BYD might be a new player in South Africa, but it’s already making waves with its new energy vehicles, writes The Citizen’s Mark Jones.
Photo: Supplied
Hot on the heels of its top seller, the Dolphin Surf Electric Vehicle (EV), Chinese carmaker BYD has unveiled its Sealion 5 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
“With the Sealion 5 starting at just R499 900, we’re not just launching a new car; we’re redefining value in the SUV market. This pricing is a deliberate move to make advanced plug-in hybrid technology truly accessible,” says Steve Chang, managing director of BYD Auto South Africa.
“We believe South African families shouldn’t have to choose between cutting-edge efficiency, premium features, and financial peace of mind. The Sealion 5 delivers all three, proving that you can step into the future of driving without a luxury price tag.”
This means that while the Dolphin Surf remains the country’s cheapest EV, the Sealion 5 now slots into the BYD product portfolio as the cheapest PHEV in South Africa, starting at R499 900 for the Comfort derivative and R569 900 for the Dynamic.
So, what is the BYD Sealion 5 all about? Well, inside, it combines practicality with intelligent technology, with the centrepiece being the 12,8” infotainment screen. Heated and ventilated driver seats, a 360° camera with parking sensors, a sunroof with sunshade, and front electric seats are also on offer.
You also get intelligent voice control, keyless entry, wireless charging, and USB A and C charging points, along with more family-focused touches such as a spacious second row, generous boot, electric tailgate, and 60:40 split-fold rear seats.
Enough power for daily use
Sticking with the numbers, the Sealion 5 runs a naturally aspirated petrol engine with 72kW of power and 122Nm of torque combined with a 145kW, 300Nm electric motor that drives the front wheels via a constant variable transmission (CVT). BYD claims a combined output of 156kW.
This translates into performance that’s more than acceptable for everyday family use. The on-road comfort is also good in a soft, laidback, SUV kind of way. The Sealion 5 doesn’t try to be a GT, and thankfully so, because mashing the accelerator pedal to the floor causes the car to lose some of its easy-going composure, because the CVT whines in protest of what is being asked of it.
The Sealion 5 uses BYD’s DM‑i hybrid architecture which, in a nutshell, prioritises electric power for urban use and petrol for extended range. All well and good on paper, but what must be understood is that the battery only has a capacity of 12,96kWh.
Real-life conditions
And in the real world, this means you’re lucky if the instrument cluster shows a range of around 50km when fully charged. That will get you around the suburbs for a while, and your fuel consumption will be brilliant. But 30km later, when the cluster shows around 20km left, the petrol engine kicks in to charge the battery, and performance suffers, as does fuel consumption.
We’ve looked everywhere, but there are no official fuel consumption figures for the BYD Sealion 5. But, based on experience with similar PHEVs, around 5ℓ/100km should be achievable.”
Vehicle pricing
Sealion 5 Comfort – R499 900
Sealion 5 Dynamic – R569 900
Pricing includes five-year/100 000km vehicle warranty, eight-year/200 000km battery warranty, and four-year/60 000km service plan.
