It’s challenging not merely to stay abreast of the influx of new electric vehicles entering the market, but also to keep track of the emerging Chinese manufacturers producing these cars and seeking out UK buyers.
One of the newest additions is XPENG, and there are others like Omoda, Ora, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, Havel, and more; unless you're someone who closely follows every development in this field. motoring Magazines; you may not recognize any of them.
The most recent one is BYD, an acronym for Build Your Dreams, which began selling in the UK about two years ago This month, actually, it has been marking a year of incredible development Here, boosting its volume by 658 percent to more than 8,700. cars In 2024, it will be the UK’s quickest expanding automobile marque. Definitely a aspiration for many then.
We took their Seal out for a spin, available in two versions; the Design variant which has rear-wheel drive. the Excellence which comes with all-wheel drive , featuring two electric motors, offering remarkable ranges of 354 and 323 miles, respectively.
The Seal is a streamlined, smooth-looking vehicle with a low profile, not particularly eye-catching but brimming with numerous subtle and unusual features frequently omitted during full-scale production. These elements were first conceptualized on the designer’s computer screen. More details will follow.
Completely electric, featuring 'Blade Batteries' integrated smoothly into the vehicle's frame to create a robust 'sandwich' structure through a 'Cell-to-Body' technique, bystanders might easily confuse it for a similarly sleek Tesla or perhaps Hyundai’s Ioniq 6. However, this automobile stands as its distinct model.
Inside job
The Seal Design boasts an appealing exterior, and this attractiveness carries over into the cabin with its luxurious diamond-stitched upholstery adorning the intricately designed seats, effectively drawing attention. The carefully selected materials and the dramatic 15.6-inch infotainment display also contribute significantly to the interior’s appeal. This impressive screen can pivot electronically between landscape and portrait orientations at the touch of a button—a feature particularly useful when consulting maps.
As ever, however, with cars that have minimal switchgear, most functions being devolved to the main screen, it can be tricky finding the ‘right’ control, sometimes necessitating several icon pushes for even simple commands. Especially if you need to navigate out of Apple CarPlay first, and then back again.
The central storage area is quite adequate, and the door compartments offer enough space as well. There’s ample room inside for four grown-ups despite the car being very low to the ground, which makes entering and exiting require some flexibility and strong legs. This seems suitable considering its likely youthful design team.
The rear storage area offers ample room with about 400 liters of capacity, and there's additional space under the hood where you can stow charging cords or tiny items as well.
When driving, the Seal immediately exudes luxury with its sleek, seamless feel and silence due to its electric nature. The vehicle effectively minimizes road noise at lower speeds and offers an exceptionally comfortable ride through urban areas, including when encountering speed bumps. However, on more uneven roads at high speeds, some exterior sounds start creeping in, causing slight discomfort during travel.
The steering responds promptly (sometimes too much so; it can veer sharply towards turns when moving quickly, though this improves somewhat in Sport mode). As expected from a sport sedan, this vehicle is impressively swift. The engine with 312 horsepower accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in merely 5.9 seconds, capping out at a top speed of 111 mph. If you opt for the pricier £48,695 model offering 530 hp called Excellence, these numbers become even more impressive: accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and reaching the same maximum speed of 111 mph.
Straight and narrow
Is driving enjoyable? To some extent. Frustratingly, the brakes tend to seize up, particularly when they're not yet warm, and even more so at slower urban speeds. Thankfully, this issue diminishes as you pick up speed. The vehicle navigates bends quite adeptly but can be challenging to gauge its width on narrower stretches due to the low seating position. On broader highways and main roads, it maintains stability well. Similar to many electric vehicles, it has a rather sterile feel contrasted with gas-powered models. This appears to be characteristic of electrics in general.
Inside, there's an unexpectedly generous amount of room on the rear floor (perfect for storing hiking boots, pet supplies, and similar items when you're traveling solo or without passengers). The quirky design elements include oddly shaped speaker grills, small BYD emblems on the automatically extending door handles, curved panels within the front doors, and retro-styled air vents reminiscent of '80s aesthetics integrated into the exterior body. This seems like the work of a youthful, passionate, and skilled designer overflowing with innovative concepts. However, I doubt they spent much time in the backseat since although it offers ample space, the rear seating isn't notably comfortable, lacking adequate thigh support.
Interestingly, the front cabin vents cannot be adjusted like those in nearly every other car I've driven; however, surprisingly, this wasn't really an issue in practice. One pleasant feature was the tangible, centralized 'roller' used for adjusting the volume along with a handy 'quick' button on the steering wheel to bring up the excellent reverse camera view. This came in particularly useful since visibility when reversing is quite limited. Speaking of parking backwards, the fashionable wheels may lose their appeal quickly here in London, where we frequently find ourselves parallel parked near curbside spots, because these rims aren't adequately shielded by thick tire walls—they jut out somewhat, inviting potential damage.
Generally, there is a feeling of quality throughout the car and I’ll put the fact that the plastic trim around the internal rear-view mirror came off in my hand, down to bad luck. It snapped back into place, no problem, and stayed there.
When discussing visibility, however, the sharply slanted A-pillars on either side of the windshield do not make things easier when navigating intersections. I often had to verify—and re-verify—my surroundings. Simply put, one must be extra cautious because these pillars result in significant blind spots.
The ability to control the heating via buttons on the steering wheel adds a nice touch; it’s quite distinctive how it jumps directly from 18 degrees Celsius to 'Low', rather than incrementing down gradually like many other vehicles do. Additionally, the center console features dual wireless charging spots for phones, which accommodated my iPhone 15 Pro Max perfectly. The gear shift has been crafted elegantly and fashionably, enhancing the overall sense of advanced luxuriousness.
"The Seal" offers a lively and striking presentation from BYD, showcasing numerous engaging elements, style, and even a certain allure despite its shortcomings. Keep an eye on BYD as they show promise.
The Facts
BYD Seal Design
Price: £45,695
Top speed: 111 mph
0-60 mph: 5.9 seconds
Range: 354 miles
Emissions: 0 g/km
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