New BYD Sealion 7 revealed as a Ford Capri-rivalling electric SUV

• All-new electric coupe-SUV from BYD
• Up to 523bhp in dual-motor guise
• On sale from late October 2024

The new BYD Sealion 7 has been unveiled at the 2024 Paris Motor Show, bringing the Chinese firm’s aquatic-themed EV tally up to three. It’s the largest and most upmarket car that BYD is bringing to the UK for now, sporting trendy coupe-SUV proportions and EV technology shared with the BYD Seal saloon.

The Sealion 7 isn’t due to arrive in showrooms until later this year, but it will have plenty of competition to shake off when it does. This year has seen the release of several electric coupe-SUVs, including the Peugeot E-3008, Cupra Tavascan and the Ford Capri, while older models like the Skoda Enyaq Coupe and Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron remain popular. Still, BYD hopes that its unique ‘Blade’ battery tech and focus on performance will be enough to win over UK buyers.

What do I need to know about the new BYD Sealion 7?

A teaser from BYD earlier this year suggested that the Chinese-market Sea Lion 07 would be making its way to Europe, and this week’s unveiling at the Paris Motor Show has confirmed our suspicions – albeit with a curious naming tweak to Sealion 7.

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The Sealion 7 uses BYD’s e-Platform 3.0, which is shared with its Tesla Model 3 rival, the BYD Seal. We don’t know official battery specifications yet aside from a maximum rapid charging speed of 230kW, but given that the Sea Lion 07 is sold in other markets with a choice of 71.8kWh and 80.6kWh batteries, the same could be offered here. 

Range figures remain a mystery, but Chinese-market models are rated at 341 miles or 380 miles depending on battery size. Note that those figures are calculated under the CLTC testing procedure, which is more generous than our European WLTP standard.

BYD has confirmed that the Sealion 7 will be offered in a “variety of configurations”, possibly including single-motor rear-wheel drive models as seen with the Seal saloon. A dual-motor all-wheel drive model will sit at the top of the range, coming with a performance-enhancing ‘Intelligent Torque Adaption Control system’. This will be able distribute torque between the front and rear wheels to “minimise skidding”, while the suspension system has been developed to deliver “excellent handling and secure vehicle control”.

In other markets, this top-spec model puts out 523bhp from its two motors, enabling a 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.2 seconds. European models have been confirmed to complete the same benchmark in 4.5 seconds, suggesting that there may be a difference in power output. 

The exterior design shares a clear family resemblance to the Seal saloon, sporting the brand’s ‘X-faced’ motif up front. There are slim U-shaped headlights, large air ducts and a silver skid plate below the bumper. A light-bar spans the width of the rear, while a small spoiler extends beyond the sloping roofline. BYD claims that the Sealion 7’s “deeply sculpted curves echo the motion of waves” – we’ll let you be the judge of that, but it’s certainly a more curvaceous design than the Skoda Enyaq Coupe or the Peugeot E-3008.

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The nautical theme continues inside according to BYD, with a mixture of curve and flowing shapes, although it’s not quite as flamboyant as the Atto 3 SUV or Dolphin. A giant 15.6-inch touchscreen sits centrally, and features the same rotating function as the screens in the Dolphin, Seal and Atto 3. The centre console shares its gear selector control panel with the Seal U SUV, while the steering wheel is new.

How much does the BYD Sealion 7 cost and when can I buy one?

Official pricing information will be revealed closer to the Sealion 7’s release date later this October, but given that the Seal saloon starts from around £46,000, we expect that you won’t see much change from £50,000. Early customers can expect to receive their Sealion 7 before the end of the year.

On the hunt for a zero-emissions SUV? Read our list of the best electric SUVs on sale today…