BYD
Sealion 7
The BYD Sealion 7 is a mid-sized SUV featuring a sloping roofline to give it a sportier look than the similarly sized Seal U. It uses a fully electric powertrain with a 91.3kWh battery and up to 500km of range on the official WLTP cycle, while a dual-motor setup produces up to an impressive 530hp. Despite its profile, the Sealion 7 maintains a generous 500 litres of boot space while the modern interior includes a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen, digital instruments, and wireless chargers.
It uses a fully electric powertrain with a 91.3kWh battery and up to 500km of range on the official WLTP cycle, while a dual-motor setup produces up to an impressive 530hp
Seal U
Having quickly made a splash on the Irish market with its electric cars, BYD has now launched its first plug-in hybrid, the Seal U. Fitting into the competitive mid-sized SUV segment, it competes with many household names including the Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4. Keen pricing, a spacious interior, and a decent boot complement a refined driving experience. It’s available with front- or all-wheel-drive and up to 125km of electric driving.
Seal
BYD first grabbed car buyers’ attention with its value-led models, but the Seal was designed to take on some serious electric executive cars, including the Tesla Model 3 and BMW i4. It does that with a well-judged rear-drive chassis (though there’s a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive option as well) and lots of performance for your money – how does 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds sound? It also has the potential for over 500km on a charge of its battery, and it’s spacious inside, if not in the boot.
Atto 3
BYD’s first model in Ireland was the Atto 3, a compact five-seat crossover powered only by battery. It has been a success – notably so with taxi drivers – because of keen pricing and a lot of equipment included. The interior is a little quirky, but spacious enough and of decent quality. While the driving experience is a little forgettable, the Atto 3 comes with an official range of 420km and can be quite efficient if you can resist the 204hp performance.
Dolphin
If you can ignore the slightly cheesy aquatic theme of the electric BYD Dolphin, you’ll discover it’s a well-made and great-value five-door hatchback with loads of passenger space and a good specification. It shares a lot with the Atto 3 crossover, including its battery design, and comes with an official range of 427km.