EV
BYD Seal EV road test review: No-nonsense, performance-packed everyday EV!
Electric vehicle manufacturer BYD recently launched the Seal electric sedan in India at a starting price of Rs 41 lakh, ex-showroom. The Seal, BYD’s third product in the Indian market following the likes of e6 MPV and Atto 3 SUV, comes to our shores via the CBU route and still manages to carry a competitive price tag. This EV is available in three variants, offering two battery options and both RWD and AWD choices. We recently got the opportunity to drive the Seal EV and here’s our first impression of the sedan. And the answer to the most important question – does it feel like a Chinese EV?
BYD Seal: Design
Speaking of the design of this Tesla Model 3 rival, it boasts a sleek design inspired by the ocean, featuring aerodynamic lines and a coefficient of drag of just 0.21. It boasts attractive elements such as a coupe-inspired all-glass roof, integrated door handles, and four distinctive boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights. The headlights are very sleek and give an overall aggressive look to the front fascia.
On the rear, you get a stunning LED light bar, which complements the overall look of the car. Adding to its attractiveness are the striking 19-inch alloy wheels sporting a petal-like design.
BYD Seal: Interior and features
Now once you get inside the cabin, you are greeted to a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a heads-up display and plush velvet materials adorning the interior. While having a spacious infotainment system is certainly great, I found it inconvenient that a portion of it gets blocked by the steering wheel while driving. Nevertheless, it appears that BYD engineers anticipated this issue beforehand and offered a solution: a switch located on the steering wheel that allows effortless rotation of the screen, transforming it into a vertically-stacked unit in no time.
At the centre console, you’ll notice an oceanic influence, with a crystal drive selector. Additionally, there are controls for the climate management, as well as for features like ADAS and traction modes. Drive modes such as eco, sport, and normal are selectable and displayed here. The panoramic sunroof, although fixed in place, offers a spectacular view of the sky. It also gets dual wireless charging trays capable of simultaneously charging two devices at a brisk 15 watts each. Overall, it’s evident that the Chinese manufacturer has packed this vehicle with a host of features.
While the abundance of features is impressive, some aspects, like the screen integration and user interface, could be more intuitive. Additionally, the quality of plastics in certain areas, especially in the bottom parts of the dashboard, leaves room for improvement, but overall, the car offers a comfortable and spacious ride, with ample legroom and headroom in both the front and rear seats.
Other notable features include electronically-adjustable driver’s seat with memory functions, dual-zone automatic climate control, ventilated and heated seats and more. So if we keep the minor issues aside, the Seal does impress with its feature-packed cabin and excellent value for money, making it a formidable contender in the electric car market.
Besides that, the Seal is equipped with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), encompassing essential safety features such as lane departure warning and prevention, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, collision warning system, cross traffic alert, emergency braking assist, and blind spot assist. It also has 10 airbags and has already bagged a perfect, 5-star rating in the EuroNCAP.
BYD Seal: Driving experience
Now, coming to the most important aspect – how does the Seal drive? Well, the BYD SEAL is equipped with an 82.56 kWh lithium-ion battery, which the company calls a ‘Blade Battery’ and they claim that this is a better version of lithium-ion batteries as it’s safer, it can withstand more temperature, it has been designed to withstand accidents and it is kinder for the environment too.
But in terms of power, well if you talk about the electric motor, with the performance variant which we drove, it develops a little over 520 hp and a mammoth 670 Nm of torque. It darts off the line with no hesitation and because of all-wheel drive, it is able to deploy all of that power efficiently to the ground and get a very nice start. During our test runs, the car was easily able to do the 0-100 run in flat 3.8 seconds as shown on the system computer.
In terms of driving on the road, well the Seal is a pretty fun to drive car if purely speed and acceleration is what you’re looking for. It’s got very good acceleration and the best part is the power does not taper off like it does in many EVs. So even when you’re driving at 140 kmph and you want more power, it still will accelerate from 140 kmph in a very strong fashion. So power is something that at least with the performance variant, you will never feel short of.
And well, like I said, it’s pretty fun to drive, the acceleration is good, no sound which is something you expect from an EV. Beyond that, if I talk about handling, well that is a complex part because for something that goes so fast and quick, you need it to handle and brake well. Thankfully, the brakes do a good job. The Seal comes to a quick and reassuring stop. However, like it is with many cars that have regen function, there is hardly any feel from the brake pedal but that’s something that anyone can live with. Beyond that, in terms of handling, the car has a lot of grip due to the AWD system. The tyres also offer good grip but there is a fair bit of roll.
So it is a car that can handle all of this power and speed but it’s a car that enjoys going fast in a straight line. Now if you are someone who is looking for a sports performance oriented car, well this is not that, it’s not built for that purpose. But if you are looking for a car that is practical, one that you can drive daily, ferry 4 people in and still have fun while driving it, well that’s what the Seal does in very good style.
