First details of the BYD Sealion 7, the new electric SUV unveiled at Paris Motor Show

BYD is already one of the leading Chinese car makers in Europe with seven cars already on sale and talk of European production. Now BYD has unveiled its eighth model at the Paris Motor Show: the BYD Sealion 7.

Alongside the Tesla Model 3-rivalling BYD Seal saloon and budget BYD Dolphin hatchback, the Sealion 7 is another member of BYD’s Ocean Series. There are plenty of references to the sea in the design, with ‘floating’ LED headlights, curves that are said to echo the motion of the waves and ‘water-drop’ taillights. There are more flowing lines and even ‘floating wing’ door handles inside.

Hardly any technical information has been given about the BYD Sealion 7, but it shares its e-platform 3.0 architecture with the BYD Seal, even though the Sealion 7 is 10mm longer than the saloon at 4.83m.

We’d expect the BYD Sealion 7 to share the same 82.5kWh battery as the BYD Seal. The Seal gets a maximum claimed range of 354 miles, so we’d expect the taller, heavier Sealion 7 to be less than that but still close to the 350 mile mark.

The BYD Sealion 7 will also use BYD’s clever “blade battery” technology, which allows the same number of cells to be squeezed into a smaller area than a conventional battery. That means the battery pack is slimmer, allowing for more space inside the BYD Sealion 7 along with a flat floor.

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The batteries use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) as a cathode material, bringing safety and longevity benefits, while also being cobalt-free. LFP batteries are also more resistant to temperature changes, although the BYD Sealion 7 also comes with a standard heat pump to boost efficiency in cold weather.

The blade battery is installed in the car using BYD’s cell-to-body technology, where the battery is an integral part of the car, bringing increased safety and improved stiffness to the car’s body shell.

Although BYD hasn’t officially announced any battery size or range details, it has said that the Sealion 7 will be available in two- and four-wheel drive form, with the sportiest model getting from 0-62mph in just 4.5 seconds. That’s 0.7 seconds behind the equivalent Seal model.

BYD revealed that the battery in the Sealion 7 can be recharged at speeds of up to 230kW, faster than that available in the Seal.

Inside, the low floor and higher ceiling mean a much more spacious cabin in the Sealion 7 than in the Seal. There’s the same 15.6-inch rotating infotainment screen, although the digital driver display screen is embedded in a deep dash that runs the full width of the cabin.

Sports seats are available, as is a full-length panoramic sunroof, plus wireless smartphone charging, vegan leather and a full array of driver assistance features.

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BYD executive vice president Stella Li says the company has “noticed demand for precisely this type of vehicle in Europe, so we’re delighted to introduce the Sealion 7 here in Paris.

“We’re confident that its mix of SUV design and packaging, blade battery technology, range, performance and generous specification will appeal to many customers across Europe. The Sealion 7 shows how BYD is reacting to customer demand and tastes in the region and widening our product line-up to ensure the best possible coverage of the most important vehicle types. This will be a key factor as we continue to extend our reach in Europe.”

There’s no word on pricing for the BYD Sealion 7 yet, but we’d expect it to sit above the Seal in the BYD range. The Seal starts at £45,695 for a two-wheel drive version, so a price of just under £50,000 for the BYD Sealion 7 would seem likely. First orders are expected this month with first deliveries by the end of the year.