Confirmed: BYD Seal U plug-in hybrid SUV to be renamed Sealion 6 in Australia
BYD's rival for the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is about to get its second name change before reaching Australia.
The upcoming mid-size plug-in hybrid SUV from Chinese car maker BYD will be known as the Sealion 6 in Australia.
Australian government approval documents for what was expected to be known as the Seal U – as the BYD SUV is sold in Europe – have been updated with a new name, 'SEALION 6'.
It is a surprise name change for a vehicle Australian BYD executives have long referenced as the Seal U – itself a rebadge from its Chinese name, Song Plus, named after the Song imperial dynasty (from 960–1279).
After this story was published, a BYD representative confirmed the name change to Drive.
The adoption of the Sealion 6 badge – with Sealion formatted as one, rather than 'Sea Lion' as two words – avoids confusion with the Seal sedan, which is an unrelated electric sedan based on different underpinnings.
It could pave the way for the Australian launch of the BYD Sea Lion 07, a similarly-sized mid-size electric SUV sold in China – and planned for New Zealand, which to date has mirrored the electric line-up offered by BYD in Australia.
The two vehicles are not related – as one is a plug-in hybrid, and the other electric – but unifying their names could reduce confusion in showrooms, given they are a similar size.
Prices and specifications for the BYD Sealion 6 – formerly Seal U – are due to be announced at a launch event in Melbourne on the evening of 16 May 2024.
The government approval documents list two model grades, Dynamic and Premium – both of which are plug-in hybrids, combining a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a battery pack, and one or two electric motors.
The Dynamic uses a 72kW 1.5-litre non-turbo engine and a 145kW electric motor for a combined output of 160kW, with front-wheel drive.
Meanwhile the Premium mixes a 96kW 1.5-litre turbocharged engine with a 150kW front electric motor and 120kW rear electric motor for all-wheel drive.
The capacity of the battery for Australia is yet to be revealed, however if Chinese specifications are a guide, it may be larger than 18kWh.
It measures 4775mm long, 1890mm wide and 1670mm tall, riding on a 2765mm wheelbase, and is offered with five seats.
Compared to a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – available with five or seven seats – the BYD is 65mm longer nose to tail, 28mm wider, and 59mm longer in wheelbase, but 85mm lower.
A BYD Atto 3 electric SUV is about 30cm shorter bumper to bumper than the Sealion 6.
The BYD Sealion 6 has been pitched as a key model in the Chinese car maker's ambition to double its sales by the end of this year – to about 25,000 deliveries – and again in 2025.
