New BYD Sealion 7 pricing revealed, and it's cheaper than the Tesla Model Y

The new BYD Sealion 7 will finally go on sale in the UK early next year, with a starting price of £44,990 – exactly £2k less than that of the Tesla Model Y. It also undercuts other key rivals including the Kia EV6, Cupra Tavascan and high-end versions of the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

BYD has confirmed three powertrain options for the Sealion 7, starting with the entry-level Comfort variant, which pairs a single motor with an 82.5kWh battery. This model produces 308bhp and can sprint from 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, while still achieving a WLTP range of 300 miles. Although for comparison, the entry-level Model Y boasts a 373-mile range. 

Next up is the Design AWD, which will be available from £49,290 and uses the same battery pack, but adds a second electric motor to produce a total of 523bhp. This drops the 0-62mph time to 4.5 seconds, but also reduces the range to 283 miles. Both models with this 82.5kWh battery pack have a peak DC charge figure of 150kW, topping up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 32 minutes. 

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At the top of the range sits the Excellence AWD, priced at £57,290. This version also uses a 523bhp dual-motor set-up but swaps in a larger 91.3kWh battery that increases the range to 312 miles. The peak DC fast-charge rate also jumps to 230kW, reducing the 10 to 80 per cent top-up time to 24 minutes.

Every Sealion 7 comes with a standard-fit heat-pump, which will help keep the range more consistent over varied temperatures, and feature a vehicle-to-load function that can be used to power electrical devices when parked up, such as a portable fridge or coffee machine.

A new ‘Intelligent Torque Adaption Control’ (iTAC) system has also been developed for the car. BYD says this will be available on the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model and will be able to allocate torque to minimise skidding and improve safety. The firm also claims the suspension is “tailored for excellent handling” and “secure vehicle control”.

According to BYD, the Sealion 7 takes the Ocean Series design language from the Dolphin hatchback and Seal saloon and “adapts it to a sporty SUV bodystyle”. An overall length of 4,830mm makes it 10mm longer than a Seal, although the Sealion 7’s coupé-SUV styling gives it a rakish look and still provides 520 litres of boot space. 

The angular front end features BYD’s ‘X face’ with floating LED headlights, while the sloping roofline flows into a subtle ducktail rear spoiler and beneath it there’s a full-width rear light bar. All models look largely the same outside, with the exception of 19-inch wheels on the Comfort model and 20-inch rims on the dual-motor models. 

Inside is a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen, a 10.25-inch driver’s display, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a 12-speaker sound system, wireless smartphone charging pad and electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats. Excellence models also swap the artificial leather interior for a full Nappa-leather finish, and add a head-up display. 

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