BYD is the popular Chinese battery and electric carmaker that is backed by many high profile investors across the globe, including the US billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Throughout 2021, the company sold 603,782 new energy vehicles. Compared with the sales numbers of 189,689 in 2020, it has seen a sales revenue increase of 218% from a year earlier, the company said in an announcement.
Following the BYD Dolphin EV released in 2021, BYD is looking to continue its ocean-themed design and names into its 2022 EV models as well. Several media outlets in China are already reporting about the rumours of the car manufacturer’s supposedly upcoming models, which are leaked to be named as the BYD Seal, the BYD Seagull, and the BYD Sea Lion.
BYD Seal
For the BYD Seal, it is set to be announced in Q1 of 2022 in China. With a rumoured retail price of around 150 to 200 thousand RMB(24 to 32 thousand USD), the fully electric-powered sedan is aimed towards the mid-range market and is claimed to be the unofficial successor to the BYD Dolphin revealed in August 2021 last year. Chinese reports show that the BYD Seal will be 4,770 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, and 1,460 mm tall, and its wheelbase will measure 2,900 mm. BYD will offer it with an 800-volt battery pack that provides it with a range of up to 700 km.
The electric vehicle may also come in 2 variants: an RWD and an AWD variant. The AWD variant allows the vehicle to achieve a quick 0-100 km/h acceleration time in just over 3 seconds (3.3 or 3.4 seconds). The AWD variant will sport two motors, one producing 200 kW and one producing 160 kW while The RWD variant will be available with two motor options: 150 kW and 180 kW, reports said.
BYD Seagull
For the BYD Seagull, it is set to be announced in Q2 of 2022 in China. Aimed towards entry-level consumers who don’t want to spend much on an EV, the BYD Seagull is a miniature EV and the rumoured price tag for the vehicle is between 60 and 80 thousand RMB (9.5 and 12.6 thousand USD). No further details about the EV were mentioned in the reports.
BYD Sea Lion
For the BYD Sea Lion, it is set to be announced in Q3 of 2022 in China. As the company’s premium flagship EV this year, the BYD Sea Lion is expected to be a fully electric SUV that is rumoured to sell for around 200 to 250 thousand RMB(32 thousand to 40 thousand USD). It will reportedly be an electric SUV competing with the Tesla Model Y, which puts it above the Yuan Plus within the BYD lineup.
Recently, leakster Greg Kable shared on Twitter spy photos of the alleged BYD Sea Lion. It is said that the BYD Sea Lion could be the production version of the BYD X Dream concept that debuted at the Auto China 2021 event. BYD said during the presentation that the concept features the brand’s “well-received” Dragon Face design language and uses Chinese knot elements, which will be a key feature on the design front on future BYD vehicles.
With 3 new EVs models to be released in 2022, in addition to the announcement of Japanese carmaker Toyota partnering with the company to help BYD develop its cars in 2022, BYD’s growth is expected to continue in the Chinese market and it may even make its impact on the global industry in 2022 as well.
RELATED:
- Toyota reportedly partners China’s BYD to build a $30,000 electric car launching in 2022
- Chinese carmaker Geely plans to acquire smartphone brand Meizu: Report
- Tesla is recalling nearly 300,000 EVs in China because drivers are accidentally switching on Autopilot
