BYD Seal

At first glance, the Seal EV comes across as sporty with a low-slung profile like a performance sedan. It comes with its own set of unique design features. The front face gets sharp LED DRLs under which sits illuminated DRL patterns shaped like waves as part of the EV maker's new design language inspired by the ocean. The EV also gets U-shaped LED headlights, a closed out grille and swooping bonnet which complete the aggressive face. At the rear, BYD kept the Seal quite simple with connected LED taillights with dot matrix patterns. From the sides, the aerodynamic design of the electric sedan is accentuated by its sloping roofline. It also gets flush-door handles.

The Seal EV sits on 19-inch alloy wheels which are one size smaller in the entry-level variant. The ground clearance of around 145 mm, which is one of the lowest in the segment, could be a bother for those who often tackle broken roads or big speed breakers. The wheelbase of 2,920 mm ensures there is no dearth of space inside. There is 400 litres of boot space. It also gets a frunk that can hold around 50 litres of cargo, which is most likely to be used to store the EV's charging cables.

The cabin of the Seal EV oozes with premium soft-touch materials almost everywhere you lay your hands on. Besides leather, the dashboard also gets suede material neatly stitched. The front seats are comfortable with pronounced side bolsters that will help you keep snug during high speed manoeuvres. Both the front seats can be adjusted electronically, get heating and cooling functionality.

But the highlight of the cabin is the large 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system which houses most of the controls that you will need. It is quite responsive, is compatible with wireless Android Auto, and continues to carry BYD’s own party trick - a switch to change its orientation from landscape to portrait mode. The display controls most of the features and even has a dedicated button to adjust the AC vents on the dashboard. Big touchscreen infotainment systems tend to be a bit distracting when on the move. We found it difficult to read sometimes due to sunlight glare during our drive.

The 10.25-inch digital driver display includes key drive related information, including the most important one - battery charge status and range. However, we felt the screen is slightly small for the plethora of information it provides. It also gets a three spoke steering wheel which gets mounted controls to access phone calls, control media and more.

The centre console layout of the Seal EV is simplistic with a neat cluster of buttons and levers. The start/stop button, drive mode options, traction control are placed here along with a small crystalline gear shifter which looks inspired by Volvo. BYD has also provided the Seal EV with two slots to charge phones wirelessly. There are more charging ports under the dashboard which are difficult to reach out. There are two cupholders next to the driver armrest, one of which can be pressed to accommodate larger glasses or even medium-sized water bottles. There is also space under the centre console to keep small items.

The panoramic sunroof above is a fixed glass unit which, BYD says, helps to keep the heat out on hot summer days. It works to an extent but it did get quite hot inside within a few hours during our drive. It is advisable to get a cover accessory to keep the sun out.

The backseats are one of the nicest place inside the car. Though getting in and out can be a bit of challenge for taller people, the seats make up for it with space on offer in terms of head room, knee room and shoulder room. All three seats get large headrests and have the right angle to make people comfortable on long journeys. However, three people in the backseats could be a tight squeeze. There is an armrest which has two cupholders besides dedicated AC vents and charging ports at the bottom.

One of the first things one will notice driving the Seal EV is the sheer heft and weight of the car, the steering wheel and even the pedals. There is a certain sense of surety and security in BYD Seal EV on the move. But that does not affect its performance a bit. There is 308 bhp of power on offer and 360 Nm of peak torque available in the Premium variant. That is still quite a handful, given that hitting the triple-digit mark is easy and yet you will feel the Seal EV is eager to push further. For those looking for more thrill, the top-spec Performance Range can generate 522 bhp of power and a staggering 670 Nm of peak torque.

The Seal EV can zip in and out of traffic thanks to its aerodynamics and impressive drag coefficient figures of 0.219, which can even rival some of the luxury electric cars in India. Zero to 100 kmph comes up in under six seconds. However, what impressed us the most is its ride quality and refinement. The large wheels and the suspension setup work well to keep the car planted and offer a smooth ride. While we initially thought the low ground clearance could be an issue on rough patches of roads or speed breakers, the Seal EV did not scrape its underbelly even once. However, that does not mean one can escape larger speed bumps or big potholes.

The steering wheel is quite responsive, despite being hefty, even if you push the Seal EV around corners. The cabin is as quiet as it can get on the move offering a safe cage cutting out most of the noises outside. The Seal EV is one of the safest electric cars in India with five-star ratings from Euro NCAP and ANCAP. Key safety features include the likes of level 2 ADAS technology, nine airbags, a Head-up Display and a 360-degree camera that also functions on the move.

When we set out with the Seal EV, the biggest question on our mind was its range. The promise of 650 kms of uninterrupted drive kept us pushing the Seal to its limits to check what it can actually offer in real-world scenario. We started driving with around 30 per cent charge left in the car. After driving around 125 kms it still had 12 per cent of charge left. While we would have ideally liked a bit more time behind the wheel, the real-world range is unlikely to fall too short of the range claimed by BYD. This is thanks to its large 82.5 kWh Blade battery pack which has now earned its fame for the range it can offer. Using DC fast charger, the Seal EV can recharge up to 80 per cent within 45 minutes. If the range stays true, someone having an average daily drive of around 50 kms will not require to charge the EV every week.

The Seal EV surely left a grin on our face with its performance and features on offer. The price may seem slightly higher for a lot of customers. It's a pity that BYD is not assembling the electric cars in India which could substantially reduce the prices. However, even at this price point, it does not have a real rival yet.

For now, Seal seems like a good deal for someone aspiring to go for a luxury electric sports car priced less than luxury EVs. With Tesla knocking on the doors, the Seal might just have drawn first blood against the US EV maker's rival Model 3 even before its arrival.