BYD cars in India have been selling well for their price, mainly because they offer a mix of efficiency and luxury at a competitive price. With that in mind, BYD plans to launch a new SUV in India, which could be its best mileage model yet. It has been spotted being tested across India, and we expect the car to launch soon.
New BYD Seal U PHEV Coming To India
This would be the Chinese manufacturer’s fifth product in India; it will compete with cars like the upcoming JSW Combat (Jetour T2-based SUV) and the MG Tomahawk PHEV.
The DM-i is BYD’s electric-first plug-in hybrid tech that uses the internal combustion engine as a range extender. The upcoming Seal U DM-i will use this technology to help the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine achieve exceptional mileage. It will draw power from the battery pack and, depending on the variant, one or two electric motors. This setup allows a 126 km range in electric-only mode, making city-to-city commutes incredibly efficient.
BYD claims this hybrid powertrain can deliver a combined range (petrol + electric) of up to 1,080 kilometres. However, BYD India recently earned recognition in the India Book of Records for “The Longest Distance Covered By A Plug-in hybrid vehicle on a single charge and fuel tank.” The BYD Seal U DM-i covered 1,735 kilometres – 655 kilometres more than the claimed range. With this range, the Seal U could deliver close to 30 km/l (approx.).
Features
Enough about the range, let’s talk features. It sports a similar design philosophy in the interior as the Sealion 7; the showstopper is the 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, a 360-degree camera, Level-2 ADAS, six airbags (standard), powered front seats with ventilation, ambient lighting and a PM 2.5 air purification system to name a few.
Globally, it sells with two battery packs, 18.3 kWh and 26.6 kWh, offered in three variants: Boost, Comfort and Design. Comfort offers the highest efficiency of the three. It is also offered with AWD in the Design variant.
We expect BYD India to offer all three variants, but the Seal U DM-i’s success depends on one factor.
BYD Seal U PHEV Expected Price
Pricing will determine whether this model succeeds—the is expected to launch by year-end. With plug-in hybrid tech, it could be priced in the Rs. 50 lakh to Rs. 60 lakh range (on-road, Mumbai).