The BYD Seal offers a range of three variants. The entry-level option, the Dynamic trim, offers a 61.44 kWh battery paired with rear-wheel drive RWD, priced at Rs 41 lakh, ex-showroom. Stepping up, the Premium trim comes equipped with an 82.5 kWh battery and RWD, available at Rs 45.55 lakh, ex-showroom, providing enhanced performance and range. For those seeking top-notch capabilities, the top-of-the-line variant features an impressive 82.56 kWh battery and all-wheel drive (AWD), commanding a price of Rs 53 lakh, ex-showroom, ensuring exceptional power delivery and traction.
BYD Seal: Design
Speaking of the design of this Tesla Model 3 rival, it boasts a sleek design inspired by the ocean, featuring aerodynamic lines and a coefficient of drag of just 0.21. It boasts attractive elements such as a coupe-inspired all-glass roof, integrated door handles, and four distinctive boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights. The headlights are very sleek and give an overall aggressive look to the front fascia.
On the rear, you get a stunning LED light bar, which complements the overall look of the car. Adding to its attractiveness are the striking 19-inch alloy wheels sporting a petal-like design.
BYD Seal: Interior and features
Now once you get inside the cabin, you are greeted to a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a heads-up display and plush velvet materials adorning the interior. While having a spacious infotainment system is certainly great, I found it inconvenient that a portion of it gets blocked by the steering wheel while driving. Nevertheless, it appears that BYD engineers anticipated this issue beforehand and offered a solution: a switch located on the steering wheel that allows effortless rotation of the screen, transforming it into a vertically-stacked unit in no time.
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While the abundance of features is impressive, some aspects, like the screen integration and user interface, could be more intuitive. Additionally, the quality of plastics in certain areas, especially in the bottom parts of the dashboard, leaves room for improvement, but overall, the car offers a comfortable and spacious ride, with ample legroom and headroom in both the front and rear seats.
Other notable features include electronically-adjustable driver’s seat with memory functions, dual-zone automatic climate control, ventilated and heated seats and more. So if we keep the minor issues aside, the Seal does impress with its feature-packed cabin and excellent value for money, making it a formidable contender in the electric car market.
Besides that, the Seal is equipped with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), encompassing essential safety features such as lane departure warning and prevention, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, collision warning system, cross traffic alert, emergency braking assist, and blind spot assist. It also has 10 airbags and has already bagged a perfect, 5-star rating in the EuroNCAP.
BYD Seal: Driving experience
Now, coming to the most important aspect – how does the Seal drive? Well, the BYD SEAL is equipped with an 82.56 kWh lithium-ion battery, which the company calls a ‘Blade Battery’ and they claim that this is a better version of lithium-ion batteries as it’s safer, it can withstand more temperature, it has been designed to withstand accidents and it is kinder for the environment too.
But in terms of power, well if you talk about the electric motor, with the performance variant which we drove, it develops a little over 520 hp and a mammoth 670 Nm of torque. It darts off the line with no hesitation and because of all-wheel drive, it is able to deploy all of that power efficiently to the ground and get a very nice start. During our test runs, the car was easily able to do the 0-100 run in flat 3.8 seconds as shown on the system computer.
In terms of driving on the road, well the Seal is a pretty fun to drive car if purely speed and acceleration is what you’re looking for. It’s got very good acceleration and the best part is the power does not taper off like it does in many EVs. So even when you’re driving at 140 kmph and you want more power, it still will accelerate from 140 kmph in a very strong fashion. So power is something that at least with the performance variant, you will never feel short of.
And well, like I said, it’s pretty fun to drive, the acceleration is good, no sound which is something you expect from an EV. Beyond that, if I talk about handling, well that is a complex part because for something that goes so fast and quick, you need it to handle and brake well. Thankfully, the brakes do a good job. The Seal comes to a quick and reassuring stop. However, like it is with many cars that have regen function, there is hardly any feel from the brake pedal but that’s something that anyone can live with. Beyond that, in terms of handling, the car has a lot of grip due to the AWD system. The tyres also offer good grip but there is a fair bit of roll.
So it is a car that can handle all of this power and speed but it’s a car that enjoys going fast in a straight line. Now if you are someone who is looking for a sports performance oriented car, well this is not that, it’s not built for that purpose. But if you are looking for a car that is practical, one that you can drive daily, ferry 4 people in and still have fun while driving it, well that’s what the Seal does in very good style.
The BYD Seal offers a range of three variants. The entry-level option, the Dynamic trim, offers a 61.44 kWh battery paired with rear-wheel drive RWD, priced at Rs 41 lakh, ex-showroom. Stepping up, the Premium trim comes equipped with an 82.5 kWh battery and RWD, available at Rs 45.55 lakh, ex-showroom, providing enhanced performance and range. For those seeking top-notch capabilities, the top-of-the-line variant features an impressive 82.56 kWh battery and all-wheel drive (AWD), commanding a price of Rs 53 lakh, ex-showroom, ensuring exceptional power delivery and traction.
