2024 BYD Seal U plug-in hybrid SUV: First details for Australia

There will be two variants of the 2024 BYD Seal U family SUV – neither of which will be fully electric – when Australian showroom arrivals commence between April and June this year.

The Seal U has been approved for sale in Australia in two plug-in hybrid variants – branded 'DM-i' – which combine a small petrol engine with electric motors and a large battery pack for a claimed driving range of up to 150km in lab testing.

As expected, an electric Seal U will not be offered in Australia – unlike Western Europe – as BYD has not developed the engine-less variant in right-hand drive.

Prices are yet to be confirmed, however in China a top-of-the-range variant is cheaper than a base-model BYD Seal electric sedan, or flagship MG HS Plus EV plug-in hybrid – vehicles which cost about $52,000 drive-away in Australia.

Government approval documents show two variants – Dynamic and Premium – with different power outputs. Prices are yet to be announced.

The Dynamic is believed to be front-wheel drive, combining a 72kW petrol engine with a 145kW electric motor for a system power output of 160kW.

The Premium is all-wheel drive, combining a 96kW petrol engine with a 150kW front electric motor and 120kW rear electric motor for a system output of 238kW.

The documents do not yet provide any further details on the engine or battery, but the petrol motor is believed to be a 1.5-litre four-cylinder – possibly in non-turbo and turbo forms in the Dynamic and Premium respectively.

In China there are 12.9kWh, 18.3kWh and 26.6kWh batteries available for claimed electric ranges of 71km, 110km and 150km respectively. The power outputs quoted for Australia suggest the larger two batteries may be offered here.

BYD says the larger batteries and more powerful electric motors are intended to see the car rely on electric power more than petrol – though when the battery runs flat, it will continue to drive on petrol propulsion if there's fuel in the tank.

While it shares its badge with the Seal electric sedan in Australia, the Seal U is built on different underpinnings, and is sold as the Song Plus in China – named after the Song imperial dynasty (from 960–1279), rather than a piece of music.

The Seal U