Model 3 competitor will span three variants, each with its own powertrain.

PRICING reflective of it being mainly aimed at the Tesla Model 3 has been announced for the BYD Seal sedan.

Rear-drive Dynamic and Premium editions and an all-wheel-drive Performance edition will be availed by the Chinese make’s national distributor, with deliveries set to begin in early 2024.

The entry car costs $62,990, the mid-spec is $72,990 and the flagship is $83,990, all before on roads, Auckland-based BYD NZ shared today.

Those stickers put it in competition with the Tesla Model 3 at today’s pricing, though there is potential the impending mid-life updates coming for the US model - which also comes to NZ from China - might cause a runout realignment of current Tesla stock that diminishes the BYD’s from $4000 advantage. In its latest post, ‘what we can learn from Tesla’, blog site BoostAuto.co.nz reminds the Model 3 “has just been reduced again and is now $14,000 less than 12 months ago (before rebate). It is their fourth price change this year.”

The Seal loses a little in range and performance to the Tesla, when comparable variants are assessed, but is likely to compare favourably in size. 

The entry Seal is rear drive with 150kW power and 310Nm of torque, the single motor fed by a 61.44kWh battery and offering up to 460km of range, estimated using the WLTP scale.

The Premium has the same drive format but takes a 82.56kWh battery. Range extends 570km. Power raises to 230kW and torque to 360Nm, with 0-100kmh dropping from 7.5 seconds at base to 5.9 seconds.

The Performance variant has the same battery but adds a motor up front, for an output of 390kW/670Nm and a cited 0-100kmh time of 3.8 seconds. Range falls to 520km. 

BYD overseas claims DC fast charging at up to 110kW for the Dynamic, and 150kW for the Premium and Performance. It quotes a 30 to 80 percent recharge times for the latter of 26 minutes respectively – while both batteries can charge at up to 7kW AC.

All versions of Seal have a black interior and are fitted with a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen, 10.25-inch instrument display, heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, and a full suite of advanced safety technology. Five star European NCAP crash test ratings were announced for Seal and the smaller Dolphin this week.

The medium and highest-grade models achieve a heated steering wheel, memory for the driver's seat and side mirrors and "genuine" rather than imitation leather seat trim. The flagship has a head-up display, Frequency Selectric Dampening (FSD) suspension, and Torque Adaption Control (ITAC), the latter of which is said to improve the model’s driving dynamics.

The Seal measures 4800mm long, 1875mm wide and 1460mm tall, riding on a 2920mm wheelbase – making it 106mm longer overall, 25mm wider, 17mm taller and 45mm longer in wheelbase than Model 3 in its current form.

BYD says it is taking orders from now on and will have test drive cars at dealerships by the end of December, with deliveries expected to started before the end of March, 2024. It is therefore beyond the point where the Clean Car Discount is expected to avail.

BYD NZ local head Warren Willmot has spoken enthusiastically about the Seal, but has not shared volume prediction. Model 3 was Tesla’s first strong seller locally but interest waned massively as soon as the Model Y crossover version came into market.

BYD revealed a Seal U - effectively a crossover Seal sedan - at a recent motor show in Germany. There is no talk about if, or when, the U could avail to NZ.