Eager to make the shift to electric but still worried about charging stations and driving range? BYD Cars Philippines may have the answer. Unveiled just yesterday is the newest addition to their electrified vehicle lineup, the Sealion 6.
Designed to attain driving ranges beyond 1,000-kilometers, the BYD Sealion 6 is an electrified vehicle with a range extender, also known as a Plug-In Hybrid. This means it is powered by an electric powertrain, but has a gasoline engine that automatically turns on to charge the battery when it is low. Drivers also have the option to plug-in the vehicle to fully charge the battery to drive in pure electric mode for the first 100-km.
With this model, BYD aims to invite buyers to the brand who aspire to enjoy the cost savings and benefits of all-electric driving while having the ability to travel over even greater distances.
To give us a better feel of the vehicle, BYD invited us to personally test drive the vehicle before its launch.
Practical size
The Sealion 6 is classified as a compact SUV and goes against the likes of the Honda CR-V Hybrid, Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.
It bears a silhouette similar to the smaller Atto3 and the Tang EV. Behind, a spoiler shades its sloping rear tailgate while an LED taillamp stretches across. The style conscious will be delighted to know it rolls on 19-inch wheels as standard.
Cool interior
Entering the vehicle can be done in one of several ways. There’s the conventional way with a key fob in their pocket. It also comes with an NFC card key. With this tucked in a bag or wallet, the vehicle can be unlocked with just a tap on the driver’s side mirror and started when the card is placed above the center armrest cushion.
As expected of most EVs, its interior boasts of a massive center LCD screen where various navigation, entertainment, and climate settings are displayed. Like the Atto3, this screen can also be rotated between landscape and profile orientation if desired. Naturally, the infotainment system is compatible with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, able to show your favorite apps on the center screen. Audio is then routed to a high-end Infinity 10-speaker sound system.
The driver still gets a large, fully-digital instrument cluster that shows the vital trip readouts. The display can also be customized to various styles and display certain information. Lower on the dashboard are two wireless charging pads for two phones.
The interior can be had in a choice of black and brown leather (with grey exterior) or grey and blue (with white or blue exterior). Above, passengers also get a panoramic sunroof with retractable shade.
Powertrain
Propelling the Sealion 6 is a hybrid powertrain made up of an electric motor that drives the front wheels. The electric motor is then powered by an 18.3-kWh Blade battery capable of driving the vehicle in pure electric mode for 100-km. When in hybrid mode, the 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine periodically turns on to charge the batteries, radically extending the vehicle’s range to as far as 1,100-km.
Driving the car needs no special training as the engine turns on automatically when power is needed or the battery is low. The vehicle also includes built in driving modes like ‘Normal,’ ‘Eco,’ and ‘Sport’ to further tailor the vehicle’s response to the driver. These modes can also affect the vehicle’s range.
Recharging and refueling is easy as the vehicle has both a charging socket and a gas cap on either side. The engine is designed to run on 95-octane gasoline. The battery, on the other hand is compatible with AC Type 2 chargers and DC CCS2 chargers. Since it has a smaller battery than most pure electric vehicles, charging can take anywhere from 20-minutes to six hours, depending on where it’s plugged.
The drive
Those curious will find the Sealion 6 truly sublime to drive. Thanks to its electrified powertrain, it can take of smoothly or surprisingly briskly, depending on how deep you step on the pedal. With the vehicle designed to operate on electric mode as much as possible, much of the drive will be quite quiet. In fact, even when the engine turns on, it’s barely perceptible or audible.
The vehicle can easily be navigated around tight spaces thanks to the abundance of cameras and the various views and angles they can provide. There are even lines that trace the predicted path of the tires on the display for further precision.
Perhaps the real treat is how the Sealion 6 can be driven anywhere, near or far, without range anxiety. The vehicle easily manages 20+ km/l in terms of fuel consumption. At the same time, the built-in regenerative braking takes full advantage of any coasting and braking to further extend the battery’s range.
The price
Easily the most appealing aspect of the vehicle is its price. Many similarly-sized hybrids are priced above P2-million, more so if they have a plug-in feature. The BYD Sealion 6, however, is priced at a very accessible P1.548-million.
The BYD Sealion 6 DM-i is already on display in BYD dealerships around the country. Customers may now inquire about and reserve their very own Sealion 6 DM-i with BYD Quezon Avenue, Makati, Global City, Cebu, and Davao, along with other authorized BYD dealerships nationwide that are already operational.
Moreover, the first BYD Tech Tour will also be held from July 26 to 28, 2024, at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City. It will include test drives and interactive displays about the latest innovations and technologies in BYD electric vehicles.