First drive: BYD Seal delivers its D segment credentials

Christmas came early for Mitteleuropa when China’s car manufacturing giant BYD confirmed just - before the festivities commenced - its first European factory - a brand-new manufacturing and production centre in Szeged in the south of Hungary.

It’s the first time a Chinese EV manufacturer has made clear its intention to manufacture in the European Union and reflects how seriously BYD is rising to the challenge of dominating the continent in terms of foreign sales. 

The Szeged plant will likely come on stream in the second half of the decade and will provide the foundations for BYD's ambitions to be Europe’s biggest EV seller by 2030, making 10% of all electric cars driven in the EU.

The UK is clearly a key market for BYD in Europe as its head of sales Simon Bisp explained at the car maker’s launch of the latest model to land on UK shores – the all-electric saloon BYD Seal.

Positioned as a flagship product, the BYD Seal strategically targets discerning consumers looking for an executive drive such as the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and BMW i4, aligning with the manufacturer’s strategy of presenting a comprehensive electric vehicle lineup with the ability to compete globally across all segments.

BYD Seal Launch

Building on the success of its Atto 3 SUV and Dolphin hatchback, the BYD Seal had made a noteworthy entrance, marking the third electric vehicle launched by the company in the UK, with promises of plenty more innovative products in the pipeline. While the BYD Atto 3 competes with vehicles like the Volkswagen ID 3, the BYD Seal steps up to rival top-tier competitors, exhibiting a level of maturity in a highly competitive market.

Despite facing formidable competitors, the BYD Seal holds its ground, showcasing impressive performance credentials in real-world driving scenarios, delivering a well-equipped addition to the D segment.

Sharing the e-Platform 3.0 with the Atto 3 and Dolphin, the BYD Seal sets itself apart with a larger 82.5kWh battery pack, contributing to remarkable performance metrics. The Design version, featuring a single-motor rear-wheel drive, boasts a range of 354 miles in WLTP assessment and accelerates from 0-62mph in just 5.9 seconds, outpacing the base-model Tesla Model 3 in terms of speed.

For those wanting more power, the Excellence model with dual motors and all-wheel drive generates 523bhp and claims a range of 323 miles. Though slightly outpaced by the Tesla Model 3 in acceleration and range, the BYD Seal distinguishes itself with a 3.8-second acceleration capability.

A standout feature of the Seal's design lies in BYD’s e-Platform 3.0, featuring the world’s first 8-in-1 electric powertrain. This innovative system integrates eight key components for propulsion, charging, control, and management, shared with the Atto 3 and the Dolphin. The 82kWh lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) ‘Blade’ battery not only serves as a powerhouse but also acts as an essential structural component, increasing cabin capacity.

Comfort and Practicality The vehicle's overall quality remains consistently high, featuring quilted vegan leather seats in both the front and rear, striking a balance between comfort and support. The full-length panoramic roof, while non-opening, enhances the car’s premium feel by bathing the entire cabin in natural light. The super-thin Blade battery contributes to a spacious interior with generous legroom in both front and rear, although the sloping roofline may limit headroom for taller passengers. The infotainment system, borrowed from the Atto 3, boasts a responsive 15.6-inch rotating display with seamless Apple and Android connectivity, complemented by a 12-speaker Dynaudio stereo for an impressive in-car experience.

Despite a narrow boot opening and a slightly smaller capacity than class leaders, the Seal compensates with a practical 53-litre frunk for charging cables and ample storage areas throughout the cabin.

Safety and Technology The BYD Seal prioritises safety with a range of smart driving aids, including the Intelligent Torque Adaptation Control System and advanced driver assistance systems. Standard features include autonomous emergency braking, lane support, airbags, and a comprehensive suite of safety technologies. The Euro NCAP also awarded the BYD Seal a five-star safety rating, highlighting its outstanding active and passive safety credentials and the structural benefits of BYD CTB technology.

Driveability and Range Offering two versions - the Design RWD with a single motor and the Excellence AWD with dual motors - the BYD Seal delivers a powerful driving experience, accelerating to 60mph form a standstill in 3.8 seconds. The Excellence AWD boasts an official WLTP range of up to 323 miles, striking a balance between performance and efficiency while the Design model, with its highly competitive range of up to 354 miles, features a 0-62mph acceleration time of 5.9 seconds.

