China’s leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, BYD, unveiled its inaugural mid-size urban electric SUV, the Sea Lion 07, at the 2023 Guangzhou International Auto Show. The new addition to BYD’s Ocean series is positioned as a significant move to compete with Tesla in a new market segment.
The Sea Lion 07’s design, led by former Audi and Lamborghini chief designer Wolfgang Egger, has been teased by BYD in the lead-up to its official debut. Drawing inspiration from sea lions diving into the water, the SUV features a distinctive five-spoke design.
Part of BYD’s Ocean series, which includes the Dolphin hatchback and Seal sedan, the Sea Lion 07 is BYD’s first mid-size electric SUV. Operating on the e-platform 3.0, the vehicle incorporates BYD’s 8-in-1 electric powertrain, promising improvements in range, safety, and performance in low temperatures.
Measuring 4,830 mm in length, 1,925 mm in width, and 1,620 mm in height, the Sea Lion 07 is positioned to rival Tesla’s Model Y in size. Priced between 200,000 and 260,000 yuan ($27,700 – $35,900), the new SUV is poised to compete directly with Tesla’s Model Y, priced between 266,000 and 363,900 yuan ($36,900 – $50,500).
As BYD continues its impressive sales performance, with over 165,500 fully electric vehicles sold in October and more than 1.2 million EVs sold this year, the introduction of the Sea Lion 07 further solidifies the company’s push to narrow the gap with Tesla and strengthen its position in the highly competitive electric vehicle market.
