Source: CNEVPost
The BYD Seal – which is expected to follow the Atto 3 onto the Australian market – attracted a great deal of interest in its first hours of orders in China.
Predicted to be the ” most important model in BYD’s history” according to Chinese media, the electric sedan went on sale on Friday.
It is available in four variants, including two standard-range RWDs, a long-range RWD and a high-performance dual-motor version.
Just seven hours after BYD opened orders for the Seal, the company said it took 22,637 orders for the Model 3-like electric sedan.
CNEVPost reported the news, adding that BYD did not say which variants are proving the most popular.
Having previously said it expects to sell 30,000 BYD Seals a month, this means that 75% of the first month worth of orders is already account for.
BYD shared the figures at 10pm (China time) Friday night, just seven hours after the Seal went on sale.
In March, BYD importer EV Direct confirmed with The Driven that the BYD Seal will come to Australia. It is currently penciled in for the second quarter of 2023, although a swathe of pandemic and supply chain challenges may stand in its way.
Although confirmation of local specifications are a way off, in China the Seal is available in the following configurations:
When the BYD Seal does arrive, it will ditch the Chinese aquatic theme that also guided the naming of the Dolphin hatchback.
Instead, it will follow the Atto3 naming convention. Although EV Direct would not confirm which number it will bear, it is thought it will be the “Atto 4”.
BYD will in July introduce the Atto 3 to Australia, when, it is understood, several thousand orders will be fulfilled. EV Direct CEO Luke Todd told The Driven that nine out of 10 orders thus far have been for the extended-range variant.
*CLTC is China’s version of NEDC, and is similarly optimistic in terms of driving range claims.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.
A three year delay to proposed updates to the National Construction Code will make it…
Zeekr's 7X shows massive charging speed improvements, peaking at a stunning 632 kW and helping…
Suzuki's first electric offering in Australia approved for sale, paving the way for a potential…
Tesla hits over 74,000 supercharger stalls with 3,500 added in Q3 2025, alone, helping with…
Japanese brand Mazda confirms that it will bring a new EV to the Australian market…
RedEarth Energy Storage says pre-orders for its vehicle-to-grid electric vehicle charger will start in November,…