Video Summary
The BYD Sealoin 7 is a fully electric family SUV and a Tesla Model Y rival.It can charge faster than other BYD models and is more practical.
BYD's models are often named after marine mammals.
The Sealion 7 is essentially the SUV version of the Seal.
The range has only three versions: Comfort, Design, and Excellence.
The Comfort and Design versions share the same 82.5 kWh usable capacity battery.
The Design has a second electric motor on the front axle, giving it more power and all-wheel drive.
The Excellence has a 91.3 kWh battery with a twin motor setup.
BYD uses a thermally stable Lithium Iron Phosphate battery (LFP) that lasts longer, contains no cobalt, and may be more environmentally friendly. LFP batteries are not as energy-dense, however, and you need a physically bigger battery to achieve the same capacity.
The range-topping Excellence weighs just under 2.5 tons and has an official range of 311 miles. The entry-level Comfort version has a range of 300 miles and weighs 2.2 tons.
The Sealoin 7 charges faster than the Model Y.
The ride comfort is good, and there's limited road noise. Laminated side windows are standard. There's substantial legroom in the back.
The boot isn't particularly wide, but it has a nice square shape, height-adjustable floor, and an extra 58 liters of storage under the bonnet.
The rear seats are more supportive than the Model Y, and you can adjust the angle of the backrest.
All versions have powered tailgate and heated seats as standard.
The interior quality is high.
All versions have a standard 15.6-inch touchscreen and you can adjust the layout from landscape to portrait, as with other BYD models.
However, smartphone mirroring locks the display to landscape mode.
There are no physical controls for the air conditioning.
The steering sprouts out of the dashboard quite low down and is angled towards the face, but unobstructed from the driver's view. It does feel a little bit light.
The Comfort starts at around £45,500, making it cheaper than the Model Y, and the Design will cost you around £50,000.
