• The Sealion 08 comes in BEV and plug-in hybrid versions, supports flash charging, and offers up to 900 km of CLTC range.
• The SUV is priced from 229,900 yuan to 279,900 yuan and is available in 5- and 6-seat layouts.

BYD (HKEX: 1211) officially launched the Sealion 08 SUV (sport utility vehicle) in China on Wednesday, adding a flagship model to its Ocean lineup.

The Sealion 08 is offered in 8 variants priced from 229,900 yuan ($33,890) to 279,900 yuan, with battery electric vehicle (BEV) and DM-i plug-in hybrid powertrain options and 5- and 6-seat layouts.

The plug-in hybrid versions are priced from 229,900 yuan to 269,900 yuan. The rear-wheel-drive versions offer 400 kilometers of CLTC battery range, while the all-wheel-drive versions offer 350 kilometers.

The BEV versions are priced from 239,900 yuan to 279,900 yuan. The rear-wheel-drive models offer 900 kilometers of CLTC range, while the all-wheel-drive models offer 800 kilometers.

Exterior of the BYD Sealion 08:

The mid-to-large SUV measures 5,115 millimeters in length, 1,999 millimeters in width and 1,800 millimeters in height, with a wheelbase of 3,030 millimeters. It adopts BYD's Ocean Aesthetics 2.0 design language.

All Sealion 08 variants feature BYD's second-generation Blade Battery and flash charging technology. BYD said the technology can charge the battery from 10% to 70% in 5 minutes and from 10% to 97% in 9 minutes.

The plug-in hybrid version has a 55.843-kWh battery, providing a combined range of up to 1,650 kilometers on a full tank and full charge. Its fuel consumption with a depleted battery is 4.6 liters per 100 kilometers under NEDC standards.

The BEV version has a 115.072-kWh battery. The rear-wheel-drive model delivers a maximum output of 370 kW (496 hp), while the all-wheel-drive model's front and rear motors produce up to 215 kW and 370 kW, respectively.

The vehicle also features the DiSus-A intelligent body control system, dual-chamber air suspension and active rear-wheel steering, giving it a minimum turning radius of 4.95 meters.

All Sealion 08 variants come with the God's Eye B driver-assistance system using the God's Eye 5.0 solution, supporting urban navigation-assisted driving and multiple automated parking functions.

The cabin features a 17.3-inch central display, a 26-inch augmented-reality head-up display and a 21.4-inch rear-seat entertainment screen. The 5-seat version has 943 liters of trunk space and a 201-liter powered frunk.

Interior of the BYD Sealion 08:

The Sealion 08 is the second of the Ocean lineup's 2 flagship models. Its sister model, the Seal 08 sedan, was launched on July 2 with a starting price of 196,900 yuan.

The SUV is entering one of China's most competitive new energy vehicle (NEV) segments, where it will compete for family buyers with models including Xpeng's (NYSE: XPEV) G9L and GWM's (HKEX: 2333) Wey V8X.

The Sealion 08 arrives as monthly growth for the Sealion series has slowed. The series sold 48,559 vehicles in August, down 8.86% year-on-year and 1.02% from July, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

The Sealion series sold 275,974 vehicles in the first 8 months of the year, up about 25.91% from a year earlier and accounting for 10.34% of BYD Group's total sales during the period.

BYD is using the Sealion 08 to push its namesake marque into a higher price range, complementing sub-brands including Denza and Fang Cheng Bao while strengthening the Ocean lineup's competitiveness in the premium family SUV market.

($1 = 6.7829 yuan)