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The BYD SEALION 6 is the carmaker's spanking new SUV. Here's what you need to know about it. Following the increasing popular BYD SEALION 7 that was launched at the Singapore Motor Show early this year, the leading carmaker in Singapore just pulled the covers off yet another new five-seater SUV. Dubbed the BYD SEALION 6, the SUV goes up against the likes of the Jaecoo J7 as well as the Toyota Harrier. Here are six things you should know about the SEALION 6. The BYD SEALION 6 DM-i comes with a 1.5-litre engine underneath its bonnet, together with an 18.3kWh battery and an electric motor 1. It's a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Yup, you read that right. The BYD SEALION 6 is a PHEV that sees a combination of a 1.5-litre engine, an 18.3kWh battery and an electric motor underneath the sheet metal. Together, they send a total combined output of 215bhp and 300Nm of torque to the front wheels. As a result, the car goes from nought to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds. But because of the way the car drives, with the power and torque delivered smoothly and quietly, and the engine acting more like a power generator, it feels faster in real-world driving. Despite constantly driving up and down slopes in Genting, I never had to charge the car once 2. Over a 1,200km of driving range Speaking of real-world driving, the SEALION 6 is capable of over a 1,200km of driving range, which should come as no surprise as having an impressive driving range is one of the benefits of a PHEV. But where the new BYD stands out is its ability to recharge the battery pack easily and efficiently. During my time with the car in Malaysia, the car's battery pack easily recuperated when driven lightly, and efficiently so when the car was gliding down roads. On one occasion, I managed to recuperate as much as 9% over a span of just 10 minutes of driving. Over the course of four days in Malaysia, or 17 hours on the road, I never once recharged the car's battery pack. The BYD SEALION 6 DM-i provides the best of both worlds - petrol and electricity 3. Range anxiety? It's a thing of a past... With a range like that, there is no more cause for range anxiety. Sure, the truth is that we managed some 762km over four days of seriously hard driving - up and down the steep slopes to Genting, with a boot space that's filled to the brim with our luggage and bags - until there was a need to refuel, but the battery still had 30% of juice and the tank had slightly over nine litres of fuel left. We wanted to push the car to its limits, but due to time constraints, we had to refuel before heading to our next stop. In reality, I doubt anyone who's interested in the BYD SEALION 6 will push the car so hard because there's a good chance buyers of this car will not be particular about its handling and dynamism. Instead, its ability to ferry occupants in comfort is what matters. For that, the SEALION 6 will not fail. The new BYD SUV is comfortable enough to constantly put a smile on your face when you're behind the wheel 4. It's not sporty. It's comfy, as it should be During my time with BYD's new plug-in hybrid, there was never a time when external noises intruded the cabin, thanks to the acoustic front glass. More relevantly as a family SUV, commonly found pot holes and broken tarmac on Malaysia roads never once sent a hint of vibration to the cabin. It's also precisely why it's so comfortable that makes the SEALION 6 more of a comfortable cruiser than an brutal bruiser. It may neither shatter speed records nor will it corner with aplomb like a low-slung sports car, but it'll definitely haul your loved ones around in comfort and safety. And there's just no putting a price tag for that. Need electricity to power your coffee machine on the go? No problem, the SEALION 6 got you covered 5. Comfort and convenience with V2L V2L, or Vehicle-to-Load, is a feature in some EVs that allows the vehicle's battery to power external devices and appliances. You can think of the EV as portable power bank. Enabled by an adapter that plugs into the car's charging port, or in some cases, an internal power outlet, and you're ready to have a nice outing with the family. In my case, we had durians and coffee with the BYD SEALION 6, which goes to show the V2L feature isn't just specific to EVs but to PHEVs as well. Need to power up that portable stove to cook for the kids during your picnic? Well, the new BYD will have you covered. 6. There will only be one variant in Singapore for now Unlike the different models in BYD's lineup, there will only be one variant of the BYD SEALION 6 DM-i in Singapore for now. Of course, depending on how well the car sells, BYD is ever ready to bring in different variants, if necessary. It wouldn't be such a bad thing, really, to have only one variant in Singapore, because we can imagine this to be the variant that hits the sweetest spot. Sufficient power that doesn't compromise on its fuel consumption, it’s lighter than an all-wheel driven dual-motor variant and it's fully specced with all the niceties that are often seen only in more premium models. So... what's not to like?

Looking for an SUV that can do it all? Well you're in luck as we have a video review of the Volvo XC60 T8 Plug-in hybrid! We go through the clever, understated looks of the XC60... And Julian gives Jon quite the stern lecture on Volvo's electrification strategy haha! The XC60 has an excellent cabin design, but no points for guessing what Jon is displeased about with here! Jon also delivers some interesting ideas about the layout of the rear seats! The XC60 T8 is a well-rounded SUV that delivers plenty of power and the additional option to save on fuel by plugging into a charger! Curious? Learn more from our full video review here!

Toyota's Plug-in Hybrid version of the Prius has just set a record-breaking economy run around the 20.6km Nurburgring Nordschleife with a figure of 698mpg. This equates to an astonishing 296.75km/L. Yup, this is no typo. While the official figure in the brochure says it can do 57km/L (which is also a very impressive figure on its own), it manages to return almost 300km/L because the 1.8-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine engages only once while negotiating a long uphill climb during the lap. OK, a 20 minute and 59 second lap time is not going to impress any petrolhead but knowing your car only consumed less than five tablespoons of fuel while not going lower than the track specified minimum average speed of 60km/h probably might. The car used for the run received no special treatment except for the uprated springs, lightweight 18-inch wheels, sports bumpers all round and a rear spoiler; all available off the shelf from TRD (Toyota Racing Development). It was also wearing low resistance tyres and was fully charged before setting off. Watch the clip below to see how they managed the amazing feat. http://dai.ly/x21k17m

Audi has released the A3 e-tron in the Avant body style at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. An 8.8-kWh lithium-ion battery sits under the floor beneath the rear seat, complete with a liquid cooling system. The plug-in hybrid is driven by a parallel hybrid drivetrain consisting of a turbocharged 150bhp 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine and a small electric motor integrated into the car's six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The electric motor generates 102bhp. The A3 e-tron goes to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds and is able to achieve a top speed of 222km/h. In a plug-in hybrid, the focus is on fuel efficiency. According to Audi, the vehicle uses petrol at a miserly 1.5L/100km and produces CO2 at a mere 35g/km. The A3 e-tron can be driven in hybrid, electric or gasoline mode. When driven in EV mode, the car provides a range of up to 49km. The fwd model is not scheduled for production yet.