BYD has announced its new Sealion 7 SUV will start from £44,990, undercutting the rival Tesla Model Y by £2000.
It's the brand’s first European model to use the new 'Evo' development of the architecture that underpins the existing Atto 3 crossover, Dolphin hatchback and Seal saloon, named e-Platform 3.0.
It uses cell-to-body construction (in which battery cells are mounted directly to the chassis) with a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery and can support a range of motor configurations.
The entry-level Sealion 7 Comfort gets a single 308bhp, 280lb ft motor mounted on its rear axle, plus an 82.5kWh battery that gives a range of 300 miles between charges. The lightest variant weighs 2225kg and can dispatch the 0-62mph sprint in 6.7sec.
The middle-rung Design costs £49,290 and adds a 215bhp motor to the front axle. This gives four-wheel drive and outputs of 523bhp and 509lb ft, cutting the car's 0-62mph time to 4.5sec. However, it also increases the car’s mass to 2340kg and reduces its range to 283 miles.
The range-topping Excellence is £57,290 and uses the same 523bhp powertrain, but it gets a larger, 91.3kWh battery, boosting its range to 312 miles. With this larger battery and extra interior kit (including nappa leather seats and a head-up display), the Sealion 7 weighs 2435kg. Nonetheless, it can hit 62mph in the same 4.5sec as the Design.
Both the Comfort and Design cars can be charged at a rate of up to 150kW on a DC connection, taking 32 minutes to go from 10-80%. The Excellence is upgraded to a 230kW peak, cutting that time to 24 minutes.
A heat pump (which more efficiently generates heat for the cabin than a conventional fan heater, boosting the car's range in cold conditions) is fitted to all versions as standard.
Inside, the Sealion 7 gets a 15.6in infotainment touchscreen that is capable of rotating between portrait and landscape orientations and features a new voice control system.
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Who at BYD thinks that these ridiculous names are going to sell a car?!
Haven't taken much interest in EVs but if I was in the market, know what my problem would be with this car?
It's an unknown brand here in the UK at least. I passed an Arnold Clark used car dealership today where there were a line of Ora cars. Remember when I sold my last car to Arnie 18 months ago, I asked what sales were like and they told me virtually nil, that they were sick they ever got involved with the brand. Anyway there's four cars lined up, all 23 plate with around 4-5k miles on them. The new price is £32-£34 grand'ish, these cars were being advertised for £13999. Now if that's the forecourt price, what are they actually worth?
So an unknown Chinese brand is asking £45k for a new car? Unless you're leasing or renting ( i.e. PCP ) where you know what the car is worth, it just seems one hell of a risk to me. I wouldn't be interested.
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If I can get a near new EV for 30-40% of the RRP I will jump on it. Might even buy two.
The problem for me is that there's nothing distinctive about this is there it could be built by any manufacturer anywhere, I suspect that BYD will discover like Hyundai,Nissan & Toyota with Genesis,Infinitti & Lexus that selling luxury cars in the European market will be very difficult against the existing manufacturers who have such a dominant position
BYD are absolutely smashing the Japanese brands in China and soon the UK. Some of the Japanese brands will disappear as they've stalled for so long in releasing decent BEVs, and now it's too late.