According to Jinnui District Traffic Police, a Qin Plus DM-i caught fire immediately after a collision involving three vehicles on Beltway 3 in Chengdu city, Sichuan province, on 17/7. Fortunately, all occupants managed to escape before the flames consumed the car. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) was subsequently burned down to its frame.
Video of the fire circulated on social media. Authorities have not yet released a conclusion regarding the cause of the blaze.
Speaking to the Paper newspaper, the car owner, Mr. Ha, stated that he and his front-seat passenger were momentarily unconscious immediately after the collision. Mr. Ha reported that both the front and curtain airbags deployed, but the car's doors were jammed and could not be opened. Both occupants then had to climb out through the windows just moments before the fire erupted and spread throughout the cabin.
Mr. Ha added that the fire originated from the rear of the vehicle shortly after another vehicle forcefully struck it from behind.
However, this remains an eyewitness account and is not an official technical conclusion. Police have not yet disclosed information about the fire's ignition point, nor is it clear whether the blaze originated from the fuel system, electrical components, or another system.
Based on images from the scene and the owner's feedback, the vehicle involved was identified as a white plug-in hybrid BYD Qin Plus DM-i sedan.
Unlike the all-electric Qin Plus EV version, the DM-i version features a large matrix-dot grille to provide cooling air for its internal combustion engine. The car bears a green license plate designated for new energy vehicles (NEV).
The Chengdu fire continues a recent series of incidents involving BYD vehicles, though the nature of each event varies.
In June, a collision occurred between a plug-in hybrid BYD Qin L and a Mazda3. In that incident, the Mazda caught fire after the accident, while the Qin L's battery pack remained intact.
Previously, in March, a BYD Seal also caught fire after a collision in Hong Kong. The driver managed to escape before the flames destroyed the cabin.
Despite BYD continuously launching new models, the Qin Plus maintains its position as one of the company's best-selling vehicle lines.
Data from China EV DataTracker for June shows the Qin Plus EV line achieved sales of 13,726 units, ranking fourth in BYD's product portfolio and accounting for 7.7% of the company's total sales. This model ranked behind the Yuan UP (17,945 units), Song Pro DM-i (17,439 units), and Sealion 06 (16,843 units), but ahead of the Dolphin (13,005 units).
My Anh (according to CarNewsChina)
