New BYD Seal: Tesla Model 3 rival confirmed for UK launch

By James Attwood

13 Apr 2023

The new BYD Seal, a Tesla Model 3-rivalling saloon from the hugely ambitious Chinese electric manufacturer, will arrive in the UK later this year.

The sleek new machine was revealed in Chinese specification last August, but BYD has now confirmed it will be part of an expanded three-car line-up of electric models that will be offered in the UK. It will join the recently launched (and really rather good) Atto 3 SUV and the soon-to-arrive Dolphin hatchback.

And yes, you did read that right: the new BYD cars will be called the Seal and the Dolphin. If that sounds a bit fishy, it's because the two models feature what BYD calls its “ocean aesthetics” design concept. Do you, er, sea what they did there?

Being honest, we can’t really see much ocean-related design in the new Seal, although it does bear a passing resemblance to the Hyundai Ioniq 6 – which clearly isn’t a bad thing.

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The Seal takes the form of a low-slung electric saloon. It’s 4800mm long, 1875mm wide and 1460mm tall, making it 106mm longer, 58mm narrower and 17mm higher than the Model 3. It has a wheelbase of 2920mm, which is 45mm more than the Tesla.

Like the Atto 3, it's build on BYD’s e-Platform 3.0 architecture, and features a ‘Blade Battery’ that is integrated into the body of the car to increase structural rigidity. BYD claims it can achieve up to 40,500Nm of torsional rigidity – that’s quite a lot, in case you were wondering.

Notably, the Seal is the first BYD model to feature 'cell-to-body' technology, meaning that the battery is integrated into the vehicle structure. That's claimed to make the machine stronger and safer.

The Seal will be offered in two specifications. The entry-level model will be rear-wheel-drive with a single 230kW electric motor and an 82kWh battery for a range of 354 miles.

There will also be a more potent all-wheel-drive version that adds a 160kW front motor for a total output of 390kW. That model will use an 80kWh battery, with a range of 323 miles.

Charging can be done at speeds of up to 150kW for both models, which BYD says is fast enough to give a 30-80 per cent top-up in 26 minutes. The Seal also offers vehicle-to-load technology, so you can run electrical appliances using it.

Inside, the dashboard is dominated by a 15.6in touchscreen which, like on the Atto 3, can rotate from portrait to landscape. There's also a 12-speaker Dynaudio stereo system, and BYD claims more than 20 storage spaces.

There are sport seats up front, which will feature ventilation and heating functions on mid- and high-end trims. BYD claims that the rear can see three adults comfortably, while an "oversized" panoramic sunroof lets in extra light.

In China, prices will start from around £27,290. We've yet to hear about UK pricing, but we'd expect it to sit above the Atto 3, which starts from £36,490.