The BYD Seal, first shown in Malaysia in late 2022 and officially launched in February this year, comes to the Malaysian market as the Tesla Model 3’s closest competitor, and the Chinese EV model is offered here in two variants; from RM180,430 for the Premium and RM200,430 for the Performance AWD.
The Premium marks the entry into the Seal range in Malaysia and features a 313 PS/360 Nm rear motor powered by an 82.5 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. This allows the premium variant to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and has a claimed battery range of 580km (WLTP), or 57km more than the base variant Tesla Model 3, which costs RM10,000 more.
The second of the two Seal variants is the Performance AWD, which features a dual-motor powertrain for all-wheel drive and has a combined output of 530 hp and 670 Nm of torque. This brings with it a significant increase in sprint performance and shortens the 0 to 100 km/h time to just 3.8 seconds. The Performance AWD uses the same 82.5 kWh battery, meaning the range is lower at 520 km.
Thanks to an 800-volt electrical architecture, both variants of the Seal can charge up to 150 kW DC, charging the battery by 10-80% in 37 minutes. As for AC charging, the Seal uses an onboard charger that only delivers up to 7kW, so a full charge on an AC wallbox takes 15.2 hours.
Another difference between the Premium variant and the dual-motor Performance AWD is that the latter has passive frequency-selective damping and both are otherwise similarly specified. Both vehicles are equipped with a set of two-tone 19-inch alloy wheels with 235/45 tires, including the Continental EcoContact 6 Q.
Inside, the BYD Seal continues to carry the brand’s organically designed interior, albeit with more restraint than the Atto 3, and here the Seal boasts larger screens than those provided on other BYD models; This gets a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and a 15.6-inch rotating infotainment touchscreen.
The Seal’s safety package consists of eight airbags (including rear side airbags), stability control and a full suite of driver assistance systems. These include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitoring with collision avoidance, front and rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking and automatic high beams.
So how does the BYD seal compare to the Tesla Model 3? Watch the video here.
GALLERY: BYD Seal Premium in Malaysia
GALLERY: BYD Seal Performance AWD in Malaysia
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