BYD Previews Third-Gen Qin Plus as Family Sedan Sales Slide

BYD has pulled the wraps back a little further on the next Qin Plus, publishing high-resolution exterior shots of the third-generation sedan as it works to revive a model line that has lost serious ground this year.

The images landed on Weibo via Lu Tian, who runs sales for BYD’s Dynasty lineup. His post follows last week’s teaser, which focused on size and cabin space, and this time the emphasis is on sheet metal.

According to Lu, the redesign brings a wide front fascia, a fastback roofline and a fuller rear end. A set of full-width taillights with a Chinese knot motif ties up the back, and there’s a fresh island blue paint option on the list.

What the filing already tells us

The electric version surfaced in a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology catalog on October 16, and the numbers paint a picture of a sedan that has grown. Length is now 4,840 mm, width 1,900 mm and height 1,498 mm, with a 2,800 mm wheelbase. Five seats inside.

Qin Plus EV filing specs: 4,840 mm long · 1,900 mm wide · 2,800 mm wheelbase · 100 kW (134 hp) permanent magnet synchronous motor · LFP battery · 170 km/h top speed

Those figures apply to the BEV only — last week’s teaser showed the DM-i plug-in hybrid, and the regulatory data doesn’t carry over to it. BYD hasn’t mentioned pricing or a launch date yet, so the rollout is clearly being staged.

The current Qin Plus sits at the bottom of the Qin family, with EV and DM-i variants running from 79,800 yuan to 131,800 yuan. Above it are the Qin L (96,800–139,800 yuan) and the Qin Max, which arrived in August from 99,900 yuan to 143,900 yuan. Earlier this year, BYD gave the 2026 Qin Plus DM-i a bump to 210 km of CLTC electric range.

The sales picture is the real story

The refresh isn’t happening in a vacuum. Qin family volume has been sliding hard: 207,589 units in the first nine months, a 54.71% drop year-on-year. September alone accounted for 23,472 cars, down 65.27% from a year earlier, though that was up 7.54% on August.

The comparison with recent history is stark. In September 2024 the Qin line moved 75,785 vehicles; a year later it was 67,577. This year’s September figure is roughly a third of the 2024 number.

BYD hasn’t been sitting still elsewhere in its range. The Da Han EV launched on October 13, and the second-generation Seagull followed on October 20. A third-gen Tang is also waiting in the wings for a fourth-quarter debut.

For now, the Qin Plus teaser campaign is doing what teasers do — building anticipation without answers. Shoppers will want the two things BYD hasn’t given them: a price and a date.