This month marks 22 months since the electric vehicle brand BYD has established itself in Malaysia, through its distributor, Sime Darby Beyond Auto. This period also saw the various electric cars they offered, and today they have announced the BYD M6 which belongs to the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV - Multi Purpose Vehicle) class.
For the Malaysian market, MPVs have their own appeal because they are capable of doing many things, more than just carrying a lot of passengers. This is also compounded by the presence of families with many children or relatives, or used as a company vehicle that is also capable of loading various loads. MPV models remain popular from the past until now such as Proton Exora, Perodua Alza, Honda BRV, Toyota Unser, Avanza, Innova, Mitsubishi Xpander and many more.
Therefore, when the BYD M6 was introduced today, with a price starting at RM 109,800, I feel that it is capable of giving fierce competition to other MPVs in the market, even though the BYD M6 is an electric MPV that needs to answer the stigma and bad perception of consumers towards electric vehicles. This MPV may take a long time to fully charge, since it only has 7kW AC charging, and fast charging that allows 10%-80% in 40 minutes, a little different than most models on the market that usually provide a 30-minute charging time from 10%-80%
The BYD M6 is offered in two versions, with the Standard Version having a 55.4 kWh battery that provides a 420KM NEDC travel distance with a DC charging rate of 89 kW, a 120kW electric motor power that enables acceleration from 0-100km/h in 10.1 seconds. The Extended version provides a longer travel distance of 530 KM NEDC because it has a 71.8 kWh battery that supports a DC 115kW charging rate. It also has an electric motor that provides 150 kW of power allowing acceleration from 0-100km/h in 8.6 seconds. Both of these models only use one electric motor placed on the front axle.
Taking a closer look, I had the opportunity to try to drive the BYD M6 Extended in a short time, taking it for a drive around the Shah Alam Stadium and also through a short circuit. What is very exciting is the various functions on this EV that provide comfort, and are offered at a lower price than competitors. The BYD M6 Extended version is offered at a price of RM 123,800 and at that price, the early signs that I found were the presence of seat ventilation for the driver and front passenger, a translucent roof, electronic driver and front passenger seat settings, and also an advanced security system.
In terms of interface and driving display, the driving display looks like an old display, and has the same feel as the Toyota Corolla Altis display, with a full LED center, flanked by an analog meter that displays speed and energy consumption or charging status resulting from regenerative braking . If you have ever driven a hybrid car that does not have a full LCD display, the display used by the BYD M6 has the same display format or style.
In terms of driving, for me who has driven large vehicles such as the Isuzu DMax and Proton Exora, there is a personal stigma that may come with MPVs being large and possibly difficult to handle. But this is much different when driving an EV because the ability to quickly provide energy to move this vehicle allows for more responsive driving. Even in terms of short tests, BYD also allowed reviewers to test how easy it is to maneuver in a parking lot, plus the 360-degree camera function that allows the driver to see all angles when entering the parking space.
Since this test drive session is too short, which is around 20 minutes, there are not many other things that can be tested such as expected travel distance, energy efficiency for long trips and even full load, more advanced self-driving functions are offered only in the Extended version, and more . But for this short period as well, I can say that the BYD M6 should be tried by those who are looking for an MPV.
You can attend the BYD M6 exhibition at Dataran Karnival, Shah Alam Stadium Grounds from 18-20 October and during this period, the first 100 pre-orders will receive a Gentari charging credit of RM 800, while the 300 pre-orders throughout Malaysia will receive a home EV charging unit.