BYD SEALION 7: A Very Expensive SUV or a Family Sports Car?

BYD covers a very broad range with its new SEALION 7, so much so that we’re not quite sure what category of car we’re dealing with!

The SEALION 7 is the seventh 100% electric model launched by BYD in Europe, and the fourth model in the Ocean series after the DOLPHIN, the SEAL, and the SEAL U. With a total length of 4,830 mm and a wheelbase of 2,930 mm, an autonomy of up to 502 km WLTP, and impressive performance with 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, it is certainly worth attention.

The side profile is decidedly dynamic with a low front balanced by a “fastback” prow adorned with a rear fin. The clean design is enhanced by flush door handles that disappear into the door when the SEALION 7 is in motion. The front features a “X” patterned motif, familiar from other models in the Ocean series, while at the rear, the full-width lighting signature includes the latest evolution of teardrop-shaped lights. 

Thanks to dual V-shaped magnets and a stator coil fill rate of 92% with flat wire winding, the rear motor of the SEALION 7 can spin at 23,000 rpm, making it the fastest production electric motor in the world. It develops a power of 230 kW and a torque of 380 Nm, playing a key role in both driving configurations.

In the rear-wheel-drive Comfort version, the SEALION 7 can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 215 km/h. In the Design AWD and Excellence AWD models, an additional 160 kW unit on the front axle provides all-wheel drive and combined power of 390 kW and 690 Nm torque. The top speed remains limited to 215 km/h, but acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is now only 4.5 seconds.

Priority on technology at BYD

The rear-wheel-drive Comfort models and the AWD Design feature an 82.5 kWh Blade battery. This suffices, in the single-motor version, to achieve a combined WLTP range of 482 km, while the AWD Design version with two motors offers an WLTP range of 456 km. The high-performance Excellence AWD model benefits from a larger 91.3 kWh battery, which means that besides matching the superior performance of the AWD Design, it has the longest range of all SEALION 7s, at 502 km WLTP.

All versions of the SEALION 7 come standard with an 11 kW three-phase AC charging system and a rapid DC charging system. The Comfort and Design versions can be charged at a maximum rate of 150 kW, allowing the battery to go from 10% to 80% in 32 minutes. The Excellence AWD, with its larger battery, can reach 230 kW on fast chargers. Its larger battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes.

The prices are not yet known for France, but will match the technical specifications. In Belgium, it has been on sale since November 16 at a price of 48,999 euros for the Comfort version, 51,990 euros for the Design, and 56,490 euros for the top-of-the-line Excellence. When you consider this model is offered for less than 25,000 euros in China…

Main Technical Features of BYD SEALION 7

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