KUALA LUMPUR: BYD Malaysia has launched its highly-anticipated Seal all-electric sedan that is available in two variants of Premium and Performance.
Unveiled at The Exchange TRX (Tun Razak Exchange), the event was attended by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Also present were Sime Darby group chief executive officer Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson, Sime Darby Bhd Motors Division managing director Andrew Basham, Sime Darby Motors (Southeast Asia) managing director Jeffrey Gan, BYD Asia Pacific Auto Sales Division general manager Liu Xueliang and BYD Malaysia managing director Eagle Zhao.
(From left) Gan, Basham, Davidson, Tengku Zafrul, Liu and Zhao at the Seal's launch.
Although the Seal was anticipated to be available in three variants, the entry-level Dynamic variant has been dropped from the lineup.
The Premium with its rear-wheel-driven powertrain is priced at RM179,800 (on-the-road without insurance) while the range-topping Performance with all-wheel-drive capability comes at RM199,800.
The Seal is available in four colour options: Arctic Blue (Performance only), Cosmos Black, Atlantic Grey and Aurora White (Premium).
To further entice customers, the Seal can be booked with just RM1,000 and the first 800 bookings will be entitled to receive a complimentary wallbox charger as well as RM800 worth of free charging credits which can be used at Gentari's or ChargeEV's charging network.
Additionally, an optional Standard (depending on variant and tenure of three, six or eight years) or Plus service package (six or eight years from RM11,488 to RM17,688) is available and includes tyre balancing and alignment as well as tyre rotation among others.
The Plus service package will, of course, entail more services compared to the Standard service package.
Meanwhile, the vehicle is covered by a six-year or 150,000km warranty (whichever comes first) while the battery gets an eight-year or 160,000km coverage. The drivetrain alone has an eight-year or 150,000km coverage.
Externally, forward and rear illumination comes from LEDs, including its daytime running lights, to accompany its four-door coupe-like design with an exceptionally low 0.219Cd drag coefficient (the closer to 0 the better).
The use of pop-out door handles, each with a BYD logo, helps to maintain this EV's fluidic looks as it rolls on 19-inch wheels fitted with 235/45 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres.
Along its side skirts, towards the rear wheels, are vents that direct air inwards - most likely to help provide a cooling effect for the 82.5kWh LFP (lithium iron phosphate) Blade battery which can accept up to 7kW of alternating current (AC) or up to 150kW of fast-charging direct current (DC).
The Premium variant, with its single-motor rear-wheel drive configuration, provides 308hp and 360Nm of performance and is capable of sprinting from 0 to 100kph in 5.9 seconds with up to 650km (NEDC) of range.
The all-wheel-driven Performance variant, with a "3.8S" badge for differentiation, is said to have up to 570km (NEDC) of range instead due to its higher performance rating of 523hp and 670Nm (total systems output).
With the use of a 215hp/310Nm front and 308hp/360Nm rear motor, it can catapult itself from 0 to 100kph in 3.8 seconds - hence the badge.
Inside, the cabin speaks of sophistication, refinement and technological advancement with its large 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen providing access to navigation, entertainment options (radio/Spotify) and vehicle settings, voice command (Hello BYD).
A high-end 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system provides excellent sound reproduction while a PM2.5 filtration system keeps the air free of particles to the benefit of occupants.
For safety, the Seal has received an Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) five-star crash test rating before getting nine airbags, a high-resolution 360-degree camera system and an advanced driver assist system (ADAS) inclusive of adaptive cruise control, Autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist among others.
In his speech, Tengku Zafrul hoped that BYD would increase its presence in the country beyond 2025 after revealing electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the country rose from some 8,000 units in 2022 to around 13,000 units in 2023.
National brands Proton and Perodua have been mandated to introduce their respective EVs by 2025.
Davidson said the Seal is undoubtedly one of the most compelling EVs in the market today due to its advanced technologies, impeccable design and remarkable performance.
He also said customer interest leading up to the launch had been overwhelmingly positive and is excited to see how the e-mobility landscape in the country and region will change.
Liu said the Seal is the epitome of what BYD stands for - innovation, quality and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
From now until Feb 25, the Seal can be viewed and test-driven at The Exchange TRX.
For more information, log on to http://byd.simedarbymotors.my/ or visit the company's social media pages at www.facebook.com/BYDCarsMalaysia or www.instagram.com/bydcarsmalaysia or call the company's Customer Care line at 1300-38-1888.
Following the launch, members of the media were allowed to test drive the Seal along a short route within the city.
Handsomely fluidic in appearance, the Seal provides very low levels of noise, vibration and harshness regardless if it uses 19-inch wheels.
The interior is nothing short of spacious - further amplified by the panoramic glass roof, while comfort, refinement and sophistication sit high enough to rival more premium makes and models - especially with its "crystal" gear selector.
A unique touch was the inclusion was swaying vents for added cold-air distribution which can be made static, only it will require venturing into the vehicle's climate controls via the touchscreen to achieve this.
Power and traction were ever-present, even if it is just the Premium variant, with the proverbial "twist" seemingly transferred rather well by its Intelligence Torque Adaption Control (iTAC) - or traction control in simple terms with nary a complaint from the tyres.
As the thick steering wheel strengthens the sense of sportiness for both variants, it will be the up-rated Performance model that will exhilarate occupants with its accelerative qualities.
Although the brakes are capable of handling the Seal's performance regardless of variant, the brake pedal's feel seemed springy (for lack of a better word) with bite intensity only increasing with depth.
Furthermore, the 360-degree camera system can be disorienting with its "spinning" animation upon engagement and its side views are only usable when the large touchscreen is in portrait mode.
Additionally, its other views seem to feature a strong amount of fish-eyed distortion from its wide-angle lens.
