BYD launches Sealion 05 EV, priced from just $A25,700

BYD, the world’s fastest-growing car company, appears to be on an onslaught of launching new models, with the latest launch pitched as an affordable mid-sized electric SUV called the Sealion 05 EV. 

According to CNC, the new model features BYD’s recently announced smart autonomous driving system, “God’s Eye”, and a large frunk with 110 litres of capacity, and the asking price is the equivalent of just $A25,700, with the top variant going up to $A30,100 in the Chinese market.

One key feature of the Sealion 05 is its smart driving driver assistance system, which will include the company’s recently announced God’s Eye assisted driving system. 

This includes a combination of radars, ultrasonic sensors and cameras, which will allow it to perform autonomous supervised navigation on the highway network.

BYD’s newest Sealion 05 will be slightly bigger than the Atto 3 SUV, which has seen thousands make their way to Australia, coming in at 4,520 mm in length, but it is smaller than the recently launched Sealion 07 SUV.

The new car features a small screen behind the steering wheel and a larger, rotateable 12.8-inch infotainment screen. 

Wireless phone charging is also seen in the centre console, and unlike the Sealion 05, the inside now sees the gear shifter relocated to the steering wheel.

Powering the new compact SUV is a single motor setup, but it has two rear-wheel-drive options. The first is an entry 140 kW motor, and a more powerful 160 kW option is also available.

These are powered by BYD’s blade batteries, which come in two capacities. There is a 50.05 kWh pack that will feed the 140 kW motor, while the larger 60.93 kWh battery will power the 160 kW motor variant. 

Both will deliver 430 km and 520 km of NEDC ranges, which is likely to be between 370 km and 460 km on the WLTP test cycle, respectively.

When it comes to the weight, the previously revealed kerb weight is between 1,670 kg and 1,780 kg, making it one of the lighter SUVs on the market. 

That’s similar to ICE counterparts, such as the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid and much lighter than the newly launched larger Sealion 07 EV.

Since we already touched on the frunk, there is also a large boot with 600 litres of space with the seats up. This can extend to 1,460 litres with the seats folded down.

On the styling front, this compact SUV has a sleek front and rear with slightly rounded outer headlights and a light bar connecting both.

Looking at it from the side, conventional door handles can be seen, along with black plastics that run along the length of the car, connecting the wheels. At the back, the Sealion 05 has a BYD Dolphin-like design language.

News of the Sealion 05 comes only days after BYD launched the Qin L electric sedan, also aimed at the affordable end of the market.

At this pace, legacy automakers might need to rethink their global EV strategies as the BYD takeover continues.