The BYD Seal has touched down on South African shores. Here’s what you can expect, including pricing and spec, from the all-electric sedan…
Looking for a new or used BYD? Find it here with CARmag!
Following the local introduction of the Atto 3 and Dolphin, in August 2024, we reported that BYD is set to expand its South African product portfolio before the end of the year. Now, the local arm of the Chinese automaker has done just that. The latest BYD model to join the firm’s SA model line-up comes in the shape of the Seal, an all-electric sedan, available in two flavours. Here’s what you can expect…
Related: BYD to Expand Local EV Portfolio Before End of 2024
The two-strong model line-up kicks off with the Seal Lux EXT RWD. Priced from R999 900, the latter variant is equipped with a rear-mounted permanent synchronous electric motor, sending 230 kW and 360 N.m of torque exclusively to the rear wheels. According to the firm, this model sprints to the three-figure marker from a standstill in 5.9 seconds. The claimed all-electric range is 570 km (WLTP).
The flagship model, also exclusively available in Lux trim grade, is equipped with (160 kW/310 N.m) fore and (230 kW/390 N.m) aft electric motors, which, like the rear-wheel-drive derivative’s single-motor setup, are coupled with a 82.56 kWh battery pack. According to BYD, when fully charged, the pinnacle model, with its peak power and torque outputs of 390 kW and 670 N.m, can travel up to 520 km. The all-paw model dispatches the 0-100 km/h sprint in a claimed 3.8 seconds.
Related: The BYD Shark Debuts as an Apex Predator in the Bakkie Segment
BYD Seal Price in SA
- BYD Seal Lux EXT RWD — R999 900
- BYD Seal Lux Performance AWD — R1 199 900
As standard, both derivatives ship with a host of standard equipment. The latter includes 10.25-inch digital instruments; a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, replete with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay screen mirroring, Bluetooth connectivity, and sat-nav; a Dynaudio 12-speaker sound system; and a 360-degree surround-view camera array, supplemented by fore and aft park distance sensors.
