options to serve mid- to high-end operating scenarios.
As the only plug-in hybrid among the first batch, the Linghui M9 measures 5,200/1,970/1,805 millimeters with a 3,045-millimeter wheelbase — balancing space needs for commercial use with energy efficiency.
The e7, while carrying the family design language seen on models like the BYD SEAL, has been independently tuned. At 4,780/1,900/1,515 millimeters and a 2,820-millimeter wheelbase, it neatly fills a mid-tier gap and broadens choices for fleet applications.
Built for ride-hailing?
Consensus in the industry is that Linghui's core mission is the B2B operating market — ride-hailing, taxis and leasing companies. There's more than one reason behind that view.
From a branding perspective, spinning operating models into an independent label helps avoid a tight association between the main BYD brand and ride-hailing, preserving the sense of luxury and personalization in the Dynasty and Ocean series for private buyers, while carving a professional boundary with corporate fleets.
On demand, operating vehicles differ sharply from private cars. Fleets prioritize extreme durability, cost efficiency, easy maintenance and reliability.
Image source: MIIT screenshot
Built on mature platforms like Qin, Han and Xia, Linghui's products come with baseline quality and reputation. By streamlining non-essential smart features and focusing on practical metrics such as range and energy consumption, the brand can sharpen its cost advantage and offer high value-for-money solutions to fleet operators.
Strategically, Linghui fills a key gap in BYD's brand architecture, creating a layered and comprehensive matrix: the Dynasty and Ocean sales networks for mass-market consumers; DENZA, Fangcheng Bao and Yangwang for high-end luxury and personalization; and Linghui dedicated to the corporate mobility ecosystem — together covering the full spectrum of automotive demand.
A new lever for BYD's next climb
Linghui's confidence is rooted in BYD's broad-based surge across global markets in 2025.
Full-year sales of 4.6024 million vehicles and an 18.2% global market share kept BYD atop the global new-energy leaderboard. Battery-electric sales reached 2.26 million, surpassing Tesla. Overseas sales topped 1.0496 million — up 145% year on year — with gains across Europe, Brazil and Southeast Asia, and rising global brand influence.
That scale delivers strong economies of scale, giving Linghui a cost-control tailwind and natural market recognition from day one.
Ramping up R&D strengthens Linghui's core edge. BYD invested CNY 30.9 billion in R&D in the first half of 2025, up 53% year on year, with cumulative investment exceeding CNY 210 billion. A suite of core technologies is rolling out at scale, tailored for operating models.
The second-generation Blade Battery reaches 220 Wh/kg and supports 10C ultra-fast charging, sharply cutting charge waits for ride-hailing. BYD's fifth-generation DM hybrid technology is being deployed widely: fuel consumption when the battery is depleted is as low as 2.6 L/100 km, with combined range exceeding 2,100 km — reducing daily operating costs.
Synergies from BYD's full-lineup strategy provide further support for Linghui.
The Dynasty and Ocean dual-channel networks continue to deliver, with models like Qin, Song and Seagull dominating their segments — giving Linghui mature product platforms and a proven channel playbook.
DENZA, Fangcheng Bao and Yangwang's progress in the premium tier has taken BYD from pure value-for-money to technology-led premium, lifting the group's overall brand equity and making it easier for Linghui, as an independent fleet brand, to win trust from the market and partners.
In short, Linghui isn't a brand-new track conjured from thin air. It's BYD's efficient redeployment of its technology, capacity and brand assets after becoming the global NEV sales leader.
By zeroing in on the operating market, BYD not only completes the final piece of its brand puzzle, but also moves to capture a vast B2B mobility opportunity with a specialized stance — reinforcing its industry leadership.
From private buyers to fleet operators, from mass-market products to luxury flagships, and from China to the global stage, BYD's end-to-end automotive ecosystem is taking clear shape.
