The new 48V platform allows the battery life to be extended to the expected life of the car, and support the transition to all-LED lighting, Electronic Parking Systems, hybrid and regenerative braking, idle start-stop energy management, automatic engine starts, low rolling resistance and advanced aero-dynamic designs.

48VDC systems are not hindered by the line/harness power losses experienced with normal lower-voltage systems, BYD notes. The company is also implementing low-voltage, large-torque, double-winding motor technologies for battery-acceleration-assist and regenerative braking. These changes have been shown to save as much as 1.5 liters of fuel/100km, the company said. (on a 30 mpg car, that’s as much as a 7 mpg improvement!).

Also part of the “Green Hybrid” initiative is BYD’s “Insta-Pure” cabin filtering technology to help protect drivers and passengers from PM_2.5 by quickly rotating cabin air, scrubbing and filtering it, all in less than 3-5 minutes. The first production vehicles launching with this advanced cabin purification system are the new BYD S6 Premier models—debuting at this year’s Shanghai show.

The purification technology is integrated into the vehicle’s air conditioning system and detects the inside and outside particulate matter levels, triggering auto-air-filtering equipment.