BYD launches Linghui, an EV sub-brand for taxis and ride-hailing: e5, e7, e9, M9

BYD has officially stepped into the passenger mobility arena with a new sub-brand, Linghui, focused entirely on taxis and ride-hailing services. The registry of China’s industry ministry now lists four models—the e5, e7, e9, and M9—each wearing a new logo and derived from BYD’s mass-market cars.

Until now, the company kept the e-series within its commercial division, but a push into the premium segment calls for separating utilitarian fleet models from image-driven ones. The creation of Linghui is meant to ease the load on the core brand and preserve its appeal to private buyers; on paper, it looks like a pragmatic split that should keep both sides of the business clearer.

The lineup reworks several of BYD’s popular vehicles. The Linghui e9 is based on the Han, fitted with a 135-kW or 150-kW motor and a 2,920-mm wheelbase. The e7 matches the dimensions of the Sealion 06 EV, while the e5 echoes the Qin Plus EV. The Linghui M9 MPV uses the BYD Xia platform, stretches beyond 5.2 meters, and is designed for intensive duty.

BYD had already been expanding the e-series for taxi use—for example, the e7 arrived in 2025 with a starting price of 103,800 yuan and quickly proved popular with fleet operators. Strong efficiency and low running costs made these cars appealing, yet they also carried the risk of diluting the brand’s image. The balance between scale and stature is the tightrope BYD is now choosing to walk more deliberately.