Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD Auto SA is introducing three new vehicles to the local market. The Shark 6 and Sealion 6 and 7 are big cars – the former a bakkie (BYD’s first in the country), the latter are SUVs – representing a further expansion into SA for the brand. The new vehicles join the ATTO 3 launched in 2023 and the Dolphin hatchback and Seal sedan launched in 2024.
“We are thrilled to introduce the BYD Shark, SEALION 6, and SEALION 7 to South Africa,” said Steve Chang, Managing Director of BYD Auto SA. “These vehicles reflect BYD’s commitment to technological innovation, sustainability, and excellence. With this launch, we are offering South African consumers a new level of performance, efficiency, and smart mobility solutions.”
BYD swimming with sharks
The Shark 6 centers around the car brand’s DMO super hybrid off-road platform, an approach to building the chassis that integrates a robust frame, an adaptive four-wheel drive system, and an off-road powertrain designed specifically for off-road hybrids such as this.
It boasts a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and two electric motors for peak outputs of 321kW and 650Nm of torque, making it South Africa’s most powerful bakkie. This allows for a sprint time from a standstill to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. It can do 85km (WLTP) on purely EV juice and will consume around 9.6L/100km of petrol when the battery runs out.
Like any new EV, the Shark 6 is packed with tech to make the drive comfy and keep its occupants safe. There’s a center-mounted 15.6in rotating infotainment display (along with physical controls for some functions) to keep you busy, while adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, lane departure prevention, and front and rear cross traffic alert should help to keep you physically separated from other motorists.
The BYD Shark 6 Premium is priced at R960,000.
BYD describes the plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 as “the perfect family SUV,” and it’s available in three derivatives – Comfort FWD, Dynamic FWD, and Premium AWD.
The front-wheel drive (FWD) models incorporate a 1.5-litre engine paired with an electric motor for peak outputs of 160kW and 300Nm, while the all-wheel drive (AWD) version comes with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine and suitably higher outputs of 238kW and 550Nm.
Read More: BYD unveils new and improved DiPilot self-driving system
According to BYD, the FWD model boasts 80km of electric range, while the AWD model will do 70km. A full tank gets drivers up to 1,080km of range in the FWD version and 870km in the AWD version.
Inside, you’ll be able to play with a familiar 15.6in infotainment display, and it will even throw up important driving info onto the windshield like you’re playing Need for Speed. There’s no NOS button, unfortunately.
Pricing for the three derivatives are:
- Sealion 6 Comfort FWD – R640,000
- Sealion 6 Dynamic FWD – R690,000
- Sealion 6 Premium AWD – R790,000
Finally, the Sealion 7 is the Chinese automaker’s fourth pure electric vehicle introduced to South Africa, with two models available: Premium RWD (rear-wheel drive) and Performance AWD, with the latter claiming peak outputs of 390kw and 690Nm.
Both are equipped with an 82.5kWh ‘Blade’ battery, which BYD says will result in around 482km of range from the Premium variant and 456km from the Performance model. If you’re in a hurry, the former will do 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds, while the latter will do it in 4.5.
Lastly, the Sealion 7’s battery has fast charging abilities, allowing it to go from 20% to 80% capacity in 30 minutes. A purchase also includes a 2.2kW portable charger and a 7kW wall charger.
The BYD Sealion 7 Premium is available for R1,100,000, while the Sealion 7 Performance costs R1,300,000.
