UK-bound BYD Sea Lion 07 teased ahead of European debut

• New electric SUV from BYD
• Flagship EV sitting above the Seal saloon
• Coming to the UK in 2025

BYD has teased an image of its latest model, the Sea Lion 07, ahead of its reveal at the 2024 Paris Motor Show. The fully-electric SUV will be presented to a European audience for the first time before it goes on sale in the UK next year.

The new BYD Sea Lion 07 continues the Chinese brand’s aquatic-themed model lineup, sitting above the Dolphin, Seal and Seal U. As the flagship of the range, it’ll compete against a growing number of fully-electric SUVs on sale in the UK, including the Skoda Enyaq, Peugeot E-3008 and Tesla Model Y.

What do we know about the BYD Sea Lion 07?

BYD’s teaser image doesn’t give much away, but it does reveal the silhouette of the upcoming Sea Lion 07, complete with a sloping roofline and sharply raked rear window. Other than that, the online post offers an invitation to the debut of a “new model”.

Although the 2024 Paris Motor Show will mark the Sea Lion 07’s European debut, customers in its home market have already been able to purchase it for some time. Looking at the model already available in China, we can assume that the European model won’t be too different when it arrives next year.

3

The Chinese-market Sea Lion 07 sports similar styling to the Seal saloon, with C-shaped LED daytime-running lights flanking a large ‘BYD’ badge. The Sea Lion 07 is a larger car than that model, though, featuring coupe-SUV proportions and a sloping roofline similar to that of the Volkswagen ID.5. The Sea Lion 07’s tail-lights don’t differ too much from those of the Seal, while there’s a small boot-mounted spoiler that you can spot in the teaser image.

The interior is likely to be carried over from the Seal saloon, complete with its large rotating infotainment touchscreen. It will also have a new digital driver’s display – something that will find its way into the upcoming facelifted Seal. Elsewhere, we expect features from the Chinese-spec Sea Lion 07 to appear in the European model, including a head-up display, panoramic sunroof and heated front and rear seats.

The Sea Lion 07 will sit on BYD’s e-Platform 3.0, which is the same tech underpinning the Seal saloon. Customers in China can order the Sea Lion 07 with either a 71.8kWh or an 80.6kWh battery, although it’s currently unclear whether both will be available in the UK. The smaller of the pair is connected to a single 227bhp electric motor, while a dual-motor model with 523bhp is offered for rapid performance.

How much will the BYD Sea Lion 07 cost and when can I buy one?

There’s no word yet on pricing for the BYD Sea Lion 07, but we do know it will sit at the top of the range as its flagship model in the UK. We wouldn’t be surprised if it goes on sale here with a starting price close to £50,000 with a choice of two trim levels. More information will be revealed following its European debut in Paris, but we can expect it to go on sale here in early 2025.

BYD’s smallest car just got even cheaper – read about the new BYD Dolphin Active…