Bangkok Motor Show: BYD's BAO 5 Debuts, Equipped with Three Differential Locks

Many people are familiar with the TANK 300, and when I saw the BYD Tangbao BAO 5 at the Bangkok Motor Show, the first thing that came to my mind was the TANK 300. They are bound to have fierce competition because these two cars seem quite similar to me. They both have square and rugged designs, both emphasize an off-road route, and both have decent off-road capabilities.

However, the model that appeared at the auto show this time is a left-hand drive model. For reference, the price of BAO 5 in the Chinese market is RMB 289,800-352,800 (approximately THB 1,460,000-1,777,000).

The BAO 5 has a square and rugged body shape, which is very much in line with the classic silhouette of traditional off-road vehicles. The front grille of the new car is connected to the big light set, and is designed as a ring light belt effect, which looks very cool, and the Equation Leopard brand LOGO is placed in the center of the grille. The front bumper is thick and sturdy, not only giving it a wild appearance but also boasting a 39° approach angle. There are anchor points on both sides of the front lower bumper for towing purposes.

The side profile of BAO 5 is also very enduring with rich details: side rear-view cameras are equipped at the front fenders, supporting a 360° imaging function; the door handles are designed in a traditional style, highlighting a stiff look, and they also support Bluetooth and NFC key functions; roof luggage racks and fixed pedals are standard across the range, and owners can also choose to install electric pedals; the black protective plates around the lower body of the car are robust and hardcore, which showcases its wildness.

In terms of size, the length, width, and height of the BAO 5 are 4890/1970/1920mm, with a wheelbase of 2800mm. In terms of off-road passability, the BAO 5 has an approach angle of 35°, a departure angle of 32°, a longitudinal pass angle of 20°, and a minimum ground clearance of 220mm; for models equipped with a Yunnian-P standard version intelligent control system, the minimum ground clearance can reach 310mm.

In the rear part of the car, the BAO 5 tail door is opened to the left, the taillight is a back type design, with a square and strong rear profile shape, and the overall atmosphere is sufficient. Below the high-mounted brake light, there is also a camera. The rear bumper of the new car is decorated with silver protective panels and has two anchor points, in addition to the two at the front of the car, making a total of four hard connection anchor points for the entire vehicle. This allows for effective towing from any angle in case the vehicle gets stuck off-road or needs to rescue other vehicles.

BAO 5 adopts a new interior design style, which is very different from the models currently on sale by BYD. The overall shape of the interior is steady and parallel, with more rugged lines and square elements. In addition to the lock ring handles and door buckles on both sides of the door, it exudes a tough atmosphere. The center console is equipped with three screens, including a 15.6-inch 2.5K high-definition central multimedia screen, a 12.3-inch full-liquid crystal instrument screen, and a 12.3-inch co-pilot multimedia entertainment screen. It also comes with a Filink intelligent cockpit.

BAO 5 is also very rich in configuration, including 11 safety airbags, Nappa leather seats, heat pump air conditioning, streaming rearview mirrors, onboard cold and warm compressor refrigerators, active aroma systems, L2 level driver assistance systems, rear privacy glass, 18-speaker Devialet sound system (with pillow speakers), 50-inch AR-HUD, multi-color ambient lights, electric open-close panoramic sunroof, and metal welcome pedal, among other configurations.

In terms of the power system, BAO 5 is equipped with an EHS hybrid system composed of a longitudinal 1.5T high-power engine and front and rear dual motors. The maximum power of the engine is 143 kilowatts, and the peak torque is 273 N·m; the maximum power of the front axle motor is 200 kilowatts, and the peak torque is 360 N·m; the maximum power of the rear axle motor is 285 kilowatts, and the peak torque is 400 N·m; the comprehensive power of the system is 515 kilowatts, and the comprehensive torque is 760 N·m. In addition, it is equipped with an intelligent electrical four-wheel drive system, the official 0-100 km/h acceleration time is 4.8 seconds, and the power consumption is 7.8L/100km.

In terms of battery life, the BAO 5 is equipped with a 31.8 kWh battery pack. Under CLTC conditions, the pure electric range is 125 kilometers, while the comprehensive range exceeds 1200 kilometers. Additionally, the new car has an onboard power generation capacity of 20 kW, and supports DC fast charging (100 kW) and AC slow charging (6 kW). It also supports V2L and V2V external power output functions with a discharge power of 6 kW.

In terms of crucial off-road capability, the BAO 5 is equipped with a top-tier configuration featuring "front and rear electronic differential locks + energy central lock," which supports low-speed four-wheel drive (4L) and leopard-style turning mode. Its chassis adopts a front and rear double-wishbone independent suspension, along with the Yunche-P active hydraulic body control system. The suspension's maximum adjustable travel reaches 140 millimeters, with a maximum ground clearance of 310mm and a maximum wading depth of 790mm.