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BYD Seal Begins Taking Reservations, Starting At $32,000 As A Tesla Model 3 Challenger

BYD, the Chinese automotive company has officially announced taking pre-orders of the long-awaited EV sedan of the company Seal. The long-teased electric vehicle from the company is said to target Tesla Model 3 with its top-notch performance and features.

The Chinese company is going to celebrate its 20th foundation anniversary in 2023. The company name BYD Auto is short for “Build Your Dreams.” BYD Auto is one of the top grosser in China producing a whopping 320,000 battery-operated electric vehicles in 2021 alone.

The automaker first made its debut in the EV market with its first hybrid EV version of the F3 sedan. From the first launch in 2008 to till date the company has successfully ventured into PHEV and BEV along with electric trucks, forklifts, and buses in the Chinese market.

Pre-Order Details

The pre-order bookings for the BYD Seal are open for all four trims of the electric sedan. The news of its launch and specification came out earlier in March when the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology or MIIT of China revealed the upcoming launch.

The Chinese automotive company waited to build the buzz and open the pre-order for the sedan EV by delaying the price announcement. The BYD Seal is starting at RMB212,800 or $32,011 in China following the comprehensive subsidy deductions.

The EV sedan Seal, part of BYD auto design of its Ocean series would be called BYD Atto for overseas markets. The news of pre-order of the sedan is causing a lot of stir in the auto market in the country as many are coveting the model to be better than the Model 3 from Tesla.

BYD Seal Front

The front of the Seal is characterized by a low hood, narrow headlamps with a Renault-style C-shaped extension below them, a smooth bumper, slanted vertical side air inlets in an artistic pattern, and an A-shaped compact lower air intake.

Specification & Price Of BYD Seal

The sides of the car are defined by a pronounced character line that extends from the headlamp all the way to the rear lamps. The line is interrupted by the door handles, and it gives the car a sporty look.

BYD Seal Side

The rear end features slim and wide taillights, a roof-mounted spoiler, and a diffuser with twin exhaust tips. The car has a sleek yet sculpted sporty feel to it as the reverse lights are positioned next to the bumper with vertical air outlets like Mercedes EQE.

BYD Auto is set to offer the EV sedan Seal with multiple options of the upgrade of wheels, body kits, and other accessories. The seal is going to be the first car from BYD Auto to feature Cell-To-Body or CTB battery pack technology.

Configuration Of BYD Seal Sedan

BYD sedan EV is offered in four different trims, each with a different configuration. The new EV would host two battery pack options of capacity 61.44 kWh and 82.56 kWh. Both battery pack options would allow the EV to offer a range from 342 miles to 435 miles.

Following are the four trims of the BYD Seal EV sedan:

Standard Range Elite

Range: 342 miles
Price: $32,011

Standard Range Elite is the entry-level EV sedan with a rear-wheel-drive configuration. The RWD sedan is priced at $32,011 and can go up to 342 miles on one charge. Standard Range RWD Elite is a lot cheaper than Tesla Model 3 with the help of government subsidies on EVs in the country.

Standard Range Premium

Range: 342 miles
Price: $33,967

Standard Range Premium trim of the Seal is tanked at $33,967 in Chinese auto markets. The premium trim of the sedan EV is an RWD variant of the fleet and comes with 110kW DC fast charging speed.

Long Range

Range: 435 miles
Price: $39,516

The long-range edition of BYD Seal comes with significant changes in the battery pack and motor power. Long Range variant offers a bigger battery pack of 82.5 kWh and a stronger single motor RWD. This trim is priced from $39,516 and can offer up to 150 kW fast charging.

Performance

Range: 404 miles
Price: $43,576

Performance Seal boasts a configuration of dual-motor AWD with an 82.56 kWh battery pack. This variant can produce up to 523 hp and can accelerate to 0-62mph in mere 3.8 seconds. However, Tesla Model 3 Performance trim slightly wins the battle reaching 60mph in 3.6 seconds. Performance trim offers a range of 404 miles and comes with a sticker price of $43,576 in China.

What To Expect In Future?

BYD Seal directly competes with the Tesla Model 3 based on the specs and anticipated pricing structure. Seal is grossing the pre-order numbers massively since the booking began in China. Model 3 is available only in two trims in China. Model 3 Standard and Performance trims are priced at $42,088 and $55,320 in China.

BYD Seal is the first EV sedan from the company to come with sandwich structure battery technology that can make a massive increase in volume utilization of the EV. Moreover, the sedan is priced at much lower prices than the Model 3.

Tesla Model 3 is fairly one of the cheapest yet best in performance when it comes to EVs worldwide. But the kind of money a buyer would spend on the entry-level Model 3 from Tesla would get them a fully loaded BYD Seal.

Purnima Rathi
Purnima Rathi
Purnima has a strong love for EVs. Whether it's classic cars or modern performance vehicles, she likes to write about anything with four wheels, especially if there's a cool story behind it.

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