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As I write this, BYD is holding its EOFY “Festival BYD” one-day event. I decided not to attend. Why? Because it will be so busy that no one will have the time to answer my unending questions. So, Majella and I chose to visit yesterday and got the information and the test drive of the Sealion 06 that we wanted. Note that the Sealion 06 was previously to be called the Seal U. (Editor’s note: Yes, the name BYD has given this model in Australia is “Sealion” rather than “Sea Lion” — or, actually, BYD writes “SEALION” across its webpage, but we tried using that throughout this article and it was just too loud.)

The staff at BYD Brisbane were exceedingly generous with their knowledge and time. Teri Louise, the general manager, introduced us to Sean the sales manager and then Sarah took us for a test drive. After the growing pains of the past two years, BYD has certainly streamlined and professionalised its operation (the Atto 3 only launched about 2 years ago).

The BYD Sealion 06 is a plug-in hybrid SUV about the same size as a Hyundai Tucson or Toyota RAV4. You can read all the technical details here. Although I don’t usually look at PHEVs, for this one we made an exception. Why? First because it is a BYD and second because its BEV brother (the Sealion 07) will likely launch in Australia by the end of the year. This one is seen as a transitional vehicle.

Equipped with DM-I technology, the Sealion 06 can drive in EV only mode (battery has a range of around 90 km), in series mode (where the electric motor is driving the wheels and the 1.5 L petrol motor is acting as a generator), or in parallel mode (where both electric and petrol are delivering power to the wheels through a wet clutch). As you would expect, this last mode delivers a massive amount of power.

The driver can select EV or HEV mode and the on-board computer will determine the need for parallel or series power application. “If you need more power, more will be provided,” Sean tells me. The battery limit before the petrol motor kicks in can be set at any state of charge by the onboard computer. We discussed a couple of scenarios: When commuting to work — say, 20 km each way — it could be done on battery alone. In the evening, plug into a normal power point to achieve a full charge in 9 hours. “Think of it as a big mobile phone.”

Sean advised that if going on a long trip, best to drive the car as a HEV. Consumption on such a trip could get as low as 1.1 L per 100 km. Now that’s efficiency. If stuck in traffic, can leave the car in EV mode for the air conditioning, etc.

After 6 years in sales with Toyota, Sean moved across to BYD. I couldn’t resist comparing the Sealion 06 to Toyota’s HEV offerings. Apparently, it is a different kettle of fish. “A Toyota HEV is a petrol car with an electric assist. The BYD Sealion 06 is an electric car with a petrol assist. Plus, you can plug it in.” What about costs?

The Sealion 06’s pricing is in line with BYD’s other value-for-money offerings. The Dynamic is AU$48,990 plus on-roads, the up-market premium is AU$53,000 plus on-roads. Unfortunately, PHEVs do not qualify for the state government’s AU$6,000 electric car rebate. But if leased, it will be able to claim the fringe benefits tax concession. About a third of enquirers are being referred from their leasing companies. The bean counters know value when they see it.

Interest in BYD as a whole has surged. It is the second highest selling EV brand in Australia, behind Tesla. Sean has found that the public are excited about the Sealion 06, commenting that it is a “usable electric car.” Many Australian households have a smaller car for city driving and a larger vehicle for weekend and holiday trips. The Sealion 06 can act as a BEV during the week and an HEV for longer trips. “If you want to go EV, but you are concerned about range, this is the car for you,” Sean adds.

Let’s talk numbers. I like hard data. Nationally, orders for the Sealion 06 are approaching 3,000 in the past month. Depending on the colour you pick, Sean tells me you can have your car in as little as 7 days. In Brisbane alone, 171 BYDs (Atto 3, Seal, and Dolphin) were delivered in May. Tesla may be slowing down, but BYD is hiring more staff and speeding up. “Since opening in October 2023, every month has been a record month at BYD Brisbane.”

BYD Brisbane is set amongst a group of car dealerships and sits just across the road from BMW. Every weekend, people go to the BMW dealership, then cross the road to BYD to ask the question: “Why are your cars half the price?” They certainly aren’t half the quality.

Sean tells me that the majority of buyers are well informed and have experienced EVs through their social networks — family, friends, work colleagues, and neighbours. BYD does some advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Then, there are those powerful referrals from leasing companies.

BYD’s liberation battle on ICE will continue later in the year in Australia with the launch of the Shark ute and possibly the Seagull (possibly to be renamed as the Dolphin Mini). The Seagull has not yet been confirmed for the Australian market. Nationally, there have been thousands of expressions of interest in the Shark ute (also a PHEV). BYD is aiming for a vehicle in every segment of the Australian market as soon as possible.

At present, approximately 30% of BYD sales in Brisbane have been for the Seal, 25% for the newly updated Atto 3, 20% for the Dolphin, and 25% for the Sealion 06. The Dolphin’s price has recently been reduced and an upsurge in sales is expected.

Last week, BYD presented at the RACQ MotorFest and the two cars available – a Sealion 06 and a Seal were taken for at least 30 test drives. The public is very interested.

After data gathering and this great chat, we were off to Bartley’s Lookout for a test drive with Sarah. The Sealion 06 has plenty of knobs and buttons for those who like them and plenty of power up the hills. Majella occasionally gets to drive our daughter’s diesel Hyundai Santa Fe. She found that the Sealion 06 had a similar comfort level and ride quality. “It was a very smooth comfortable ride, with power when I needed it — but not as much as the Seal in this situation.” The regen was a little soft in the HEV setting, but the car gained more regen in the EV setting.

The screens displaying data readouts were easy to see when driving. It was interesting having a petrol gauge and a battery charge level. The Sealion had great visibility for reversing. The animation even showed the wheels turning when we were reverse parking the car.

Overall, the Sealion is a great transitional car for those still a little nervous about going “full BEV.”