Everything depends on the price
BYD launched another two new models in one fell swoop this week. As a lightning-fast sports sedan, the Seal is a car in a highly contested segment, which is also full of newcomers. We compare the automotive seal with its main competitors from Tesla, Polestar, Nio and Xpeng.
With the arrival of the BYD Seal and the Dolphin, BYD suddenly has five different models, all fully electric. This means that the Chinese brand, which is still new to Europe, can suddenly compete with the very largest when it comes to the size of the electric range, although BYD obviously still has to prove itself when it comes to sales figures. The Seal and the Dolphin are both interesting for different reasons. The Seal operates in a clearly higher segment, but at the same time shows more than the Dolphin that BYD is capable of. With an innovative ‘blade battery’ that is an integral part of the car’s construction and a slick-looking interior and exterior, it simply looks promising. The numbers also speak in his favour. Acceleration from 0 to 100 in 3.8 seconds (AWD) and a WLTP range of 570 kilometers (RWD), no car should be ashamed of.
Unfortunately, BYD has not yet announced what the Seal will cost. We do know that the Seal should appear on the market this year. If BYD says that, then we believe it, because the brand has already shown with the Atto 3 that it can deliver. In fact, if you get to hunt for a new EV in this (D-) segment sometime this year, the Seal should be on your list. High time for a first comparison with the most obvious rivals, even if it is still on paper.
| BYD Seal | Tesla Model 3 | pole star 2 | Nio ET5 | XPeng P7 | |
| Dimensions | 4.80×1.88×1.46m | 4.69×1.85×1.44m | 4.61×1.89×1.48m | 4.79×1.96×1.50m | 4.88×1.89×1.45m |
| Wheelbase | 2.92 meters | 2.88 meters | 2.74 meters | 2.89 meters | 3.0 meters |
| Luggage room v/a | 402/53 litres | 561/88 liters | 405/41 liters | 386/- liter | 440/go litres |
| Number of electric motors | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 | 2 | 1 or 2 |
| max. assets | 313 hp or 530 hp | 325 to 513 hp* | 272 to 476 hp | 490 hp | 276 to 473 hp |
| max. couple | go | 420 to 660 Nm | 490 to 740 Nm | 700 Nm | 440 to 757 Nm |
| Top speed | 180km/h | 225 to 261 km/h | 205 km/h | 200km/h | 200km/h |
| 0-100km/h | 5.9/3.8s | 6.1 to 3.3 sec | 6.4 to 4.2 sec | 4.0s | 6.7 to 4.1 sec |
| Battery capacity | 82 kWh (net) | 60 or 75 kWh (gross)* | 69 or 82 kWh (gross) | 75 or 100 kWh (gross) | 83 kWh (net) |
| Loading options | 11kW AC/150kW DC | 11 kW AC/170 kW DC (RWD)/250 kW DC (AWD) | 11 kW AC/135 kW DC (SR)/205 kW DC (LR) | 11 kW AC/140 kW DC + battery changes | 11kW AC/175kW DC |
| Range (WLTP) | 520 or 570 km | 491 to 634 km | 518 to 654 km | 445 or 580 km | 505 to 576 km |
| From price | nb | €42,993 | €51,200 | €62,700 (including battery) | €49,990 |
| *= estimate, not an official statement | |||||
Tesla and Polestar
The competitor for the Seal is of course the Tesla Model 3, the inventor and by far the most popular car in this class. This immediately raises a problem, because with the most recent price reduction, the Model 3 is simply a bargain. We would be very surprised if the BYD can come close to these prices, although the Seal with its 82-kW battery is in any case a competitor of the more expensive Model 3 Long Range. It has recently also been available with rear-wheel drive (634 km range) for €45,990, but only for the business market. Regardless of the price of the BYD, the Tesla scores better when it comes to performance (including fast charging) and interior space.
The other cars in this class are also not unfamiliar with these areas. However, the Polestar 2 is more prepared than ever after the latest update. It now has rear-wheel drive, just like the other cars in this list, but also has a much lower consumption and therefore a longer range. In addition, the Swedish Chinese throws its large liftback tailgate, sleek bodywork and slightly crossover-like decoration into battle. For more than 20 mille you get ‘only’ 69 kWh of battery here, but still more than 500 kilometers of range.
Competition from your own country
The Nio ET5 and the Xpeng P7, like the BYD, are products of Chinese brands that have only just started in Europe. The Xpeng is the largest car of this bunch at 4.88 meters and in that respect it is actually a model from a higher segment, but that is not apparent from the luggage compartment. With a minimum of 276 hp, it is also clearly less potent than most alternatives, but the P7 has a trump card up its sleeve. The car comes with a large 83-kWh battery as standard. For €50,000 you will immediately get 576 kilometers away, more than neat. It is also the case at BYD that the base price provides the highest range. Not at Tesla, Polestar and Nio, because there the largest range is reserved for versions with a larger battery.
The Nio ET5 looks slick and, just like the BYD, is available in many different, nice and striking colors. Nio is the only EV manufacturer that offers the option of (quickly) changing batteries, which, depending on developments in that area, can be an important plus under certain, very specific circumstances. But during normal use, this is one of the slowest charging cars of the bunch, which also has the smallest luggage space and, including the battery, is by far the most expensive of the five. Without a battery, that will be different (€50,700), but then you are stuck with a monthly amount of at least €169.
Model 3 unbeatable?
For all brands, the standard equipment is already very decent to even spacious, although Polestar still offers some different trim levels. Based on this table, the Tesla seems unbeatable for the time being, but comparing cars is of course not only possible with a few specifications. Fortunately, otherwise AutoWeek could close. The BYD already scores with its special and high-quality interior, especially in comparison with the American. We are very curious about the price and of course throw the Seal to the lions as soon as possible. The poor beast…
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl