BYD Ocean-M hot hatch unveiled in Beijing
BY PETER BARNWELL | 6th May 2024
CHINESE auto and battery manufacturing juggernaut BYD used the recent Beijing Auto Show to out a new rear-wheel drive electric hot hatch concept called the Ocean-M that formed part of a 24-model product avalanche for BYD during Auto China 2024.
Few details about the chunky-looking model – due to go into production later this year – were available, suffice to say BYD would be looking to siphon some of MG’s thunder with a sporty hatchback of its own presumably delivering similar performance potential as the MG 4 XPower that sells here for $59,990 drive-away.
In contrast to the RWD Ocean-M, the XPower is a dual motor AWD hot hatch with 320kW and 600Nm capable of clocking a 0-100km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds, stats that BYD would no doubt want to emulate with its offering.
The model has not been confirmed for local consumption but Australian BYD distributor EVDirect has an ambitious expansion program that likely includes the Ocean-M, which will find competition from other performance-oriented electric hatchbacks including Cupra’s confirmed-for-Australia Born VZ and VW’s incoming ID.3 GTX.
Mooted Chinese market pricing for the Ocean-M puts it at the equivalent of $A42,000, which extrapolated to the Australian market could put it closer to $55,000 and undercut the tech-heavy MG 4 XPower by a few grand.
The Ocean-M is understood to ride on a new platform that uses the latest Blade 2 battery technology BYD announced earlier this year, which may help put it on a level playing field performance-wise with the sporty MG.
Known as ‘blades’ the tightly packed battery cells are integrated into the vehicle’s structure to help reduce weight while improving packaging and driving dynamics well as a physically smaller battery for similar range or, on the other side of the coin, an extended range for the same size of battery.
As a bonus, Blade 2 technology is said to give up to 1000km of range between charges, with energy density 25 per cent better than BYD’s first-generation Blade batteries currently in the Seal, Dolphin and Atto 3 cars sold in Australia.
Speculation as to the Ocean-M’s powertrain is rife but you BYD’s Seal RWD long range single motor variant runs a 230kW electric traction motor that could reappear in the Ocean-M.
Due to substantially less weight in the smaller-bodied, single-motor Ocean M, a powertrain upgrade may be unnecessary as it could achieve close to BYD’s hot hatch performance targets without the additional mass and energy drain of a dual motor layout.
Then there is the driving appeal of a rear wheel drive over front or all-wheel drive, with attendant sportier driver engagement benefits.
In styling terms, the Ocean-M is a textbook hot hatch rocking a low stance, big wide wheels and low-profile tyres, dual rear high-mounted wings, rear aero diffuser and other hot hatch exterior accoutrements.
The muscled-up concept car featured cameras replacing exterior rear-view mirrors as well as flush door handles however interior details remain secret but are expected to follow current BYD form and function.
Word from Auto China suggests BYD is targeting the European market with Ocean-M as it is the perceived home of the hot hatch, having given the world the VW Golf GTI, Peugeot 205 GTI and various Renaultsport models. The Ocean M fits between BYD’s tiddler-size Dolphin hatch and the medium-size Seal sedan.
BYD says production of the Blade 2 batteries is expected to commence this August with production of the Ocean M following soon after – ahead of schedule considering competition and complications in the European market.
For reference, BYD last year was China’s number one for BEV sales clicking over 2.77 million units while at the same time occupying the number two battery supplier position behind CATL.
And it has a BEV dual cab ute in the pipeline called the Shark due for production soon.
