First teased at the beginning of November, the BYD Sealion 7 is now on sale in Malaysia, with Sime Darby Beyond Auto having officially introduced the all-electric SUV earlier this morning at the TRX Exchange.
The Sealion 7, which is the fifth BYD EV model to be offered here, arrives as a fully-imported CBU model. Like the Seal when it was introduced earlier this year, the SUV is available in two variant forms for our market, these being the Premium and Performance, and they are priced at:
- Sealion 7 Premium (RWD) – RM183,800
- Sealion 7 Performance (AWD) – RM199,800
Measuring 4,830 mm long, 1,925 mm wide, 1,620 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,930 mm, the Sealion 7 is very much a direct competitor to the Tesla Model Y. In terms of pricing, the Sealion 7 is cheaper than the Model Y, which is presently listed at RM191,000 for the RWD and RM238,000 for the LR AWD.
Despite its moniker, the SUV is closer in styling to the Song L – another coupé-style electric SUV with a long body and low roof line – than the Sealion 6 DM-i plug-in hybrid.
Penned by ex-Audi designer Wolfgang Egger, the Sealion 7 borrows quite a bit of styling cues from the Seal, another of Egger’s creations, not least the C-shaped headlights, large air intakes, full-width tail lights and large rear diffuser. External elements include LED headlights, LED daytime running lights and through-type LED rear combination lights.
There are two wheel sizes for the Sealion – the Premium rides on 19-inch units shod with 235/45 front and 255/45 rear profile Continental EcoContact 6 tyres, while the Performance sits on 20-inch alloy that are wrapped with 245/45 series Michelin Pilot Sport EV rubbers. Both Sealion variants feature cross-drilled front brake discs, with the Performance getting its calipers dressed in red.
Technical specifications for the Sealion 7 offered here follow that as offered in Hong Kong, the vehicle’s first major export market, with two powertrain options and drive configurations. The Premium is equipped with a single rear motor producing 308 hp (313 PS, or 230 kW) and 380 Nm of torque, which is good enough to get it from zero to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds.
Meanwhile, the Performance is all-wheel drive, with a 215 hp (218 PS, or 160 kW) and 310 Nm front motor working with the same rear motor seen on the Premium to offer a total system output of 523 hp (530 PS, or 390 kW) and 690 Nm, allowing it to achieve the century sprint some 2.2 seconds quicker, at 4.5 seconds.
If the output numbers look familiar, well, that’s because they are, mirroring that seen on the Seal Premium Extended Range and Performance AWD, respectively. The capacity of the Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery is also identical to the Seal’s, the unit employed for both variants a 82.56 kWh unit.
On the Sealion 7 Premium, this provides a range of 567 km on the NEDC cycle, while the increased performance on the AWD results in a slight reduction in travel range to 542 km. There was no mention of WLTP range figures, but the UK BYD website provides an indication, listing it as 480 km (298 miles) for the RWD and 454 km (282 miles) for the AWD in their 82.56 kWh battery forms.
The presence of the 82.56 kWh battery on both cars also answers the question of underpinnings and the maximum DC charging rate. While markets such as Europe and the UK also get a 91.3 kWh battery that can support up to 230 kW DC charging and a revised e-Platform 3.0 Evo platform, markets outside the Continent (and China) continue on with a maximum of 150 kW of DC fast charging capability, meaning the Sealion 7 sits on the same e-Platform 3.0 as seen on the Seal.
In terms of DC charging time, it takes 32 minutes to get the battery juiced up from a 10 to 80% state of charge at the maximum rate. As for AC charging, the Sealion 7 features 11 kW of AC Type 2 charging capability, which is an improvement over the 7 kW rate offered on the Seal.
Inside, the cabin design features cleaner lines, and its overall composition feels more organic, with a double-layer dashboard neatly integrating the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and illuminated passenger panel, with the easy-on-the-eye flow continuing into the central console. There’s also a new, cleaner-looking four-spoke steering.
Despite the unfettered presentation, there’s lots of kit. A 15.6-inch central touchscreen display – with the usual switchable portrait/landscape orientation – continues to hold court, and novelties include a 50-inch augmented reality head-up display and a four-zone zone intelligent voice interaction system.
The latter is claimed to be capable of detecting occupant commands from four zones inside the cabin, allowing tweaks to be made specific to where the person is sitting. Elsewhere, there’s Nappa leather upholstery as well as a panoramic glass roof and double-layer acoustic glass for the windshield and front windows.
Also to be found are dual-zone air-conditioning, a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system, a 50 watt wireless mobile charger, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and four USB ports (two front, two rear, one Type-A and one Type-C each).
Additionally, the Sealion 7 also features a PM2.5 air purification system, an NFC key card, and eight-way powered driver/six-way powered front passenger heated and ventilated seats. As for boot space, it’s 500 litres with the rear seats up and 1,769 litres with the rear seats folded. The frunk provides another 58 litres of cargo space in front.
Safety and driver assistance kit includes nine airbags (front, front and rear side, side curtain and driver far side), front/rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera as well as a ADAS suite that includes adaptive cruise control, AEB, lane departure warning and prevention, lane keeping assist, front/rear cross-traffic alert and high beam assist.
Four exterior colours are available for the Sealion 7 in Malaysia, and these are Cosmos Black, Aurora White, Atlantis Grey and Shark Grey, common to both variants. In conjunction with the launch of the SUV, customers who book a Sealion 7 by November 17 (and register their vehicle by December 31) will receive a complimentary home charger and RM800 in charging credits with their purchase.
GALLERY: BYD Sealion 7 Premium Extended Range
GALLERY: BYD Sealion 7 Performance AWD
GALLERY: BYD Sealion 7
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments are generally positive about the BYD Sealion 7, highlighting its impressive specifications, features like the panoramic sunroof, and affordability compared to Chinese prices due to Malaysia’s market factors. Some users appreciate the technical details, such as the 11kW AC charging and models with electric sunshades. There is mention of the vehicle’s higher price in Malaysia versus China and Hong Kong, but also acknowledgment that BYD offers competitive pricing locally. Several comments note the older platform and slower DC charging speeds compared to newer EVs like the Model Y, with some expressing a wait-and-see attitude for future discounts or upgraded models. Overall, there is excitement, support for local EV growth, and a mix of constructive feedback regarding features and pricing.