For those who lived through the mobile phone revolution of the 1990s, BYD, or “Biyadi,” was at the forefront of supplying rechargeable batteries to cellphone brands. At one point, it captured over half the global mobile phone battery market.
Today, after the accumulation of 30 years of knowledge and technology in energy storage, BYD has shot up to the top of the Electric Vehicle (EV) race.
BYD is so confident of its New Energy direction that it has decided to stop making pure Internal Combustion Engine vehicles. The first automotive manufacturer do so. And today, it makes EVs in numbers ready to surpass Tesla, the American dedicated EV brand, in sales by the end of the year.
Now, it’s easy to sing praises about a car brand, especially one that pulls all the stops to give its guests a distinctive experience in its homeland. However, we think driving its cars and evaluating them is a better barometer of the quality and performance we can expect from the brand.
BYD Seal: Sporty spice
In a world where crossovers dominate market share, BYD hasn’t yet given up on the sedan. The Seal is its newest tintop offering and is touted to be a Tesla Model 3-beater.
Positioned as a sports sedan, the Seal does have the on-track credentials to realize the expectations one might have in terms of performance and driving dynamics.
Acceleration off the line is brisk, with the all-wheel drive Seal’s claim of 3.8 seconds for a 0 to 100 km/h run evident even in the wet conditions of the Zhuhai International Circuit. With its dual-motor configuration driving four wheels, the BYD Seal remained planted throughout most of the lap. Even the hint of understeer when exiting the last hairpin was ably controlled by the car’s traction control nannies.
The Seal’s 530 PS and 670 N-m torque of the AWD variant push you into your seat. Despite the lack of a soul-stirring soundtrack from engine exhaust, it more than makes up for it with excellent driving dynamics through its iTAC intelligent torque control system.
Double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension bits on huge 19-inch wheels kept the 2,610-kilogram EV surefooted throughout the 4.3-kilometer track. Along with its weighted steering and confidence-inspiring brakes, the Seal held its own in some of the trickiest road conditions the track and the environment could muster.
It also helps that the cabin is well-appointed. All-leather interiors give a dash of premium to the interiors. Two screens are mounted on the dashboard, with the larger infotainment screen also housing a Karaoke app. Yeah, the car comes with two microphones, too, to maximize the Dyna Audio sound system onboard. Knowing your target audience seems to be a BYD best practice.
As a large sedan, the BYD Seal would be hard-pressed to go any lower than 2 million pesos if it ever makes it to the Philippines. It does, however, showcase the latest innovations BYD is rolling out for its future EV models, such as cell-to-body bonding of the battery pack to the frame for safety and rigidity, as well as a rear-drive architecture by default, and an extended driving range of 550 to 700 kilometers, depending on the variant.
BYD Seagull – Functionally cute
One model that BYD Philippines might consider bringing is the BYD Seagull. It’s a small 5-door hatchback EV not even four meters long.
It is designed as a city car and has a modern, striking, upright look that simulates the crossover feel. Its sharp and edgy styling resembles a baby Lamborghini, but it is in no way, shape, or form a performance car.
On the track, the Seagull’s steering had a familiar, reassuring resistance you’d find in a larger car. Its short 2,500-mm wheelbase allowed it to turn on a dime, making it a fun little thing to drive. The single windshield wiper is also a neat innovation that served its purpose, as we have seen while driving in the rain.
While it only has 75 PS and an average of 135 N-m of torque, it can accelerate off the line decently. However, when the accelerator is floored, you will realize that it is still a city car by purpose. Chasing the Seal along the straights of the Zhuhai track was a valiant but hopeless effort.
Despite its budget car leanings, it has leatherette seats and a stylish interior. Again, two screens are standard: A small one for the driver’s instrument display, and the larger one houses the infotainment controls.
The drive selector has been inconspicuously hidden along a row of buttons on the dashboard, making the interiors neat and more spacious despite its small dimensions.
With two range options 305 and 405 kilometers, the Seagull should fit most first-car applications.
An EV for everyone?
These are just two models in the extensive electrified lineup of BYD. And despite the excellent performance and specs, what good are they if they don’t sell to their intended market?
“When we introduced BYD in the Philippines, it was not our intention for BYD to be a luxury car brand. Our intention was for us to democratize EV ownership in the Philippines,” says Toti Zara, president of BYD Philippines.
“The strength of the Philippines is we are a left-hand drive market, with minimal, if no, regulatory requirements as far as the introduction of products is concerned. Left-hand drive, China, a free trade agreement. It’s so easy to introduce products from China,” he adds.
Zara also said that the BYD ATTO 3, to be launched at the Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit on October 19th, will not be the last BYD vehicle the distributor will introduce. This makes it possible for the Seal or the Seagull to land on our shores and offer two distinct driving experiences at opposing price ranges.
BYD is making headway in the EV space through technology, innovation, and products that make sense to a growing market. Its growing EV lineup, along with its aggressive global expansion and with the support of its other core businesses in solar power generation and storage, transportation, and IT, might just make its plan to cool the earth by one degree mean more than a mere marketing slogan.
