BYD Ti7 PHEV for Canada Points to Second-Gen Blade Cell, Leak Suggests

A partial specification sheet for the BYD Ti7 — sold under the Fang Cheng Bao brand in China — plug-in hybrid SUV has surfaced inside a vehicle parked at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto. The document, photographed on the passenger seat and posted to the r/EVCanada forum by user 'baptizedinprosecco,' identifies the vehicle as a 'BYD Ti7 PHEV SUV' and marks the second time the model has been spotted in the country. The Ti7 at the Sheraton Centre appears to be the same model previously photographed in Montreal in late August alongside a BYD Sealion 7, which marked the first confirmed presence of a Fangchengbao sub-brand vehicle in Canada. The earlier photographs showed a black Ti7 with its deep slatted grille — consistent with a range-extended powertrain rather than a sealed battery-electric front. The spec sheet now confirms the vehicle is a PHEV, not a pure EV, equipped with a second-generation Blade Battery in an all-wheel-drive layout. The spec sheet's presence also separates this sighting from a casual evaluation import. Printed PR material with detailed specifications points to a structured evaluation programme rather than a one-off test drive. Furthermore, the info sheet reveals a powertrain configuration that does not exist in BYD's Chinese domestic lineup, as the company uses its second-generation Blade Battery exclusively in fully electric models. The latest generation was unveiled in early March alongside the company's Flash Charging system and entered mass production in ten battery-electric vehicles. These included the Ti7 EV Flash Charge Edition, which launched on April 29 at 199,800 yuan ($29,800). No plug-in hybrid variant sold in China carries the upgraded cell. A PHEV AWD pairing with the second-generation battery would represent a configuration tailored specifically for overseas markets. What the Spec Sheet Shows The left edge of the document is cut off, obscuring most field labels. Visible values read as follows: dimensions of approximately 4,999 × 1,995 × 1,885 millimetres on a 2,920-millimetre wheelbase, 970 litres of cargo volume in standard configuration, AWD, a 0–100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds. A 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, fuel consumption of 8.5L/100km and a top speed of 220 km/h (136.7 miles) were also listed. Export-market variants of other BYD models have previously shown dimensional differences tied to bumper and lighting changes required by local crash regulations, and a height adjustment would be consistent with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) compliance work. Why the Battery Matters BYD's second-generation Blade Battery uses lithium iron phosphate chemistry with energy density above 210 Wh/kg, about 5% higher than the first-generation cell. Paired with the Flash Charging system, the cell charges from 10% to 70% in five minutes and from 10% to 97% in nine minutes. At -30°C (-22°F) — a temperature relevant to Canadian winters — charging from 20% to 97% takes 12 minutes, according to data BYD presented at the March launch. The Chinese-market Ti7 PHEV uses first-generation Blade cells in 26.6 kWh and 35.6 kWh capacities, delivering CLTC electric ranges of 135 and 200 kilometres respectively. A longer-range 50 kWh variant launched on August 18 with 315 kilometers (195.7 miles) of CLTC range, but still uses first-generation chemistry. Placing the second-generation cell in a plug-in hybrid for Canada would give the Ti7 improved cold-weather charging performance and higher energy density in a market where winter conditions degrade battery range. A PHEV carrying the newer chemistry could also access BYD's fast-charging infrastructure once deployed outside China — the company is targeting 20,000 Flash Charging stations by the end of 2026, with plans to expand overseas. China Launch Fang Cheng Bao, BYD's off-road sub-brand, launched the Tai 7 in China on September 9, 2025, with production and deliveries having begun the previous month. Four plug-in hybrid trims opened from 179,800 ($26,800) to 219,800 yuan ($32,800), with CLTC electric range running 135 to 200 km (84.0 to 124.3 miles) depending on battery size and combined range topping 1,300 km (807.8 miles). The SUV became the brand's top seller, passing 50,000 units in roughly 80 days and 200,000 within ten months. BYD followed with a battery-electric Flash Charge version in late April, with up to 755 km (469.1 miles) CLTC range and charging rated at 10-70% in about five minutes. UK Launch BYD confirmed UK pricing and specification for the model — badged Ti 7 — on July 31, 2026, roughly a month after the seven-seat variant appeared in China. The car launches in a single Excellence AWD trim from £47,995 ($64,900), marking the UK's first appearance of BYD's DM-p Super Hybrid powertrain: three motors and a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine combining for 408PS, a 4.8-second 0-62mph time and 74 miles of electric-only range from a 35.6kWh Blade Battery. Deliveries start in January 2027. The Plant Issue Fangchengbao assembles the Ti7 at three plants: Changsha in Hunan, Hefei in Anhui and Jinan in Shandong. None appears in Transport Canada's Appendix G pre-authorization registry for passenger vehicles. BYD's Shenzhen and Xi'an plants hold Appendix G listings, and Reuters reported in June that the company had begun compliance procedures for two passenger models, one from each plant. Appendix G operates at plant level: a vehicle from an unlisted factory cannot ride on an existing registration. As EV reported in late August, bringing the Ti7 to Canada at volume would require either a new Appendix G entry — Transport Canada paused new passenger-vehicle applications last year — or case-by-case approval at the vehicle identification number level, a process that cannot scale. Fangchengbao, Denza and Yangwang hold no separate Appendix G listings of their own. BYD's Canadian Build-Up The spec sheet sighting comes as BYD accelerates its Canadian preparations across multiple fronts. The company added a 'coming soon' notice to its Canadian website in late August and was advertising eleven management roles across Toronto and Vancouver, including head of sales, marketing, network development and infrastructure business development. BYD Canada Company Limited is registered at 60 Travail Road in Markham, Ontario, and advisory firm Dealer Solutions Mergers & Acquisitions has been engaged to identify dealership sites, with its chief executive telling Reuters in June that six stores were targeted for the first year. BYD has announced no Canadian launch date, no confirmed models and no prices. Executive VP Stella Li told Bloomberg in March that the company was studying a wholly owned Canadian plant and was open to acquiring a legacy automaker's capacity, but ruled out the joint-venture structure Ottawa had pressed for.