BYD opens pre-orders for Sealion 08 SUV as Ocean lineup flagship nears launch — Explained
- The Sealion 08 will come in DM-i plug-in hybrid and EV all-electric versions, with pre-order prices starting at 230,000 yuan ($33,880).
- The Sealion 08 DM-i is BYD’s first plug-in hybrid SUV with flash charging.
BYD (HKEX: 1211) has opened pre-orders in China for the Sealion 08 SUV (sport utility vehicle), paving the way for the launch of the Ocean lineup flagship model.
Zhang Zhuo, the head of sales for the company’s Ocean lineup, announced the move on Weibo on Thursday. He did not reveal pre-order prices.
The Sealion 08 will be offered in DM-i plug-in hybrid and EV all-electric versions, with five-seat and six-seat layouts, according to a poster shared by Zhang.
Information in BYD’s mobile app shows pre-order prices of 230,000 yuan ($33,880) to 260,000 yuan for the Sealion 08 DM-i, and 250,000 yuan to 280,000 yuan for the Sealion 08 EV.
Chinese consumers can pre-order the model with a 2,000-yuan deposit, which brings benefits including priority in the production queue. The deposit is refundable at any time.
Front-end and exterior color options for the BYD Sealion 08:
The SUV made its debut at the Beijing Auto Show on April 24, and the DM-i version is BYD’s first plug-in hybrid SUV with flash charging technology.
Flash charging is BYD’s name for its ultra-fast charging technology. The company unveiled a new generation of the technology in March, with peak power of up to 1,500 kW from a single gun.
Vehicles with second-generation Blade Battery can be charged from 10% to 97% in nine minutes when using flash charging, according to the company.
The vehicle measures 5,115/1,999/1,800 millimeters in length, width and height, with a wheelbase of 3,030 millimeters, according to its regulatory filing.
Interior details of the BYD Sealion 08:
It comes with the second-generation Blade Battery, the DiSus-A closed dual-chamber air suspension, rear-wheel steering, and the God’s Eye 5.0 assisted driving system.
Zhang revealed the model’s interior for the first time on July 31, showing a six-seat layout, a ceiling-mounted screen for the second row, and second-row zero-gravity seats.
The Sealion 08 is the second of the Ocean lineup’ two flagship models. Its sibling, the Seal 08 sedan, went on sale in China on July 2 with a starting price of 196,900 yuan.
The Sealion series is one of BYD’s fastest-growing product lines. It sold 49,057 units in July, up 54.14% year-on-year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
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In the first seven months of the year, the series sold 227,415 units, accounting for 10.21% of the BYD group's total sales, up from the same period last year.
BYD is trying to reshape its premium lineup with four flagship models. In addition to the Ocean lineup' Seal 08 and Sealion 08, the Dynasty lineup launched the Da Tang SUV in June and will unveil the Da Han sedan at the Chengdu Auto Show next week.
($1 = 6.7888 yuan)
