BYD is significantly ramping up its expansion into the South African marketplace, as there are at least five different cars expected to make an appearance on our roads within the next year or so.
The Chinese automaker was one of several brands that attended the recent Festival of Motoring (FoM) in Gauteng, where various sources revealed BYD’s extensive line-up of models arriving in the near future.
Excitement on the cards
BYD (Build Your Dreams) has been in South Africa for a little over a year with a small roster that currently includes just two all-electric cars – the Atto 3 and the Dolphin.
The Atto 3 crossover was launched in June 2023 at a starting price of R768,000, while the Dolphin hatchback was added in May this year with a sticker of R539,900.
However, this modest selection will soon expand with the introduction of the new Seal 6, a midsize electric sedan.
The Seal was showcased at FoM, where a company representative confirmed that it will appear in showrooms this October.
A detailed breakdown of the car’s specs showed that it will be sold in two specifications – Premium and Performance – which determine its output.
The Premium uses a rear-mounted electric motor with 230kW and 360Nm, while the Performance gains a motor over each axle with a combined reading of 390kW and 670Nm.
The battery clocks in at 82.56kWh, which gives the Premium a range of 650km, though the higher-spec model can only manage 580km on account of its more impressive power delivery.
Pricing for the Seal has yet to be revealed, though the spokesperson did say it would land somewhere close to seven figures.
Even so, it will likely become South Africa’s cheapest electric sedan, given its competition is the R1.7-million Mercedes-Benz EQE.
Sources close to the automaker confided to MyBroadband that other cars are also in the works, starting with the Dolphin Mini.
Overseas, this model is known as the Seagull, but the term “Mini” gives a clear indication that this will be placed below the Dolphin when it lands on our shores.
The Mini will therefore become BYD’s new entry-level model in South Africa, though its price tag is currently unknown.
Considering that it sells for 95,800 yuan (R241,146) in China and that BYD’s vehicles seem to have their stickers doubled by the time they are through with South Africa’s taxes and import duties, the Dolphin Mini is likely to land around the R400,000 mark.
It uses a front-mounted motor with 55kW and 135Nm, which is hooked up to a battery with a capacity of 30.08kWh or 38.88kWh depending on the market, giving it a range of between 305km or 405km.
A model that is likely to capture the attention of South Africans is the BYD Shark – a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) bakkie.
A trademark application for this name was lodged in April, which is strong evidence to suggest that its only a matter of time before it arrives.
The double cab makes use of a 1.5-litre petrol engine, which is paired to a rear-mounted e-motor to produce a total of 320kW.
Since it’s a plug-in model, it also comes with a 29.6kWh cell that lets it travel for 100km without dipping into the fuel tank.
In Australia, the Shark is priced at 68,000 AUD, which puts its speculative South African sticker north of R1.2 million by the time import costs are factored in.
Speaking of hybrids, another vehicle on the cards is the Sea Lion 6, which could become the country’s cheapest PHEV crossover.
This title is currently held by the BMW X1 xDrive30e, but the Sea Lion goes for 48,990 AUD in the Land Down Under, the equivalent of R580,000.
Even if its local retail margin ends up being much higher than this, it will still likely cost less than the X1’s R1,050,000.
In China, the Sea Lion is packaged with either a naturally-aspirated or turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol plant with an additional e-motor.
The one without forced induction has a power cap of 160kW and 300Nm, while the turbo cranks this up to 238kW and 550Nm.
As for the battery, it uses a 18.3kWh unit good for 92km of emission-free travel.
The last model potentially in store for South Africa is the Seal 7 DM-i, another plug-in hybrid.
This was previously called the Warship 7, following one of BYD’s other naming conventions, but its name was changed to line-up with the Seal sedan series.
Like the Sea Lion, it features a 1.5-litre petrol mill with or without a turbocharger, which provides anywhere from 81kW and 135Nm to 145kW and 325Nm, according to CarNewsChina.
Unfortunately, the carmaker has not revealed the DM-i’s combined reading, but the electric motor can provide up to 160kW on its own.
It is available with either a 17.6kWh or 30.7kWh battery, letting it drive for between 101km and 160km on just electricity.
In China it sells for the equivalent of 32,400 USD, which translates to R578,000, though once again this is likely to be higher by the time it hits local storefronts.
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