Peter Lyon
December 8, 2023
Malaysia will soon get another high-profile electric car—this time the stylish BYD Seal. The Chinese EV, which hasn’t been officially released yet, is being shown off during the company’s one-year anniversary party this weekend at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort.
First introduced into Singapore and Thailand, the Seal is available in multiple variants, including the AWD Performance, the Premium, and the “base” Dynamic RWD. But just which variants will be available when it launches in Malaysia has not yet been confirmed by BYD Cars Malaysia.
Sizewise, the Seal can be compared to the BMW i4 or Tesla’s Model 3. Unlike the BMW i4 Gran Coupe, the BYD features a separate boot area given that it has a sedan configuration. In Malaysia, however, the Seal could very well be a competitor to the Tesla Model 3 if it is priced appropriately.
The Seal’s variants differ in terms of performance and EV figures. Starting with the entry-level, the Dynamic RWD has a single 203 hp and 310 Nm electric motor mounted on the rear axle. This delivers a time of 7.5 seconds for the 0-100 km/h sprint. With the brand’s signature 61.4 kWh LFP blade battery, the RWD spec has range of up to 460 km (WLTP), which translates to around 400 km in the real world.
The BYD Seal Premium is a step up, with a larger 82.5 kWh LFP battery that provides 570 km (650 km NEDC) of range—again, in the real world this would translate to around 480 km. The battery also increases the motor’s output on the rear axle to 313 hp and 360 Nm, resulting in a 5.9-second sprint from 0-100km/h.
The flagship model is the AWD Performance model which has a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup generating 530 hp and 670 Nm. Employing the same 82.5 kWh battery pack as the Premium model, the AWD Performance can go 520 km and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3.8 seconds.
The Dynamic RWD has a maximum DC charging rate of 110 kW, while the Premium and Performance charge at 150 kW with all models offering a maximum 7 kW cap on AC charging. Additionally, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability comes standard with the Seal.
Inside the cabin, the Seal features an Atto 3 and Dolphin-styled theme with a big touchscreen located centrally and a smaller one for the digital instrument cluster. Like the Atto 3, the interior incorporates oceanic-themed lines and contours.
OUR THOUGHTS
We’ve seen and driven the Atto 3 and Dolphin and were suitably impressed by the EVs’ fit, finish and handling. However, the Seal takes the aesthetics department to a whole new level with some of the sexiest lines we’ve seen come out of the Chinese manufacturer. The Seal is currently available for public preview, and its formal debut in Malaysia is anticipated shortly.
