Autos: São Paulo

BYD has launched a flex-fuel plug-in hybrid built for Brazil, the ethanol-capable Song Pro Super Híbrido Flex, its first hybrid tuned to the country’s biofuel and pairing electric driving with an engine that runs on gasoline or ethanol.

BYD built its new flex-fuel plug-in hybrid for the Brazilian market. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons). (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

BYD flex-fuel hybrid. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

BYD Brings a Flex-Fuel Hybrid to Brazil

Chinese automaker BYD presented the Song Pro Super Híbrido Flex on 4 August 2026 at an event in Sertãozinho, in the interior of São Paulo state. It is the company’s first plug-in hybrid engineered specifically for Brazil’s flex-fuel market, where cars have long been able to run on either gasoline or ethanol.

The launch is distinct from BYD’s well-documented factory build-out in the country. This story is about the product: a hybrid whose combustion engine is certified to burn ethanol, the sugarcane-based fuel that fills a large share of Brazilian tanks.

Combining a plug-in hybrid powertrain with flex-fuel capability is unusual globally, but it targets a specific Brazilian reality. Drivers here are used to choosing ethanol or gasoline at the pump based on price, and BYD is adapting its technology to that habit.

How the Flex-Fuel Powertrain Works

The Song Pro uses BYD’s DM-i 5.0 hybrid system built around a 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle engine that can run on gasoline or ethanol. The company says thermal efficiency rises to 46.06%, up from 43.04% in the previous generation, a gain that matters for fuel economy.

As a plug-in hybrid, the car can drive on electricity alone for shorter trips and switch to the combustion engine for longer ones. BYD cites about 57 km of electric-only range on the entry GL and roughly 72 km on the higher GS, with the engine extending total range well beyond that.

On BYD’s figures, combined range reaches up to 1,105 km using gasoline and 805 km using ethanol, reflecting ethanol’s lower energy density. Combined output is around 218 horsepower on the GL and 219 on the GS, with 300 Nm of torque in both.

Pricing and Availability

The Song Pro Super Híbrido Flex comes in two trims. The GL is priced at R$176,990 (about US$34,800) and the GS at R$199,990 (about US$39,400). BYD says the GL is roughly R$13,000 (about US$2,600) cheaper than the outgoing generation, a rare price cut in a market used to steady increases.

Both versions are available across BYD’s Brazilian network of 233 dealerships, giving the launch immediate national reach rather than a slow regional rollout. That distribution footprint reflects how quickly the brand has scaled in the country.

By pricing the flex hybrid below R$200,000, BYD is aiming at Brazil’s upper-mid mainstream segment, where buyers weigh running costs closely. The ethanol option is a direct appeal to drivers who track pump prices week to week.

Why Ethanol Capability Matters in Brazil

Brazil is one of the world’s largest ethanol producers, and flex-fuel cars that switch freely between the biofuel and gasoline have dominated new-car sales for two decades. A hybrid that ignores ethanol would be at odds with how the local market actually refuels.

Ethanol is typically cheaper per litre than gasoline and is produced domestically from sugarcane, giving it both a cost and an energy-security appeal. For many Brazilian drivers, the ability to fill up with ethanol is not a novelty but an expectation.

By certifying its hybrid engine for ethanol, BYD is trying to blunt a common criticism of pure electric vehicles in Brazil, that charging infrastructure is still thin outside major cities. A flex plug-in hybrid lets owners charge when they can and refuel with ethanol when they cannot.

A Fast-Growing Brand Presses Its Advantage

The launch lands as BYD posts record Brazilian sales. July 2026 was its strongest month in the country, with 23,465 vehicles sold, more than double the roughly 9,680 units of July 2025, lifting it to about a 9.1% share and fourth place among carmakers.

That momentum gives BYD leverage to expand its lineup and localize technology for Brazilian tastes. A flex-fuel hybrid is a clear signal that the company intends to compete on the incumbents’ home turf, not just sell imported electric models.

The open question is whether ethanol-capable hybrids can broaden BYD’s appeal beyond early EV adopters to mainstream buyers wary of full electrification. If the Song Pro sells well, expect rivals to accelerate their own flex-hybrid plans for the Brazilian market.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is BYD’s new flex-fuel hybrid?

It is the Song Pro Super Híbrido Flex, a plug-in hybrid launched for Brazil on 4 August 2026. Its 1.5-litre engine can run on gasoline or ethanol, paired with an electric motor and battery in BYD’s DM-i 5.0 system.

How much does the BYD Song Pro flex hybrid cost?

The GL version is priced at R$176,990 (about US$34,800) and the GS at R$199,990 (about US$39,400). Both are sold through BYD’s network of 233 dealerships in Brazil.

How far can it travel on ethanol?

BYD cites a combined range of up to 805 km using ethanol and up to 1,105 km using gasoline. Electric-only range is about 57 km on the GL and roughly 72 km on the GS.