- The BYD Sealion 7 made its European debut in Paris, following its market launch in China.
- The Tesla Model Y rival is fitted with dual electric motors and a BYD Blade battery pack.
- BYD’s European lineup includes 7 models, with 6 more to arrive in the next 14 months.
BYD’s rapid expansion in European markets continues with the Sealion 7, a fully electric SUV and a rival to the Tesla Model Y. Already available in China, the Sealion 7 made its European debut at the 2024 Paris Auto Show, with deliveries starting this month.
This marks the eighth NEV (New Energy Vehicle) in BYD’s European lineup, joining the likes of the Dolphin, Seal, and Seal U in the automaker’s “Ocean Series.” But while BYD is gaining attention with its rapid growth, the question remains: does the Sealion 7 have enough bite to truly challenge Tesla’s dominance?
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First revealed in China last November, the Sealion 7 sticks to BYD’s established design language. The front end shares the Seal U’s headlight styling, but pairs it with sportier bumper intakes, while the rear flaunts a sloping roofline that flows into full-width LED taillights—a nod to the Seal sedan. It’s modern, sure, but there’s nothing groundbreaking here, and if you squint, you might mistake it for a handful of other electric SUVs on the market.
The BYD Sealion 7 rides on the e-Platform 3.0 Evo, which is compatible with single and dual electric motor setups. In Europe, the company will initially offer the high-performance derivative with dual electric motors.
According to BYD, the EV can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds and supports rapid charging of up to 230kW. The carmaker didn’t announce any power figures for the Euro-market Sealion but the Chinese-spec dual-motor version offers a combined output of 523 hp (390 kW / 530 PS) and a CTLC range of 550 km (342 miles) from an 82.56 kWh BYD Blade battery.
“Our customers have shown a lot of interest in high-performance SUVs,” said BYD’s European Managing Director Michael Shu at the Paris unveiling. “So today, the Sealion 7 comes to Europe.” The SUV is part of BYD’s larger European offensive, with six new models slated to land over the next 14 months.
According to Autocar, UK deliveries of the Sealion 7 will begin by the end of October, with prices starting around £45,000 ($58,807). That puts it head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y, which is priced between £44,990 and £59,990 ($58,806–$78,413) in the UK. Competitive? Perhaps. But the real test will come once the rubber hits the road.
In the future, production of the European BYD Sealion 7 could move to the company’s new facility in Hungary. This would help the automaker sidestep the EU tariffs imposed on Chinese imports. The facility is expected to be up and running by the end of 2025, potentially becoming the production hub for most of BYD’s European offerings.
