- New Seal U DM-i is the first plug-in hybrid BYD to go on sale in Europe
- Bi-motor, all-wheel drive U Design has turbo 1.5, delivers 319 hp and 50-mile EV range
- FWD, single-motor Boost and Comfort-spec PHEVs make 215 hp and travel up to 78 miles
Western automakers already feeling the pressure from affordable Chinese EVs landing in Europe now have another worry: Chinese PHEVs. BYD, the company behind the Dolphin and Seal, launches the Seal U SUV in Europe this summer, complete with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain capable of delivering up to 78 miles of electric driving.
Designed to compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Kuga and Toyota RAV4, the bland-looking U offers a choice of three powertrain options. Base cars, badged Boost, get a 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated inline-four that makes a puny 97 hp (98 PS) but is mated to a 195 hp (197 PS / 145 kW) electric motor for a total system output of 215 hp (218 PS / 160 kW) and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm), all of it sent to the front wheels.
Related: BYD Wants 5% EV Market Share In Europe Before Starting Local Production
Comfort-spec cars come with exactly the same kit but swap the Boost’s 18.3 kWh battery (range: 50 miles / 80 km) for a bigger 26.6 kWh pack capable of traveling 78 miles (126 km) between charges. And for drivers who want more power and are prepared to sacrifice some range, there’s the top-spec Design trim, which adds turbocharging and all-wheel drive into the mix.
The Design’s 129 hp (131 PS) combustion motor is supplemented, or maybe that should be supplanted, by a 201 hp (204 PS / 150 kW) motor driving the front axle and a 161 hp (163 PS / 120 kW) unit at the back end with a combined 319 hp (324 PS) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm). Zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) is done and dusted in 5.9 seconds, but it’s only good for 43 miles of electric driving, BYD says.
BYD knows that it’ll need to woo some skeptical buyers, so it’s packed plenty of equipment inside the U’s five-seat cabin, including a 15.6-inch rotatable infotainment screen, dual smartphone chargers, and V2L capability, allowing owners to use the car to charge portable devices when there’s no mains supply nearby.
And it also comes with a decent warranty that guarantees 70 percent battery capacity for eight years or 200,000 km (125,000 miles), in addition to covering the rest of the car for six years and 150,000 km (93,750 miles). It sounds like a strong package, though we won’t know exactly how strong until BYD reveals prices a little later this summer.
