One of BYD’s top-selling electric vehicles in Ethiopia, the Song Plus, has been removed from the Chinese automaker’s Ocean lineup as part of a broader effort to streamline its global product portfolio.
The Shenzhen-based carmaker has pared back its Ocean series to four models — the Seal, Sealion, Seagull and Dolphin — according to its China website. The Song Plus, previously offered as both a fully electric vehicle and a plug-in hybrid, will now be sold exclusively under BYD’s Dynasty lineup.
The move reflects BYD’s ongoing effort to simplify its expanding model range as competition intensifies in China’s electric vehicle market. The company has confirmed that the Sealion 06 will replace the Song Plus in the Ocean series as part of a routine product transition.
Despite the change, the Song remains one of BYD’s best-selling nameplates globally. The series sold 788,003 vehicles in 2025, accounting for just over seventeen percent of the automaker’s total annual sales. The Ocean version of the Song Plus contributed 400,920 units, while the Dynasty variant sold 387,083.
In Ethiopia, the Song Plus has emerged as one of the most visible electric SUVs on the road, driven by strong demand for long-range battery vehicles and rising fuel costs.
Brand new 2025 electric versions are currently listed between five point five million and six point six million birr, with flagship trims typically selling for around six million to six point four million birr, according to market listings in Addis Ababa. Used models from 2024 and 2025 are priced from four point nine million to six point five million birr, depending on mileage and condition.
The plug-in hybrid version, known as the Song Plus DM-i, is less common and significantly more expensive, with 2025 models listed at 6.8 million to over eight million birr.
The Song Plus offers a driving range of up to 605 kilometres under China’s CLTC testing cycle and competes locally with hybrid crossovers such as the Toyota Corolla Cross and Suzuki Grand Vitara, which often sell for 6.5 million birr or more.
While BYD is reshaping its international lineup to focus on newer models, Ethiopian demand for the Song Plus remains resilient. Dealers say supply constraints, foreign exchange availability and import duties continue to influence pricing, but interest in fully electric vehicles is rising.