The BYD Sealion 7 has made its European market debut, entering the battery-electric SUV segment on the continent where it will go head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y. In China, the electric SUV – where it is known as the BYD Sea Lion 07 – made its debut in November 2023, before going on sale in China in four variants starting from 189,800 yuan (RM115,316).
Unveiled as part of the Chinese manufacturer’s Ocean range of electric vehicles which includes the Seagull, Dolphin and Seal, the Sealion 7 for Europe is based on the carmaker’s e-platform 3.0, and is inspired by the Ocean-X concept.
The Sea Lion 07 is 4,830 mm long, 1,925 mm wide, 1,620 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,930 mm, while inside it sports a 500-litre luggage compartment and a 58-litre ‘frunk’ in front. For comparison, its closest competitor the Tesla Model Y measures 4,750 mm long, 1,920 mm wide and 1,623 mm tall with a 2,891 mm wheelbase.
Two battery specifications have been announced for the Sealion 7 in Europe, where the larger of the two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery specifications offers 91.3 kWh of capacity, of which 82.5 kWh is usable capacity which yields up to 550 km of range on the WLTP cycle, according to Inside EVs. Charging the 82.5 kWh battery-equipped Sealion 7 at its maximum of 230 kW DC will bring its from 30-80% in 25 minutes.
Powertrain specifications for the European market Sealion 7 have yet to be officially disclosed, though those of the Sea Lion 07 in other markets get a dual-motor powertrain with up to 523 hp, and a 0-100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds, onward to a top speed of 214 km/h.
These motor figures line up with those of the Seal which packs a dual-motor layout with 215 hp/310 Nm front motor and 308 hp/360 Nm rear motor, with a similar usable battery capacity. In the UK, the right-hand-drive market will initially receive the Sealion 7 in this top powertrain specification, reports Autocar.
Inside, the Sealion 7 gets a 15.6-inch rotating infotainment screen along with a 10.25-inch driver’s instrument display, along with a 50-inch augmented-reality head-up display. Further interior equipment includes
The Sea Lion 07 for China is the first model from BYD to feature the manufacturer’s DiPilot 100 ADAS suite that packs 12 ultrasonic radar units, five millimetre-wave radar units, and 11 cameras. This enables Level 2 assisted driving, with features including lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, and intelligent speed control.
While the initial production run for the Sealion 7 for Europe is expected to emerge from China, this model is expected to be the first to be produced from the manufacturer’s first European EV plant in Szeged, Hungary.
Being produced from this region will enable BYD to bypass EU tariffs on made-in-China electric vehicles, where otherwise the brand would sustain an additional 17% tax on top of the original 10% tax on the vehicle. Meanwhile, EVs in Malaysia still enjoy road tax exemption until the end of 2025.
GALLERY: BYD Sea Lion 07 in China
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
hope 2 years down the road stil can buy this at a sensible price. unless this gov decides to protek pekema 8481 again
Compare with Tesla!! Need at least 2 years to catch up with Tesla please
at last, BYD know how to design good interior.. Maybe they already fired the previous designer..