BYD will show high-tech Sealion, a Tesla rival, in Paris

BYD is presenting the European version of the full-electric Sealion 7, a rival to the Tesla Model Y, at the 2024 Paris auto show.

The midsize SUV will slot in below the Tang large electric SUV in Europe and alongside the Seal U midsize SUV, which is available with plug-in hybrid and battery-electric model drivetrains.

The Sealion 7 will be the brand’s most technologically advanced model in Europe.

It is built on BYD’s latest 3.0 Evo electric platform and has fast charging of up to 240 kilowatts on top models and “cell-to-body” battery pack integration into the platform, reducing mass.

In China the Sealion 7 is already on sale with either a 72 kilowatt-hour or 81 kWh battery pack. The larger battery gives a range of 379 miles as measured using the China Light Duty Vehicle Test Cycle. Both batteries are produced by BYD and use its lithium iron phosphate chemistry.

Other technology includes a ‘dual-gun’ technology that enables two chargers to be plugged in at the same time, doubling the charging speed to almost 500 kW. The car also has what BYD claims is the highest speed electric motor reaching 23,000 rpm.

The entry Sealion 7 in China has a 230-hp electric motor mounted to the rear, while a higher power version makes 308 hp. An all-wheel-drive model adds a second electric motor to the front axle for a combined output of 523 hp. BYD said this model can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 4.2 seconds.

The Sealion is 4830-mm long, 1925-mm wide and 1620-mm tall. It’s 80 mm longer than the Tesla Model Y and 89 mm longer than the Leapmotor C10 midsize SUV, another electric competitor.

BYD has not officially confirmed the Sealion’s Paris debut, saying only that it will show a new European model in Paris. This model will be the Sealion 7, sources familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe.

At the Paris show, BYD will also showcase its upmarket Yangwang brand with the U8 large plug-in hybrid SUV.

BYD will be the biggest Chinese automaker at the Paris show, which will also host China brands Leapmotor, Xpeng, Seres, GAC, Skyworth, Forthing, Hongqi and Maxus at the event.

Western brands including Renault, Dacia, Citroen, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Ford and Cadillac will also be at the show.

The show starts Oct.14.

BYD is the world’s second-largest seller of full-electric cars after Tesla with sales of 1,169,579 to the end of September, according to the company’s figures.

BYD’s European sales jumped 217 percent to 24,318 through to the end of August, according to market analyst Dataforce. The majority of those sales — 23,878 in total — were BEVs and the rest were plug-in hybrid models.