BYD Seal EV launched in Malaysia – two variants, up to 523 hp/670 Nm, 570 km range; from RM179,800
First shown here at the end of 2022, and then teased again late last year, the BYD Seal is now officially on sale in Malaysia, with Sime Darby Beyond Auto launching the electric vehicle earlier today at the TRX Exchange.
Despite earlier speculation that there would be three variants for Malaysia, the Seal makes its debut here in just two guises, as an extended range Premium and a range-topping Performance. Initially, it was intimated that the local range would follow that seen in Singapore, Thailand and Australia, but the base Dynamic has been omitted.
Let’s get to what everyone has been keenly waiting for, which is the pricing. The two Seal variants available here at the following recommended retail prices:
- Seal Premium (Extended Range) – RM179,800; RM180,430 on-the-road without insurance
- Seal Performance AWD – RM199,800; RM200,430 on-the-road without insurance
Designed as a premium segment competitor to the likes of the BMW i4 and the Tesla Model 3, the four-door coupe-styled sedan features a sloping roof-line and short rear deck, with a neat mix of curves and swoops giving it a sleek – if sometimes generic – profile.
It measures in at 4,800 mm long, 1,875 mm wide and 1,460 mm tall, with a 2,920 mm-long wheelbase, and sits on the automaker’s e-platform 3.0, which also underpins the Atto 3 and Dolphin EVs. Unlike its siblings, however, the Seal uses an 800V electrical architecture platform similar to higher-end EVs such as the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.
Other relevant numbers are a kerb weight of 1,922 kg for the Dynamic, 2,055 kg for the Premium and 2,185 kg for the Performance as well as 400 litres of boot space, with 50 litres available at the front.
External elements include LED headlights, LED daytime running lights and LED tail lights as well as retractable door handles and a panoramic roof. Both Seal variants ride on 19-inch wheels wrapped with 235/45 profile Continental EcoContact 6 Q rubbers.
The Premium features a single-motor, rear-wheel drive configuration, with 308 hp (313 PS or 230 kW) and 360 Nm on tap. It comes with a 82.5 kWh LFP Blade battery, which provides the car with up to 570 km of WLTP-rated range (650 km on NEDC).
The range-topping variant is the Performance, the only all-wheel drive variant. Its dual-motor powertrain combines a 215 hp/310 Nm front motor to a 308 hp/360 Nm rear unit to offer a total output of 523 hp (530 PS or 390 kW) and 670 Nm.
It has the same 82.5 kWh battery seen on the Premium ER, although the bump in performance means that its effective range is lower, with a quoted 520 km of WLTP-rated travel on a single charge (580 km, NEDC). Maximum speed isn’t quoted, but the single-motor Premium manages the 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds, while the dual-motor Performance does it in 3.8 seconds.
In terms of charging, both the Premium ER and Performance AWD feature 7 kw AC Type 2 charging, and the charging time needed to get the unit from 0-100% state of charge (SoC) takes a somewhat lengthy 15.2 hours. With DC charging at a maximum rate of 150 kW, it takes 37 minutes needed to get the battery from a 10 to 80% SoC.
Inside, while there is less visual flourish on show compared to the Atto 3, the cabin presentation certainly isn’t coy-looking from a design perspective, although the Thaumas Black interior for the local car offers a more formal take. As per the general specification of the car, the upholstery on both variants is full leather, a step up from the faux leather on the omitted base variant.
Highlights include a 15.6-inch central touchscreen unit – with the usual switchable landscape/portrait orientation – and a 10.25 digital instrument panel that make up the display screens, as well as a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system.
Elsewhere, you’ll find ventilated/heated driver/passenger powered seats, dual-zone air-conditioning, a PM2.5 air filtration system, keyless entry/start, an NFC key card, head-up display, two wireless mobile device chargers and wired Apple CarPlay/wireless Android Auto connectivity, among other things.
Safety and driver assistance kit includes nine airbags (front, front and rear side, side curtain and far-side driver) as well as a comprehensive ADAS suite that includes adaptive cruise control, AEB, lane departure warning and prevention, lane keeping assist, front/rear cross-traffic alert and brake as well as high beam assist and a high-resolution 360-degree camera, among other things.
As for exterior colours, four are available for Malaysia, these being Cosmos Black, Aurora White, Atlantis Grey and Arctic Blue, the last exclusive to the Performance. The Seal comes with a six-year/150,000 km vehicle warranty, an eight-year/160,000 km battery warranty and an eight-year/150,000 km drive unit warranty. It was also announced at the launch that the first 800 buyers will enjoy a complimentary wallbox charger (supplied by EV charging subsidiary, KINETA) and free Gentari or ChargEV charging credits worth RM800.
Customers can also choose from Standard and Plus service packages, the former available priced between RM2,688 to RM8,488 depending on variant and the number of years (three, six or eight). The Plus service package is available in terms of six or eight years, with pricing from RM11,488 to RM17,688 – more items are covered compared to the Standard service package.
GALLERY: 2024 BYD Seal Premium
GALLERY: 2024 BYD Seal Performance
GALLERY: 2024 BYD Seal Malaysian brochure
GALLERY: 2024 BYD Seal official launch photos in Malaysia
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