The BYD Seal U is the latest addition to BYD’s European fleet. It’s an electric SUV based on a saloon with almost the same name, the BYD Seal. The ‘U’ at the end stands for ‘Utility,’ and the BYD Seal U certainly lives up to its name, offering more interior space and a larger trunk compared to its saloon sibling. This sleek and modern SUV is available in several Western European countries, with plans to expand to the rest of the EU and Turkey in the coming years. If you find the vehicle’s naming a bit confusing, you’re not alone. In China, it’s known as the BYD Song Plus, and there’s also a plug-in hybrid version named BYD Seal U DM-i. Yes, it can be a bit of a headache to keep track of!
Let’s discuss the Seal U’s battery
A common question among EV buyers is how reliable the BYD battery actually is. The short answer is that BYD’s battery is the best car battery in the world. BYD has been manufacturing batteries for three decades and boasts the most advanced manufacturing process in the industry. The company even owns lithium mines, which simplifies and significantly reduces the cost of the entire production process. All BYD models in Europe are equipped with the Blade Battery, the most advanced battery in the EV world. The fact that Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y are also equipped with BYD’s Blade Battery speaks volumes.
The BYD Seal U comes in two trims: Comfort and Design. Both trims share similar equipment, with the battery being the main difference. The Comfort trim features a 71.8 kWh Blade Battery with a range of 420 kilometers (WLTP). The Design trim is equipped with an 87 kWh Blade Battery, offering a range of 500 kilometers (WLTP). The charging time for the smaller battery is 42 minutes (from 10% to 80%), and 43 minutes for the larger one (also from 10% to 80%). In terms of performance, the Seal U is powered by a single electric motor delivering 214 horsepower (160 kW), capable of reaching 100 km/h in 9.6 seconds.
The BYD Seal U price and competitors
With a price of €34,500, the BYD Seal U is most affordable in Greece. On the other hand, in the Netherlands, it costs €42,990, making it the least affordable place to buy the car. In ElectricFleet’s detailed overview of the BYD Seal U, you can find pricing information for every European country, as well as details about the equipment, battery, available colors, and more.
The Seal U’s most prominent competitors are the Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Skoda Enyaq, Nissan Ariya, and Kia EV6. This presents a significant challenge for BYD, as competing against established automakers is not easy, even though their EV technology lags behind by several years.
