All-electric Seal is the stuff of dreams
Chinese manufacturer continues its global assault, writes Carmel Stewart
Just a few weeks ago Build Your Dreams, or BYD as it is more commonly known, was one of the fastest growing car manufacturers you had probably never heard of but, with the announcement that its electric car sales have toppled the ubiquitous Tesla from the podium, it is suddenly headline news.
Based in China but with a European base in the Netherlands, Build Your Dreams, or Biyadi, to give it its Chinese name, began its assault on the UK car market some months ago with the launch of the Atto 3 SUV in March 2023, swiftly followed by the Dolphin hatchback and more recently the sporty Seal – all pure electric passenger cars.
The company was founded in February 1995 and initially specialised in electronics, new energy and rail transit with auto manufacturing being a relativelyrecent addition. Its aim is to create zero-emission energy solutions that reduce global reliance on fossil fuels. Its impact can be evidenced by the fact that it now employs more than 40,000 engineers and technicians, has submitted applications for over 37,000 patent rights and owns around 25,000 patents. So serious stuff.
One of its biggest successes has been its pioneering battery technology which can be found in the majority of smart phones and laptops. That in turn led to the development of its sophisticated, super-strong, superefficient, award-winning Blade battery as featured in its passenger cars.
In addition, BYD is very proud of the fact that all of its car components are produced in-house. It owns the entire vertical supply chain, allowing for seamless integration including the production of semiconductors.
Its meteoric rise is further evidenced by the fact that it has produced close on two million EVs in the past 12 months. This undeniable success now puts it at the forefront in the manufacture of new energy vehicles and its latest offering, the Seal, is a great example of what this multiple-award-winning company can do.
Stand-out looks and sleek aerodynamic styling is clear even at a glance. Add to that the fact that it is well-equipped, good to drive and not over priced by today’ s standards and it is easy to see why the Seal will join the rapid rise to the top.
Two versions are available – the Design single motor, rear-wheel-drive with a power output of 313ps, and the more powerful double motored allwheel-drive Excellence with 530ps at its disposal. The former is priced at £45,695 and the latter (tested) at £48,695.
Behind the wheel, the 4x4 version is well powered with plentyofacceleration,smoothly delivered on demand. Sixtytwo mph takes just 3.8 seconds from a standing start. Driving modes on both models number four self-explanatory modes: ECO, normal, sport and snow.
Range anxiety is considerably reduced by the 323 miles available and a top-up time from 30 percent to 80 percent in just 26 minutes.
The comfortable interior is well put together with plenty of legroom front and back. The driver is very well catered for with a four-way adjustable steering wheel, an eight-way adjustable seat and a four-way power adjustable lumbar support.
The excellent voice command system is activated with a ‘Hey, BYD’. One very cool interior feature is the rotating central console which allows for the best view of the navigation map as well as all the required controls.