BYD’s success is largely attributed to its five sub-brands, each with distinct features, clear categories, and precise pricing strategies.
The first of the "royal family," the Dynasty series, is represented by models such as Han, Qin, and Song. Han is a groundbreaking vehicle for BYD. It has an impressive appearance, especially the front, which is quite striking. In my opinion, Han is the most aesthetically pleasing model in the Dynasty series. The second "son," the Ocean series, includes models like Seals, Seagulls, Lions, and Dolphins. The third "son" is Denza, the fourth is Fangcheng Leopard, and the fifth is Yangwang. The reasoning is simple: without the success of some models from the Dynasty and Ocean series, there wouldn't be the current popularity of Fangcheng Leopard, Denza, and Yangwang.
Among them, the hot sales of the Denza D9 was initially hard to explain, but its sales numbers are visibly high. Denza belongs to the luxury MPV segment, Fangcheng Leopard specializes in off-road vehicles, Yangwang focuses on ultra-luxury cars, and the Dynasty and Ocean series cater to the mass market.
There is also a need for a luxury brand between BYD’s main brand and Yangwang. Similar to the tiering between Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche, brand awareness needs to be cultivated. Denza D9 helps anchor the pricing and elevate the brand’s tone, setting the floor at the 300.000 RMB level, followed by models like Denza Z9 GT.
Each of BYD’s five sub-brands serves a different market position. The Dynasty and Ocean series are like Toyota, Denza is akin to Lexus, Fangcheng Leopard fills the niche of personalized luxury (perhaps not limited to just off-road vehicles, as it could also include sports cars like the Lexus GX, LC, and RC), and Yangwang is China's answer to the Toyota Century and Porsche.
So, why did BYD establish five sub-brands? BYD’s five sub-brands exist for the market. The market is vast, and no one wants to give up a share. Just like BYD, which has become the undisputed king of the mid-to-low-end market, do you see other automakers stopping their competition?
It’s similar to when Mercedes was dominating in China — did BMW and Audi stop competing? And that’s just the top-tier luxury brands. There are countless second-tier brands waiting to pounce. BYD’s multiple models across its five sub-brands, like “dumplings,” are for the sake of market competition.
