BYD has expanded its Ocean line-up of vehicles even further with the Sea Lion 07, a new electric coupé-SUV that kicks off a new subcategory within the Ocean series. The mid-size SUV is set to compete with the Tesla Model Y in size but with a much more affordable price tag.

The BYD Sea Lion 07 is another model within the Ocean range, including the Dolphin, Seal, and Seal U models, also available in Europe. It will soon be followed by the Sea Lion 05 and 06 models, creating a new subcategory within the Ocean model range, focusing on SUVs, which means the Seal U might be rebranded to a Sea Lion.

Cell-to-body battery

In terms of technology, the coupé-SUV is based on the same e-platform 3.0 as most of the rest of the model range, with cell-to-body (CTB) battery technology, eliminating the need for separate battery packs by creating a dedicated space for the battery cells directly in the vehicle’s floor. This frees up more space and improves stiffness.

The Sea Lion 07 is 4 830 mm long, 1 925 mm wide, and 1 620 mm tall on a 2 930 mm wheelbase, making it slightly longer than the Tesla Model Y. It’s cheaper, too, with a 200 000-260 000 yuan price range (25 600-33 300 euros), while the Model Y starts at 266 400 yuan in China (34 100 euros).

Coming soon

However, no (powertrain) specs have yet been announced, so it remains to be seen if the Sea Lion 07 can compete with the Model Y regarding range and equipment. In any case, deliveries are set to begin in the first half of 2024, so more info will be available soon.