BYD has unveiled the new Sea Lion 07 at this year’s Auto Guangzhou, which will look to take on the Tesla Model Y. The fully electric crossover joins the carmaker’s Ocean electric vehicles (EVs) that includes the Seagull, Dolphin and Seal.
The design of the Sea Lion 07 is the work of ex-Audi designer Wolfgang Egger (currently BYD’s head of design since 2016) and inspired by the Ocean-X, a concept car that BYD revealed when it officially launched the e-platform 3.0 over two years ago. Said architecture underpins the new crossover, which measures 4,830 mm long, 1,925 mm wide, 1,620 mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2,930 mm.
Curiously, these figures aren’t too far off from the Song L, which will go on sale in China on December 15 as another of the brand’s EVs. Bringing the Model Y into the comparison, the Tesla is smaller at 4,750 mm long, 1,920 mm wide, 1,623 mm tall and having a wheelbase spanning 2,891 mm.
According to CarNewsChina, BYD plans to make Sea Lion a new product range under the Ocean series, with the 07 being the one that leads this catalogue. It’s a little confusing, but the flow would be BYD > Ocean series > Sea Lion line-up. After the 07, the company will also be introducing the Sea Lion 05 and 06.
Powertrain details aren’t available just yet, but the company points out the Sea Lion 07 uses the same cell to body (CTB) technology. This sees the Blade battery being integrated into the vehicle body – similar to the Seal – which the company says increases volume utilisation by 66% and vertical space by 10 mm.
Another technology featured on the EV is the company’s DiSus suspension system, specifically the DiSus-C version that provides what is effectively adaptive damping by way of a damper solenoid valve.
The Sea Lion 07 is expected to be priced between 200,000 and 260,000 yuan (RM131,039 and RM168,797). This price range undercuts the Model Y significantly, as the latter goes for between 266,400 and 363,900 yuan (RM172,952 and RM236,251).
The post 2024 BYD Sea Lion 07 debuts in China – crossover EV to take on Tesla Model Y; priced from RM131k est appeared first on Paul Tan’s Automotive News.
