BYD Seal to launch on March 5 as Chinese EV maker's third car in India

China-based world's most popular EV manufacturer, BYD Auto, will launch its Seal mid-size sedan on March 5 in India. Seal will be the Shenzhen-based automaker's third car in the country, where it already sells Atto 3 SUV and e6, an MPV.

The electric car, already on sale in global markets as a rival to Tesla's Model 3, is based on BYD's dedicated e-Platform 3.0. It was showcased in India at the Auto Expo in January 2023.

Design

Possessing an aerodynamic body, the model gets crystal LED headlamps with boomerang-shaped LED DRLs, and full-width LED taillights, running across the entire length of the boot-lid.

Battery and range

Equipped with the in-house Blade battery technology, the e-sedan is offered with two battery options globally: a 61.4 kWh with a range of 550 kms on a single charge, and a larger 82.5 kWh unit delivering up to 700 kms on a single charge. Additionally, the company gives fast charging capability of up to 150 kW with the bigger pack, while that for the smaller one is 110 kW.

Performance

Powering this BYD EV are single PMS and dual-motor options, with India getting the more powerful dual-motor version with a combined 523 bhp on offer. 0 to 100 kmph comes in just 3.8 seconds.

Interiors

Inside the cabin, Seal comes with a dashboard dominated by a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system, a 10.25-inch digital driver display, a head-up display, two wireless charging pads, and a host of other features.

Expected price and rivals

BYD Seal is expected to be priced around ₹65 lakh to ₹70 lakh (both ex-showroom). At this price point, it will lock horns against Kia EV6 and BMW i4.