BYD Seal U DM-i PHEV revealed in Europe

With the new Seal U DM-i PHEV, BYD aims to extend its appeal in the plug-in-hybrid crossover segment. The new Seal PHEV falls in the D-segment SUV space and claims to offer an unparalleled driving experience thanks to its intelligent hybrid system. The latest SUV from BYD offers three variants and power tunes to choose from.

The first variant is Design, which comes with two electric motors as well as a 1.5L four-cylinder petrol engine. It packs two electric motors — one at each axle — pushing out 204PS (front) and 163PS rear (rear). The combined power and torque outputs stand at 323PS and 550Nm. The engine alone puts out 130PS of power whereas an 18.3kWh blade-type battery feeds power to the motors.

The other two variants, namely, Boost and Comfort, come with front wheel drivetrain only. Using the same engine as the Design trim, it produces less power at 217PS combined. The engine alone puts out 98PS of power whereas the electric motor churns out 197PS. Lastly, the Comfort trim also uses the similar drivetrain, albeit with a larger 26.6kWh battery pack, enabling it to offer an electric-only driving range of 125km. 

As a result, the BYD DM-i super hybrid electricity-based structure prioritises ultra-low fuel consumption and a quiet and smooth driving experience. The vehicle can achieve an attractive fuel consumption of just 313.8 mpg for Boost and 235.4 mpg for Design WLTP (weighted combined). The electric combined consumption for Boost is 21 kWh/km and for Design 23.5 kWh/km. 

The electric consumption during city driving for Boost is 14.5 kWh/100 km and for Design 16.1 kWh/100 km. Furthermore, All BYD Seal U DM-i trim versions offer 11 kW 3-phase AC charging and 18 kW DC charging 11kW AC capabilities. With this the DC charging time (30-80 percent) takes only 35 minutes. 

Speaking of its design, the BYD Seal U DM-i carries its design cues from the BYD family, in the form of C-shaped LED headlights and connected LED tail lights. Competing in the D-segment SUV space, the crossover also carries a butch appeal with its sharp lines and creases all across. On the inside, the highlights include high quality materials, multi-colour ambient lighting, rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, digital instrument cluster and a panoramic sunroof.