A few weeks ago, Lease Electric had a demo of the BYD Seal Excellence AWD, a sleek-looking electric car, competing with the Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2, and BMW i4. The Seal sits at the top of the BYD range, above the BYD Atto 3 and BYD Dolphin.
The BYD Seal
The BYD Seal is available in two main versions – one with a single motor for rear-wheel drive, badged Design, and the other with two motors providing four-wheel drive.
Standard equipment on both versions includes 19in alloy wheels, heated and ventilated seats with electrical adjustment and a memory function, dual-zone air conditioning, a heat pump (to improve efficiency), adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, touchscreen infotainment and parking aids.
The Seal has scored a full five stars in its Euro NCAP safety test, benefiting from a comprehensive suite of standard safety aid including automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot detection, active lane assist, front and rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic-sign recognition.
Driving Experience
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The Lease Electric team have tested the top-tier Seal 'Excellence-AWD'. This variant includes an additional front-mounted motor for all-wheel drive, which boosts power to 523bhp, resulting in an impressive acceleration time of just 3.8 seconds from 0-62mph (proudly advertised with a '3.8S' badge on the boot).
The Seal is the first BYD model with independent suspension, featuring double wishbones at the front and a five-link rear suspension. This setup significantly enhances vehicle control and handling. The BYD SEAL Excellence-AWD is equipped with variable frequency dampers for optimal responsiveness. These dampers adjust firmness based on road conditions, providing stable vehicle dynamics on smooth roads and softer damping on rough, uneven surfaces for a smoother ride experience.
Additionally, the BYD SEAL Excellence-AWD incorporates the Intelligent Torque Adaption Control system (iTAC), which improves vehicle stability.
Both variants offers four distinct driving modes, catering for a variety of driving preferences and conditions, which you can choose using the button in the centre console. These modes include:
- ECO mode, to prioritise energy efficiency and extends the driving range.
- Normal mode, which provides a balanced driving experience for everyday use.
- Sport mode, emphasising performance through improved acceleration and sharper handling.
- Snow mode, designed to enhance traction and stability on slippery surfaces like snow or ice.
Constructed on the advanced BYD e-Platform 3.0, leveraging the refined Cell-to-Body (CTB) technology, The 82.5kWh battery, also found in the rear-wheel-drive Design model, offers the Excellence AWD version a range of 323 miles between charges (WLTP). Fitted with a CCS2 Charging port, the Seal’s Blade battery supports a maximum charging rate of 150kW, allowing for a quick charge from 10% to 80% in approximately 38 minutes
Design
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BYD’s design studio has been under the leadership of Wolfgang Egger (previously from Audi and Alfa Romeo) since 2016. The Seal is styled using the brand's current 'Ocean Aesthetics' design language. The front of the BYD SEAL has the look and feel of a sports car, with its full, sculpted, curves designed to captivate the momentum of waves. The headlights feature a unique double U-shaped light cluster, that provide a stereo effect though staggered light.
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You enter the cabin using the retractable door handles. Once inside, you'll find a well-appointed interior featuring a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and a large 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen. The panoramic roof enhances the cabin, flooding it with natural light for a spacious and airy feel.
The seats, adorned with BYD-embossed headrests and diamond-quilted leather, offer both style and comfort. They are electrically adjustable, and the steering wheel offers four-way manual adjustment.
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The 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen can be rotated between portrait and landscape layouts, to manage climate control and other important functions.
It also displays the video feed from the 360-degree parking camera and a digitised version of the Seal, allowing you to rotate your virtual car by swiping your finger across the screen, to check your surroundings.
Standard connectivity features include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, although they are only accessible when the infotainment screen is in landscape orientation, The BYD Seal also has an intelligent voice control function that can be activated with the voice command “Hey BYD”.
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The front cabin provides ample storage, with generous door bins, a wireless charging pad for two phones, a deep cubby in the central armrest, and a sizable section in the hollowed-out centre console. Additionally, there are two adjustable cupholders in the centre console that can accommodate different drink sizes.
Summary
The BYD Seal may not have crossed your mind but deserves your consideration, If you are exploring other EVs in this segment, the Seal should be on your radar.