The BYD Seal is here to carve space for a sedan in a SUV dominated EV market. BYD, the world leader in EVs, is yet to make a mark in the Indian auto sector. Can they change with their third car? Taking inspiration from the Ocean, it's called the Seal. Here's what BYD revealed about it today in the launch.
How are the looks of BYD Seal?
The BYD seal is a good-looking car. For the geeks, it's 4,800mm long, 1,875mm in width and 1,460mm in height. BYD has stuck to its Ocean X concept that dates back to 2021. The design highlights are a coupe-like roof made of glass, a full-length LED on the rear bumper, four LED DRLs shaped like a boomerang, LED headlamps with a C shape below them, and hidden door handles. The 19-inch alloy wheels take inspiration from nature and have a petal-like shape. You can buy it in Arctic Blue, Aurora White, Atlantis Grey and Cosmos Black. The curvy coupe-like Seal gives a much-needed break from the boxy SUV designs we see so often these days.
What powers the BYD Seal?
You can buy two battery configurations according to your budget and need for speed: the smaller 61.44kWh one and a larger 82.56kWh one. BYD has used its blade technology with both these batteries.
Coming to performance figures, you'll get a decent 204hp of power and 310 Nm of torque with the smaller battery. It uses one motor at the rear to push the two-ton sedan. BYD claims you can run it for 510 km on a full charge in the NEDC cycle.
A similar RWD version of the bigger battery is available with better 312 hp of power and 360 Nm of torque. This comes with a 640 km of claimed range. The real meat is in the AWD version, though. The 530 hp of power and 670 Nm of instant torque are bound to push you into your seat! BYD says you can touch 100 kmph from a standing position in a mere 3.8 seconds. They also claim it will last you 580 km.
When you run out of battery after pushing it to the limits, you have multiple options to top up. You can prepare it for your next adventure by charging it 10-80 per cent in 37 minutes. If you are done for the day, plug it in your average 11kW AC charger, take a long 8.6-hour sleep, and it'll have gone from nil to 100.
It's also a good camping companion with Vehicle to Load (V2L) charging for your appliances.
We're all sceptical about electric cars and reliability; BYD has also covered that. They offer an 8 year/1,60,000km warranty on the battery, while the motor and motor controller unit has an 8 year/1,50,000km warranty.
How does the BYD Seal’s Inside Look?
The first thing you'll notice in the cabin is the huge 15.6-inch infotainment panel that rotates to a portrait or landscape arrangement. The cabin also has flair with textures and lines all around. The instrument panel for the driver is a 10.25-inch screen, helped by a neat heads-up display. It's not all modern, as the center console has some buttons for controlling the audio and heating the windscreen. You also get a drive selector with two wireless charging pads resembling a crystal.
Which tech does BYD come with?
You get a memory-equipped 8-way electronically adjustable driver's seat, ventilated front seats that are excellent and head, dual-zone climate control, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and upholstery made of leatherette. Some handy features include extra 50-liter space in the frunk, automatic wipers, the powered tailgate and a 60:40 split to tuck away the rear seats.
What safety features does the BYD Seal have?
Euro NCAP awarded the Seal with a 5-star safety rating. You have many safety features, too, including ten airbags, ABS with hill hold, a 360-degree camera, and ADAS tech.
How heavy is the BYD Seal to the Pocket?
You can book it for a token amount of Rs 1.25 lakh. The Dynamic variant with a 61.44kWh battery and RWD will set you back Rs 41 lakh.
The Premium costs Rs 45.55 lakh, while the Performance pack comes at Rs 53 lakh. The premium and performance pack get the 82.56kWh battery, the difference being RWD in Premium and AWD in performance.
If you plan to book one, prefer doing it before March 31, 2024, as you'll get services such as free installation of a home charger, a 3kW portable charging box and six years of roadside assistance, among others.
What are the other options to the BYD Seal?
While they don't share the body type, there are a couple of EVs that pose a threat to Seal's sales. These include the Hyundai Ioniq 5 priced at Rs 45.95 lakh (ex-showroom), the Kia EV6 at Rs 60.95 lakh-65.95 lakh and the Volvo XC40 Recharge at Rs 57.90 lakh.
