News / 4 April 2025 / Michael Taylor

South Africa’s most affordable 1,000km hybrid now on sale – Pricing and features

BYD has officially launched the new Sealion 6 in South Africa, adding a second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model to its lineup alongside the Shark bakkie.

The Sealion is available in three specifications with prices starting at R639,900.

This makes it by far and away the most affordable PHEV in the country, undercutting the BMW X1 xDrive30e by a staggering R410,100.

Powertrain

The Sealion 6 is divided across three trim levels – Comfort, Dynamic, and Premium – which determines their drivetrain.

The Comfort and Dynamic are fitted with a 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with a front-mounted electric motor, resulting in a combined output of 160kW and 300Nm that let them accelerate to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds.

The e-motor is powered by an 18.3kWh battery, which affords an all-electric driving range of 80km.

Combined with the car’s 60-litre fuel tank, the crossover can travel for an astounding 1,092km before needing to top up both reserves.

The flagship Premium, meanwhile, features a turbocharged version of the 1.5-litre engine and a second rear-mounted e-motor, giving it an all-wheel-drive system.

The result is a combined output of 238kW and 550Nm, seeing the 0-100km/h sprint completed in a respectable 5.9 seconds.

It employs the same 18.3kWh cell as its siblings, but the requirement to power a second motor reduces the electric range to 70km.

The BYD also features regenerative brakes and a charging port that can support either a 7kW AC or an 18kW DC plug.

The 7kW outlet will take around three hours to charge the battery, while the DC cable can do the same in less than an hour.

Also worth noting is that the Sealion supports V2L (vehicle to load) charging, otherwise known as bi-directional charging, allowing owners to use the battery to power other devices.

Features

The base Sealion 6 Comfort comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, a multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, artificial leather upholstery, six speakers, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a 4-way power-adjustable front-passenger seat, a panoramic sunroof, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 15.6-inch infotainment screen that can be rotated to either a portrait or landscape orientation.

Also fitted across the range are seven airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, lane-departure warning, lane-departure prevention, emergency lane-keeping assist, front- and rear-collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring.

The Dynamic and Premium take things a step further, adding a 360-degree camera, front parking sensors, an electric tailgate, a 10-speaker Infinity stereo, two wireless charging pads, and heated and ventilated front seats.

The Premium also benefits from an exclusive heads-up display.