Every other Car brand in India is worried about that one Car brand, that states its plans of entering the Indian Automotive Market. Well, we are speaking of the mighty American Car brand, which is also known as the biggest brand in terms of volume and market cap, Tesla. One of the first cars that we could expect from Tesla happens to be the Tesla Model 3. But, what if we tell you that before Tesla comes in, an existing Car brand in India will make days hard for the Model 3? We are talking about the BYD Seal. The Seal happens to be a tough competitor to the Tesla Model 3 and is also going to launch in India in the coming weeks. So, let us get into the topic of BYD Seal Launching in March 2024 as a Tesla Killer. 

What is BYD Auto?

BYD, also known as Build Your Dreams, is a China-based company that bought Xi'an Qinchuan Automobile in 2003 and further renamed it BYD Auto. It originally entered India in 2016, where it served as a Battery and Chassis provider to Olectra Greenwich Ltd. Then in 2022, BYD Auto finally entered the Indian Automobile sector with its first vehicle, an EV, the BYD Atto 3. BYD Auto also happens to be one of the very rare brands that manufactures its vehicles in-house up to 99%, based on what BYD said, it just sources Tires and windows for its vehicles, and the rest is produced by them.

About BYD Seal

The BYD Seal was first announced in China in 2022. BYD’s simple plan was to make a Tesla Model 3 rival, which matches its practicality and technology in BYD’s own ways. It is a premium Sedan that looks forward to going head-on against the BMW i4 and the Tesla Model 3. 

The Seal uses a CTB platform, also called a Cell-to-Battery platform. This platform is said to be very rigid, as it attaches the battery and other components directly to the chassis, hence creating a sandwich layout. This layout happens to give better structural rigidity and driving dynamics. 

The Battery technologies used are called BYD’s e-Platform 3.0. This setup gives a proper mixture of Intelligence, Safety, Efficiency, and Aesthetics, as stated by the brand. 

Now, the BYD Seal happens to be BYD’s third car in India. It also happens to be BYD’s first sedan in the country, and as said, it is here to get into the segment of the Tesla Model 3 or the currently available BMW i4 in India. 

BYD Seal's Exterior Design 

BYD Seal has been designed with the Ocean-X concept, which was shown in 2021. It is a premium Sedan, with a good enough road presence.

On the Front, we have a typical EV-like design for the Seal’s fascia, where there is no grille. It has two air curtains-like design treatments, which also have four LED strips on both. The Headlamps are, of course, LEDs, where we could see, it gets two rectangular LED beams, the overall housing for the Headlamps, and the Blue shade of the car reminds us of the Porsche Taycan. The DRL has been placed below the Headlamp housing. Interestingly, it just gets two front parking sensors, with a front parking camera. 

The hood of the Seal is quite long with a minimal bump in between. Being a proper EV, it does get a Frunk, where we could keep some storage of up to 53 liters, if needed. The camera system for the ADAS functionalities is placed behind the windshield, with the automatic wiper’s sensor. 

On the Side, the Seal looks a bit identical to the BMW’s i4. The Seal gets a set of 19’ alloy wheels for the 235 / 45 section of Tires. The alloy wheels have aerodynamically designed wheel covers, and the rest of the wheels have a diamond-cut design element in them. There are no wheel claddings, as it is a sedan, but the wheel arches can be seen, as they have been given a slight bulge.

The Door handles of the Seal are Range Rover-like, which pop out as a whole, instead of the XUV 7OO-like door handles that pop out one of its sides. The Driver’s door and the Co-passenger’s door handles get the request sensor feature for easier access. 

The window area on the Seal is quite substantial giving a decently airy feeling inside the cabin. The C-pillar of the Seal also gets a silverish design element. 

On the Rear, the Seal gets one wide Tail lamp that broadens a bit on both of its ends. The Indicators and Reverse light is integrated inside this connected tail light. Below that we can see two air curtains, like on the front fascia. The reflectors have been attached to the rear diffuser. It gets some sporty elements for its rear diffuser. 

BYD Seal's Interiors

The Interiors of BYD cars have always been a creative one, the brand always comes up with different ideas with each one of its vehicles, the Atto 3 is a great example, as it gets a musical instruments-inspired interior. 

The Dashboard of the Seal is full of premium quality materials, like leather and chrome. It also uses some light shades like white and grey leather to enhance the airy feeling inside. The AC vents have been neatly included in the dashboard. The Dashboard also makes space for the Heads Up Display behind the Instrument Cluster. 

The Seal gets a huge 15.6’ Infotainment screen with ton of features loaded into it. Just like Tesla, the Seal’s Infotainment screen also handles all the functions of the cabin, then be it Climate Control, Media controls, other basic vehicle controls, etc. The screen also hosts the features of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wirelessly, moreover, it also gets BYD’s own navigation system. Other basic vehicular features can also be operated from the screen. The overall, interface of the software is also quite colorful and funky, but it is very visible. 

Then, the BYD Seal gets a 10.5’ Instrument Cluster, which is sleek and sharp in terms of its look. It gets different faces depending on the mode the Seal is in. The basic information, like the Trip data, vehicle status, Fuel economy, instantaneous fuel economy, etc can be seen from the instrument cluster, too. The BYD Seal’s steering wheel is simple in terms of its design, but it gets some piano black finishes. The buttons on the steering wheel are given for the ADAS functions, and for the Media controls. 

The Center console is minimal with minimal components. First, below the Infotainment system, we can see two wireless chargers. After that comes one circular unit with quite a few physical operative buttons. The Drive mode selectors are crystalized with just R - N - D modes, the P mode is given as a button. The Electric Parking Brake is placed just after the crystal Drive selector. The rest of the buttons are quick-use buttons, like Blind spot monitor, Auto Hold function, Fan speed, Traction control, etc. Then at last, there are two cup holders placed before the Center Armrest. 

The Seal gets an adjustable headrest for all 5 seats, with ISO fix mounts and 3-point seatbelts. The Seal gets a massive boot space of 450 liters. 

BYD Seal Powertrain

The Seal gets an option of two batteries - 61 kWh and 82.5 kWh packs. These batteries, as said by BYD, can work in temperatures ranging from -30* to 60*Moreover, in winter the battery delivers 20% more range. 

The 60 kWh battery pack is connected to a single rear motor. This setup delivers 201 hp and 310 Nm of Torque. It delivers up to 450 km of range. 

The 82.5 kWh battery pack is also connected to a single rear motor. This setup delivers 308 hp and 360 Nm of Torque. It delivers up to 500 km of range.

There is also a Performance variant of the Seal, which uses the 82.5 kWh battery pack, but it is connected to an AWD setup. It produces 523 hp and 620 Nm of Torque. It can be driven up to 600 km on a full charge. 

BYD Seal Pricing and Launch Date

The BYD Seal sits in the BMW i4 segment. So, we can expect the BYD Seal Launch price to be around ₹80 lacs. It makes sense, as it offers a lot of value, and there are quite a few chances that before the Tesla Model 3 India Launch, the Seal would acquire enough market share. 

The BYD Seal India Launch date is 5 March 2024, as it is revealed by BYD.