Contrary to expectations, the BYD Seal surprises with a well-tuned suspension system, navigating the complexities of the UK’s uneven roads. The all-wheel-drive variant features semi-adaptive dampers, providing a satisfying ride. In terms of sound penetration, road noise is present in the all-wheel-drive model, but wind noise remains controlled. The Seal's driving modes - Normal, Sport, Eco, and Snow - offer broad flexibility depending on desired driving type.

Even under challenging road conditions, the BYD Seal demonstrates confidence-inspiring adaptability and stability. In terms of charging, the Seal's Blade battery supports AC charging with an 11 kW 3-phase on-board charger and fast charging with a maximum of 150 kW, allowing a 30% to 80% charge in 26 minutes.

Strategic Timing The BYD Seal delivers a compelling driving experience and the timing of its arrival has all been a product of strategic timing according to BYD’s national sales chief Bisp. “We plan to have a vehicle in every relevant segment in the UK market and relatively very quickly compared to what you would expect for manufacturers,” he tells AM. “We have an ambition to reach as quickly as possible a 5% share of the EV market and then to at least maintain that as EVs become a bigger and bigger proportion of the market."

Bisp will not be drawn on EV sales targets in 2024 as the manufacturer does not want to be tied to making predictions in a still unsure retail environment. “The biggest issue that car manufacturers come up against is when demand doesn't meet supply although one of the great things about being a non-startup startup is that we can chart our course to make sure that we're always consistent in pricing our offers. Retailers can rest assured that we will be doing everything we can to crack the market opportunities out there.”

A key driver for BYD’s growth in the UK will be the rapid expansion of its product offering. “We're confident that our brand new BYD Seal will appeal to both private and fleet customers and we have set up our commercial offers accordingly.  From launch we are offering PCP from our partner Santander with a 7.9% APR. Monthly payments based on a 48-month contract term driving an annual 10,000 miles, will be £549 for the Design rear wheel drive version with a £9,160 deposit and £589 monthly payments for the Excellence four-wheel drive with a £9,765 deposit.

In terms of physical presence, BYD launched at 10 sites in 2023 and was scheduled to debut at a further 15 more by year-end. “Our plan for 2024 is really ambitious and we would want to see as many as 16 additional points added in by mid-year,” said Bisp.

Partnership Approach BYD views dealer partnership as central to its success, as evidenced by the fact that it established its own national sales company. “Our strategy is to follow a traditional franchise retail network model and this reflects the value that we place on working in partnership with our retailers as we launch the brand in the UK. In doing so, we're able to immediately benefit from local expertise, but also the existing infrastructure and importantly, our dealer partners’ long-established relationships with customers.”

Bisp explains that BYD started selling in March at what it terms its ‘pioneer’ sites, which were Glasgow with Arnold Clark, Stockport with LSH and then two sites with Pendragon Stratstone in Birmingham and Milton Keynes, before Mayfair in London came onstream as a landmark site. “That allowed us to make a start on a strategy that we'll continue - partnering with what we think are the best dealer groups in the UK with a view to allowing those partners to then expand with us as we grow.”

Contracts are rolling which Bisp says reflects an important aspect of every discussion which it has with its network partners, which is the question” what’s next in the plan?”

“That's a big part of the discussion and obviously, you've got to give those investors some real foresight into the future so it's an important part of the dialogue. We in no way would ever want to start anywhere where it felt in any way temporary or compromised.”

Bisp cites as an example the Snows dealership group in Southampton which has been agreed on the basis BYD retail activity will start in Southampton with a view to extending throughout that regional area. “We will work with those guys to open future sales points in terms of their facility.”

Having formed partnerships with some of the best retailer groups, Bisp says the BYD focus is now on the rapid expansion of its sales and aftersales network in the coming months. “We have the ability to increase to somewhere close to 60 sales points with the investors that we currently have,” says Bisp. “Ultimately, we're in the process of finalising this but ultimately this could be between 80 to 100 sales points. and that would mean that perhaps we need two or three additional partners to come on board.”