Cleared for launch: Bargain BYD LandCruiser Prado rival one step closer as Fang Cheng Bao 5's incredible specs revealed

BYD's cut-price answer to vehicles like the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, Nissan Patrol and Ford Everest has been cleared for launch, with the Fang Cheng Bao 5 clearing its final regulatory hurdles ahead of launch.

The hybrid off-road SUV has been approved for sale by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, a necessity for domestic sales.

With that hurdle cleared, sales can begin, with an international rollout to follow.

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Billed as a rival for the Prado and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the Fang Cheng Bao could prove something of a bargain. According to international reports, the Fang Cheng Bao 5 will start at 300,000 yuan in China (around $A64,500) and top out at 400,000 yuan (around $A85,000) for the top-spec models.

For that, you get a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with twin electric motors (one at each axle) to deliver a potent 500kW and 760Nm. And because the plug-in hybrid is fitted with a bigger (31.4kWh) battery than a typical hybrid, the brand is promising a 120km all-electric driving range, as well as a 1200km total driving range when the fuel tank and battery are combined.

It should also be fast. BYD says the hybrid SUV will draw on all of its power sources to deliver a sprint to 100km/h of just 4.8 seconds. The new specs also reveal that the big SUV will accept standard home wallbox charging, but is also set up for 100kW DC fast charging - the latter taking just 16 minutes to fully recharge the battery.

Dubbed a "super hybrid", the Fang Cheng Bao 5 stretches 4890mm in length, 1970mm in width and 1920mm in height, and it rides on a 2800mm wheelbase. That makes the two-row, five-seat SUV marginally smaller than a full-size three-row SUV.

Inside, expect a massive 50.0-inch head-up display, twin touchscreens covering driver and passenger, and premium fittings throughout.

The off-road stuff is covered by its ladder-from chassis, complete with three differential locks, 18-inch Goodrich tyres, a decent-looking ride height, and the brand's Intelligent Hydraulic Body Control System, which can not only individually raise individual wheel heights by 200mm, but will also reportedly deliver a 200 per cent increase in stiffness when cornering.

A rear-drive intelligent torque control system reportedly shrinks the turning radius, while its "powerful drive and precise electronic control helps users effortlessly navigate through swampy terrains, rugged mountains, gravelly slopes, and many other extreme terrains".

“Many people think that the global e-mobility transition is a revolution in the automobile industry, where vehicles powered by fossil fuels get replaced by electric cars. However, from BYD, we believe this is only a minor part of the whole transition, and a greater realm is unfolding”, said Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD.

"BYD envisions that Fang Cheng Bao serves as the prelude to the revolution."

BYD is yet to confirm the SUV for our market, but the brand's local importer has made no secret of its intention to expand the line-up, so watch this space.