BYD Leopard 8 Hybrid SUV Design Patented In India

Chinese electric vehicle major BYD has filed a design patent in India for its Leopard 8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, a move that may be a signal to the upcoming launch of the model. The Leopard 8 is a body-on-frame, full size luxury off-roader offered globally under BYD's Fangchengbao Bao 8 and Denza B8 sub-brands. Its Indian design registration closely mirrors the global model.

Exterior

The Leopard 8's design patent reveals a rugged, boxy silhouette reminiscent of premium body-on-frame SUVs. Taking a closer look at the numbers, its dimensions are close to those of the Land Rover Defender 110. It measures 5,195 mm in length, 1,994 mm in width, 1,905 mm in height, and runs on a 2,920 mm wheelbase. 

Talking of design, the front end features rectangular LED headlights connected by a slim light strip above a six slat grille, large black cladding, and a prominent silver skid plate, while the roof hosts a set of three roof mounted LiDAR sensors for the Huawei developed Qiankun ADAS suite and thick roof rails.

BYD Leopard 8 design patent

Along the flanks, the SUV wears a boxy profile with blacked out pillars, chunky wheel arches, large alloy wheels, and large, square shaped ORVMs, along with flush type retractable door handles. At the rear, the most distinctive feature is a tailgate mounted spare wheel, paired with a flat rear windscreen, rectangular tail lamps with C-shaped DRL signatures, and a heavily cladded bumper with another chunky skid plate.

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Cabin

Inside, the Leopard 8 leans toward a premium, tech heavy cabin. The dashboard is dominated by a triple screen layout comprising a 12.3-inch driver's instrument cluster, a 17.3-inch central infotainment touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch front passenger display, with a four spoke steering wheel. The centre console incorporates an aircraft style gear selector, dual wireless charging pads, a storage compartment underneath, an armrest, and a generous array of buttons and toggles.

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Additional features noted in the design include ambient lighting, an auto park assist system, an 18-speaker audio setup, and a fragrance circulation system. Seating is offered in 5, 6, or 7-seat formats depending on the market, with the 6-seat layout using captain's chairs in the second row and a 7-seat configuration adding a third row bench.

Powertrain, Performance

The Leopard 8 is underpinned by a plug-in hybrid setup that combines a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol inline-four engine with a 36.8 kWh BYD Blade lithium-iron-phosphate battery and a dual-motor electric drivetrain. Combined system output is rated at 748 hp and 760 Nm of torque, with drive delivered to all four wheels via an e-CVT automatic; the company claims a 0-100 kmph sprint time of 4.8 seconds.

On electric power alone, the Leopard 8 is said to deliver a WLTP-certified pure-electric range of 100 km, while its total combined driving range is claimed at 1,200 km under CLTC testing.