Richard Bush reports back on our Sealion 7 electric SUV long-termer.

BYD Sealion 7 Excellence AWD

List Price: £58,960  BiK: 4%  Efficiency: 3.1mpkWh  Range: 312 miles  On fleet: 300 miles

Report 2:

When it comes to electric car range, I’ve always said that the most important factor is predictability. I’d much rather have a car that reliably delivers 150 miles than one that claims 250 and leaves me stranded with an 80-mile deficit. I’ve experienced that first-hand in the Scottish Highlands: 5% battery remaining, radio off, air-con off, fingers crossed. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Thankfully, electric cars are becoming far more trustworthy in this regard.

The past few weeks have seen me tackle my first batch of longer journeys in the BYD Sealion 7 Excellence AWD, the longest-range model in the Sealion 7 line-up. It features a 91.3kWh battery and a dual-motor powertrain producing 53ohp, with a claimed combined WLTP range of 312 miles.

Naturally, I was keen to put those claims to the test. Over eight drives covering around 600 miles, I set off with a mixture of full and half charges to see whether the car’s predictions stacked up. The result? The BYD finished 12 miles in the black overall.
Interestingly, the most accurate estimates came when setting off with a full battery, which isn’t always the case with EVs. In fact, on two separate 100-mile-plus journeys, I arrived with exactly the amount of range the car had predicted before I left. Absolutely on the button.

The public charging network has improved dramatically in recent years, but there’s still real value in a car that allows you to plan charging stops on your terms — or skip them altogether — rather than its own.

Next, I’m interested to see how the Sealion 7 copes with lots of shorter 20- to 50-mile trips, where efficiency can often tell a very different story.

Report 1:

Some cars have an unquantifiable aura the moment you sit in them for the first time. That aura isn’t always positive. In motoring circles, we usually simplify it with highly technical industry terms such as ‘boring’, ‘cheap’ or ‘samey’.

The Sealion 7 is the first BYD I’ve driven, so I climbed aboard with no real preconceptions whatsoever. But I can tell you now – it falls into none of those categories.

It exudes the sort of polish you’d expect from a brand that’s been refining premium cars for generations. There are plenty of fanciful touches that – let’s be honest – are probably unnecessary, but they all help create a genuinely luxurious, well-rounded package. Pop-out door handles, a rotating touchscreen, height-adjustable cup holders, an augmented reality-style reversing camera, music-syncing ambient lighting, and enough padded leather trim to make you instinctively lower your voice when you climb in.

Even the doors close with the heavy, reassuring thud of an aircraft cabin door, while the seats resemble those dangerously comfortable airport massage chairs. Honestly, the whole thing feels like a warm hug.

It’s spacious, too. On a quick family trip to the park, the 520-litre boot swallowed two kids’ bikes with ease, while rear legroom feels closer to a luxury saloon than a family SUV.

I’ve only had the chance to sample the Sealion 7 on a handful of shorter journeys so far, but initial impressions are hugely positive. The ride can feel a touch wallowy over uneven roads, yet the car still feels refined, confident and impressively complete – even if it is a little conservative in the fun department.

Now let’s see how it handles weekend road trips with the kids and dog in tow.