BYD Dolphin arrives in Europe in June, Seal joins it in September

14 April 2023

Last year BYD unveiled the Seal and revealed that it would go on sale in Europe, alongside the Dolphin. Now the company has finally given us a more concrete timeline for the launches.

The Dolphin will be first, arriving in Europe in June, while the Seal will take a bit more, landing in September.

Both models use BYD's Blade batteries with LFP cell chemistry in an 800V configuration, but while the Dolphin uses cell-to-pack technology, the Seal has a newer development called cell-to-body technology. The former has the cells integrated directly into the battery housing. The latter uses the lid of the battery housing as the floor of the body, not having a separate floor panel anymore. The advantage, BYD says, is better aerodynamics since the body is lower, and it's also more rigid and you can get more interior space thanks to the reduced battery pack volume.

Since it's using this tech, the Seal will be positioned as a "sporty D-segment sedan" with 0.219 drag coefficient. The rear motor version is capable of delivering 230 kW (313 PS), while the dual-motor model goes up to 390 kW (530 PS). Range is estimated at 570 km for the former with an 82 kWh battery and 520 km for the latter with an 80 kWh battery. Top speed is 180 km/h, while 0-100 km/h takes 3.8 seconds with the AWD, and 5.9 seconds in the RWD.

The Seal will charge at 150 kW DC maximum, with 30% to 80% taking 26 minutes. A 11 kW AC charger is supplied, for a probable eight-our charge time. The Seal supports vehicle-to-load functionality and can supply up to 3 kW. The trunk/boot offers 402 liters of space while the frunk is 53 liters.

The BYD Dolphin has a 60 kWh battery which will allow a range of up to 427 km. Charging takes 29 minutes from 30% to 80% at the maximum supported 88 kW DC. The front motor delivers 150 kW / 204 PS and 290 Nm of torque and can accelerate the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 7 seconds. Maximum speed is 160 km/h.

11 kW AC charging is supported, as is vehicle-to-load. The Dolphin's dimensions make it a perfect competitor to the VW ID.3 - 4.29 m long, 1.77 m wide, and 1.57 m high, with a 2.7 m wheelbase. The boot/trunk is 345 liters.

Prices for Europe aren't official yet for either model, but at an event a range of €30,000 to €38,000 was mentioned for the Dolphin.

Source | Via