New BYD Sealion 6: SA specs for 1 000 km PHEV revealed

The BYD Sealion 6 – with a slated range of up to 1 092 km – is set to launch in South Africa soon. Here’s a look at local specifications for this plug-in hybrid model…

The new BYD Sealion 6 – like the Chinese automaker’s highly anticipated Shark bakkie – is expected to hit the market in South Africa before the end of Q1 2025. And we’ve unearthed local specifications for this upcoming plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

We don’t yet have a firm idea of pricing but, for the record, SA’s most affordable PHEV is currently the 225 kW Toyota RAV4 2.5 PHEV at R980 000 (though Toyota SA Motors is not actively marketing this model). Still, we now at least know what to expect in terms of the Sealion 6 crossover’s specification. According to our information, the local Sealion 6 line-up will comprise 3 derivatives: Comfort, Dynamic and Premium.

Comfort and Dynamic derivatives combine a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine with a front-mounted electric motor drawing urge from an 18.3 kWh battery pack. Peak outputs for this PHEV system come in at 160 kW and 300 Nm, facilitating a 0-100 kph sprint in a claimed 8.5 seconds. All-electric range is a listed 80 km, while the overall range is slated to be as high as 1 092 km.

Meanwhile, the flagship Premium variant upgrades to a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol mill and adds a 2nd (rear-mounted) electric motor. This all-paw derivative’s maximum power and torque figures thus increase to 238 kW and 550 Nm, respectively, cutting the claimed 0-100 kph time to just 5.9 seconds (though the electric range dips to 70 km and the overall range falls to 961 km).

All 3 variants ride on 19-inch alloy wheels as standard and ship with a panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps, sequential rear indicators, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, faux-leather upholstery, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a 4-way power-adjustable front-passenger seat, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen.

Safety features standard across the range include 7 airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, lane-departure prevention, emergency lane-keeping assist, front-collision warning, rear-collision warning, blind-spot detection, high-beam assist and a raft of other driver-assistance features.

The mid-tier Dynamic and top-spec Premium trim levels further boast a 360-degree camera system (as opposed to the Comfort derivative’s reverse-view camera), front parking sensors, 1-touch tailgate operation, a 10-speaker “Infinity” audio system (rather than the Comfort’s 6-speaker “Dirac” arrangement), dual wireless smartphone chargers and heated-and-ventilated front seats. Finally, the all-wheel-drive Premium variant additionally scores a head-up display.

Measuring 4 775 mm from nose to tail, the BYD Sealion 6 is by no means a small vehicle, coming in at just 20 mm shorter than the 7-seater Toyota Fortuner, for instance, and exactly the same length as the Omoda C9. For the record, BYD claims a luggage capacity of 425 litres.

In South Africa, the Sealion 6 is expected to be available in only 4 (muted) exterior colours: Time Grey, Arctic White, Delan Black and Smokey Grey. Interior colour schemes set to be offered include plain black and a black-and-brown combination.

Currently, BYD markets only fully electric vehicles in South Africa – in the form of the Dolphin, Atto 3 and Seal – though the imminent arrival of the Sealion 6 and the Shark 6 bakkie will see the Chinese firm move into the local PHEV segment.