BYD Seal

Segment: Budget-friendly urban car 

Segment: Premium performance sedan 

Estimated Price: $42,000 – $65,000 CAD 

New car competitors:Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Polestar 2

What if you want more? You want to show others that BYD isn’t just about econo-cars. The Seal may be your answer. It’s specced like the Tesla Model 3 yet with a significantly reduced price.

Specification(*: approx)Dynamic (RWD)Premium (RWD)Performance (AWD)
Battery61.4 kWh LFP82.5 kWh LFP82.5 kWh LFP
Range (WLTP)460 km570 km520 km
Real-World Range*380-400 km470-500 km430-450 km
Motor(s)230 kW (308 hp)230 kW (308 hp)390 kW (523 hp) dual
0-100 km/h*5.9 seconds5.9 seconds3.8 seconds
DC Fast ChargingUp to 150 kWUp to 150 kWUp to 150 kW
Est. CAD Price$42,000-$46,000$48,000-$52,000$58,000-$65,000

BYD Seal RWD vs. Tesla Model 3 RWD

MetricBYD Seal Premium RWDTesla Model 3 RWD
Range (WLTP)570 km513 km
0-100 km/h5.9 sec6.1 sec
Estimated Price$48,000-$52,000$54,990
Driver’s DisplayYes (separate screen)No
V2L CapabilityYesNo
Supercharger AccessNoYes

Standard features:

  • V2L (vehicle-to-load) capability: Acts as a portable power source, allowing electric vehicles to use their battery power to supply electricity to external devices or other vehicles.
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • 360-degree camera system
  • Heat pump (uses the refrigerant system to efficiently manage temperature without significantly draining the vehicle’s battery, extending driving range)

The Blade Battery Advantage

BYD’s proprietary Blade Battery technology (lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack with a distinctive flat-cell design) is used in every BYD vehicle. The technology was tested using the following metrics:

Safety: Some EV batteries have succumb to a fire risk known as thermal runaway. The BYD Blade Battery passed a nail penetration test, showcasing its safety.

Cold tolerance: Many around the world demand reliable winter performance. In some parts of the world, temps can drop to -40 C. BYD claims that LFP chemistry handles temperature extremes better than NMC or NCA alternatives. When paired with BYD’s active thermal management, the Blade Battery seems to instil confidence for more reliable winter performance.

Longevity: BYD claims 3,000+ charge cycles to 80% capacity, which depending on the frequency of charging can last the lifetime of the vehicle.

Daily charging: It is recommended that EV and other rechargeable batteries be charged to 80%, to prevent accelerated degradation. BYD claims that the LFP can be charged to 100% daily, limiting the aforementioned risk.

BYD and public transportation in Canada

BYD and Uber released a joint statement announcing a β€œpartnership designed to bring 100,000 new BYD electric vehicles onto the Uber platform across key global markets.” The ride-share program would begin in Europe and Latin America, expanding into the Middle East, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In large format, public transportation, BYD Canada announced that the Toronto Transit Commission aka TTC (Canada’s largest and North America’s third largest transit operator) will put into operation, 10 zero-emission, 40-foot K9M battery-electric buses.

BYD Models offered worldwide*

ModelEst. Price CADReal-world RangeBody StyleBest For
Seagull$20-25K200-280 kmCity hatchBudget urban commuting
Dolphin$32-40K280-360 kmCompact hatchMainstream daily driver
Atto 3$36-42K290-350 kmCompact SUVFamilies, SUV preference
Seal$42-65K380-500 kmSport sedanTesla Model 3 cross-shoppers
Seal U$45-55K350-420 kmMid-size SUVSUV alternative
Tang$65-80K450-550 km7-seat SUVLarge families, Model X value
Han$55-75K380-460 kmLuxury sedanExecutive buyers, Model S value

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