The BYD Sealion 7: A Chinese Electric SUV That's Not Just Another "Me Too" Model

Image Credit: BYD.

Every carmaker and their grandma is jumping on the electric SUV bandwagon these days. I mean, seriously, can we get a little originality here? But hold on a minute. This new kid on the block might just be worth a second look. Say hello to the BYD Sealion 7 (why not a Sea Lion?), a mid-size electric SUV from China that's bringing something fresh to the table.

Oh great, another Chinese car trying to copy the Europeans. Actually, not exactly. This ain't no cheap Alibaba knock-off. BYD, the company behind the Sealion 7, is a big deal in the EV world, and they're not afraid to shake things up. They even poached Wolfgang Egger, the design guru behind some seriously cool cars like Lamborghinis, Alfa Romeos, and Audis. So you know this SUV has got to have some style.

Image Credit: BYD.

And stylish it is. The Sealion 7 is a sleek, sporty-looking beast with flowing lines and an aerodynamic profile. But it's so much more than just looks. This SUV is packed with tech, too. It's the first EV to use BYD's fancy new e-Platform 3.0 Evo, which they claim will give you faster charging and better performance.

Speaking of performance, the base model called the Comfort, has a single electric motor that pumps out a respectable 308 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to get you from 0 to 60 mph in a respectable time, I'm sure. And with an 82.5 kWh battery pack, you can expect to squeeze out around 300 miles of range. Not too shabby, eh?

Image Credit: BYD.

But if you want even more oomph, you can opt for the Design trim. This bad boy adds another motor to the front, giving you all-wheel drive and 523 horsepower with 509 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to give a Tesla Model Y a good run for its money. Of course, all that power comes at a cost, and the range drops to 283 miles.

And if you are that one person who wants the best of both worlds, there's the top-of-the-line Excellence trim. It has the same 523 horsepower powertrain as the Design trim, but it gets a bigger 91.3 kWh battery, boosting the range up to 312 miles. Plus, it can charge from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes.

Image Credit: BYD.

Let's step inside. The Sealion 7's interior is just as impressive as its exterior. You get a massive 15.6-inch rotating infotainment screen, and there's a 10.25-inch driver display that shows you all the important stuff, like how fast you're going (hopefully not too fast) and how much battery you have left.

But the real party piece is BYD's DiPilot 100 "God's Eye" ADAS. This advanced driver-assist system uses a whole bunch of sensors, including 12 ultrasonic radars, five mmWave radars, and 11 cameras, to keep you safe on the road. It's just like having a co-pilot who can see everything, even if you can't. Hence the lofty name - God's Eye. I guess the Chinese are still having fun with English names.

Image Credit: BYD.

So, how does the Sealion 7 stack up against the competition? It's roughly the same size as the Tesla Model Y, but it offers more range and faster charging in its top-of-the-line trim. Plus, it has all that fancy tech and a stylish design, while Tesla's minimalism starts feeling a bit dated.

BYD clearly aims to attract a lot of new customers in Europe with the Sealion 7. They've already launched a bunch of other EVs in the region, and they're hoping this new SUV will help them "extend their reach," as they put it. I, for one, am curious to see how it fares against the established players.

The Sealion 7 is expected to hit European roads before the end of the year, with the UK following in early 2025. No word on pricing yet, but it's likely to be a bit more expensive than the BYD Seal, which starts at around $48,000.

Image Credit: BYD.

So, the BYD Sealion 7: a Chinese electric SUV that's not just another "me too" model. It's got style, it's got tech, and it's got performance. Could this be the EV that finally makes BYD a household name in Europe? It ticks a lot of boxes, for sure. I think this is one electric SUV that's worth keeping an eye on.