BYD-owned Fangchengbao completed its line-up of updated products at the recent Beijing Motor Show with two models tipped to possibly wear the Denza name for exports.
From leopard to titanium
Joining the Bao 5 and Bao 8, which wear the Denza B5 and B8 nameplates outside China, the Tai-series of the Tai 3 and Tai 7 use unibody instead body-on frame platforms, while also losing various off-road focused hardware such as locking differentials and the low range transfer case.
Its name denoting Titanium in Chinese whereas the Bao series refer to a leopard, the Tai 3 and Tai 7 ride on a platform called Evo+ with only the former omitting any form of combustion engine assistance.
Tai 3
Reportedly shown wearing the Denza B3 moniker at the Bangkok Motor Show in early April before its debut in Beijing, the compact Tai 3 opens the Fangchengbao product range with the following dimensions:
- Length: 4 605mm;
- Wheelbase: 2 745mm;
- Height: 1 900mm;
- Width: 1 720mm
EV only
Seating five,and riding on 18 or 19-inch alloy wheels, the Tai 3 is powered by a 75.6-kWh Blade battery pack powering either a single or dual electric motors.
In the case of the power, outputs are 240kW/305Nm, allowing for a top speed of 210km/h and 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds.
The claimed range, based on China’s CLTC cycle, is 620km. Using BYD’s flash charging technology up to a reported 1 500kW will require a waiting time of nine minutes from 10% to 97%.
With a second electric motor included, therefore making it all-wheel drive, the Tai 3 produces 375kW/505Nm.
The claimed top speed is still 210km/h, however, 0-100km/h now takes 4.7 seconds. Fangchengbao claims a range of 565km and the same waiting time using the flash charger.
As standard, both are equipped with seven kilowatt on-board charger, vehicle-to-load (V2) charging up to six kilowatts and 151-litres of added storage underneath the electrically opening bonnet.
Spotted as a Denza
In China, pricing ranges from 153 800 to 169 800 yuan, which amounts to between R369 798 and R408 268 when directly converted and without taxes.
Reported by Malaysia’s paultan.org to enter said the market soon and assembled locally in complete knockdown (CKD) kit form as the Denza B3, an announcement for South Africa is still to be made.
Tai 7
Introduced last year, the Tai 7 slots-in below the Boa 5 with the following dimensions:
- Length: 4 999mm;
- Wheelbase: 2 920mm;
- Height: 1 856mm;
- Width: 1 995mm.
Also seating five, the Tai 7 is, however, more off-road focused biased than the Tai 3, despite lacking the full array of systems as the Bao models.
Hybrid or EV
At the same time, it reverts to a standard plug-in hybrid powertrain modelled around the same 1.5-litre turbocharged engine used in the BYD Shark bakkie
Outputting 115kW/225Nm on its own, the engine is paired to either a 26.6-kWh or 35.6-kWh Blade battery pack. Strangely, no combined power figures are known.
In base two-wheel drive Pro form, the Tai 7 has a claimed top speed of 190km/h and will do 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds. The claimed CLTC electric-only range is 135km.
Moving up to the two-wheel drive Max brings the bigger battery pack, which means the same top speed, but 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds. The electric-only range is 200km.
With a secondary rear motor present, the all-wheel drive Max and Ultra variants both get the latter battery pack but a reduced 190km all-electric range. Top speed is 190km/h with 0-100km/h taking 4.5 seconds.
On the electric side, the rear-wheel drive Tai 7 uses a 92-kWh Blade battery developing 300kW/365Nm. The claimed top speed is 240km/h with 0-100km/h taking 7.3 seconds.
Fangchengbao claims a CLTC range of 675km and a nine minute wait using the flash charger from 10% to 97%.
Moving up, the more powerful rear-wheel drive Tai 7 nets a 105.7-kWh battery pack producing the same 300kW/365Nm, but with a range of 755km.
The claimed top speed is still 240km/h, but with 0-100km/h over in 7.5 seconds. Charging time is also unchanged.
With the bigger battery and a second electric motor present, though, the all-wheel drive Tai 7 develops 515kW, with its torque figure being unknown.
Sporting a 675km range, the all-wheel drive Tai 7 will get from 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 240km/h.
Still to be Denza-fied
Priced from 179 800 to 209 800 yuan, which translates to between R432 313 and R504 445 when directly converted and without taxes, the Tai 7 is yet to be approved as a Denza for export markets.
