Ambitious Chinese carmaker's new SUV starts at a price of just under R500 000.
BYD might be one of the new players in South Africa, but they are already making waves with their new energy vehicles (NEV). Hot on the heels of the Dolphin Surf electric vehicle (EV), the Chinese carmaker has unveiled the new Sealion 5 plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
“With the Sealion 5 starting at just R499 900, we’re not just launching a new car. We’re redefining value in the SUV market. This pricing is a deliberate move to make advanced plug-in hybrid technology truly accessible.
“We believe South African families shouldn’t have to choose between cutting-edge efficiency, premium features, and financial peace of mind. The BYD Sealion 5 delivers all three, proving that you can step into the future of driving without a luxury price tag” says Steve Chang, managing director at BYD Auto South Africa.
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Value for money
This means that while the Dolphin Surf remains the country’s cheapest EV, the new Sealion 5 now slots into the BYD product portfolio as the country’s cheapest PHEV. It starts at R499 900 for the Comfort derivative, while the Dynamic cost R569 900.
What is the BYD Sealion 5 all about? Inside, it combines practicality with intelligent technology, with the centre piece being the 12.8-inch infotainment screen. Heated and ventilated driver seats, 360-degree camera with parking sensors, a sunroof with sunshade, and front electric seats are on offer too.
You also get the likes of intelligent voice control, keyless entry, wireless charging, USB A and C charging points, along with more family-focused touches such as a spacious second row, generous boot, electric tailgate, and 60:40 split-fold rear seats.
BYD Sealion 5 no slouch
Sticking with the numbers, the BYD Sealion 5 runs a 72kW/122Nm naturally aspirated petrol engine combined with a 145kW/300Nm electric motor. It drives the front wheels via a constant variable transmission (CVT). BYD claims a combined output of 156kW.
This translates into performance that is more than acceptable for everyday family use. The on-road comfort is also good in a soft, easy going, SUV kind of way. The BYD Sealion 5 doesn’t try to be a GT, and thankfully so. Mashing the accelerator pedal to the floor causes the car to lose some of its easy-going composure because the CVT whines in protest.
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The Sealion 5 uses BYD’s DM‑i hybrid architecture which in a nutshell prioritises electric drive for urban use and petrol for extended range. All good and well on paper, but what needs to be understood is that the battery used only has a capacity of 12.96kWh.
Decent electric range
And in the real world this means that you are going to be lucky to see a range of around 50km popping up on the instrument cluster when fully charged. Now, that will get you around the suburbs for a while. Your fuel consumption will be brilliant too. But a further 30km down the road, when the cluster shows around 20km left on the range, the petrol engine kicks in to charge the battery. Then performance suffers and the fuel consumption climbs.
I have looked everywhere and there are no official fuel consumption numbers listed for the BYD Sealion 5. But experience with similar PHEV offerings is that a number, of around five litres per 100km, should be achieved. We will let you this and everything else that pops up when we get one for a full road test.
Just a little side note to end off and demonstrate how serious BYD are about dominating the NEV space in South Africa.
“BYD is rolling out between two hundred and three hundred EV chargers nationwide. It strengthens the charging ecosystem and makes electric mobility more accessible to every South African”, says Nomonde Kweyi, marketing director at BYD Auto South Africa.
BYD Sealion 5 pricing
- Sealion 5 Comfort – R499 900
- Sealion 5 Dynamic – R569 900
*Pricing includes five-year/100 000km vehicle warranty, eight-year/200 000km battery warranty and four-year/60 000km service plan.
