Chinese EV maker BYD has filed a design patent in India for the Leopard 8, possibly hinting at an upcoming launch here. The Leopard 8 is a body-on-frame, plug-in hybrid luxury off-roader that’s sold globally under two of BYD’s sub-brands (depending on the market), namely as the Fangchengbao Bao 8 and the Denza B8. Its design patent was first submitted in India on September 30, 2024, and was approved on April 24, 2026.
- Leopard 8 looks tough and boxy, dimensionally close to Defender 110
- Three-row cabin gets triple screens, 4-spoke steering wheel and more
- PHEV setup comprises 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, 36.8kWh battery and dual motors
- 100km all-electric range and 1,200km total driving range (claimed figures)
BYD Leopard 8 design patent: What does it reveal?
The SUV in the design patent looks identical to the Leopard 8 sold internationally, which isn’t a bad thing, as the styling is butch and muscular. In fact, the Leopard 8 even won a Red Dot Design Award in 2025. It is 5,195mm long, 1,994mm wide and 1,905mm high and sits on a 2,920mm wheelbase, which isn’t all that far from the Land Rover Defender 110’s dimensions.
Up front, the Leopard 8 features rectangular headlights connected by a thin LED strip atop the 6-slat grille, and lower down, the bumper gets generous black cladding and a muscular silver skid plate. Also noticeable in the patent is a trio of roof-mounted LiDAR sensors for the Leopard 8’s Huawei-made Qiankun ADAS suite, as well as thick roof rails.
Over to the side, the Leopard 8 has a boxy profile characterised by design elements such as blacked-out pillars, large alloy wheels, squared-off cladding and outside rearview mirrors (ORVMs), retractable door handles and bulging fenders. At the back, the off-roader prominently sports a tailgate-mounted spare wheel, a flat rear windscreen, rectangular tail-lamps with C-shaped DRL signatures and a cladding-heavy bumper with a chunky skid plate.
BYD Leopard 8 interior and features
Inside, the Leopard 8 is an upmarket and tech-laden affair. A triple-screen setup – 12.3-inch driver’s display, 17.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and 12.3-inch passenger display – takes centre stage on the dashboard, along with a four-spoke steering wheel. The centre console features a storage space underneath, dual wireless charging pads, an aircraft-style gear selector, loads of buttons and toggles and a large armrest.
Other notable creature comforts include ambient lighting, auto park assist, an 18-speaker sound system, a fragrance circulation system and more. As for seating configurations, the Leopard 8 is available as either a 6-seater (second-row captain’s chairs) or a 7-seater in most markets where it’s sold. In China, a 5-seater configuration is also on offer.
BYD Leopard 8 powertrain and performance
The body-on-frame Leopard 8 comes equipped with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that pairs a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a 36.8kWh battery, dual-motor setup. Combined output is pegged at a whopping 748hp and 760Nm, routed to all four wheels via an e-CVT automatic – 0-100kph comes up in a claimed 4.8 seconds.
Thanks to its sizeable battery pack, the Leopard 8 delivers a WLTP-certified all-electric range of 100km. Meanwhile, the total driving range is claimed at 1,200km, per CLTC testing.
Uday Singh
Dhruv Dhaka
Glenn Noronha
