BYD Sea Lion 07 debuts in China: Has the Tesla Model Y met its match?

BYD Introduces All-Electric Sea Lion 07 SUV, Expanding Its Ocean Series

BYD, one of the leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers in the world, has unveiled its latest EV model at the Guangzhou Auto Show — the all-electric Sea Lion 07 coupe-SUV. Drawing inspiration from marine aesthetics, the Sea Lion 07 joins the other models in BYD's Ocean series, including the Seagull, Dolphin, and Seal models.

It is built on BYD's dedicated EV platform e-platform 3.0 and like the BYD Seal uses BYD's cutting-edge CTB (Cell to Body) battery integration technology. This unique approach fuses the battery directly into the vehicle's structure, increasing space efficiency by 66% and granting an additional 10mm of vertical room. This is particuarly important for EVs which tend to have slightly elevated floors to accommodate batteries.

How big is the BYD Sea Lion 07?

Dimension-wise, the Sea Lion 07 is substantial, standing at 4830mm in length, 1925mm in width, and 1620mm in height, with an extended wheelbase measuring 2930mm. Under its sleek hood lies the Disus-C, a dedicated intelligent body control system specifically designed for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), further affirming BYD's commitment to EV innovation.

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What is the price of the BYD Sea Lion 07?

The Sea Lion 07 will sell for between 200,000 and 260,000 yuan, which converts to approximately A$42,650 to A$55,440. It's a competitive pricing bracket, especially considering the vehicle's advanced features and striking design.

How does it compare to the Tesla Model Y?

In positioning the Sea Lion 07, BYD delivers a very competitive alternative to Tesla's Model Y within the Chinese market. It could also present competition for other models in BYD's EV portfolio including BYD's mid-size all-electric SUV, the BYD Song L, and the newly minted Denza N7.

The BYD Sea Lion 07 is strategically slotted just beneath the Song L and the Denza N7, hinting at an intricate market strategy which the Shenzhen-based automaker will unveil imminently.

With the company's sales skyrocketing to over 300,000 units on a monthly basis — 137,000 of which are attributed to the Ocean series — BYD is on a strong growth trajectory. The company ambitiously aims to hit sales of 3 million vehicles by the end of 2023 and has an optimistic stretch goal of 3.6 million.

Will the BYD Sea Lion be sold in Australia?

Industry insiders have confirmed that the BYD Sea Lion is likely to make its way to the Australian market towards the end of 2024. Given the raging success of the Tesla Model Y in Australia, it is no surprise BYD would look to sell a model in the ever popular medium SUV/crossover segment.

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