BYD confirms Sealion 5 for New Zealand

BYD has officially launched another model in the Sealion SUV range, with BYD New Zealand confirming it will be coming to New Zealand as well.

BYD New Zealand’s Warren Willmot has confirmed the Sealion 05 EV is headed for New Zealand, although specific details regarding timing and local specifications have not yet been disclosed.

The compact electric SUV joins BYD’s expanding Sealion family, which includes both fully electric and plug-in hybrid models targeted at global markets.

BYD has launched its new Sealion 05 EV crossover in China, priced from just 117,800 yuan, making it slightly more expensive than an Atto 3.

Tiguan-sized

Built on BYD’s advanced e-Platform 3.0 Evo architecture it features Seal-esque styling with pointed headlights connected by an LED strip, flush door handles, and prominent blacked-out B- and C-pillars. With dimensions of 4520mm long, 1860mm wide, and 1630mm high, it’s similar in size to Volkswagen’s Tiguan.

Despite its compact footprint, it gets a generous 600-litre rear boot, expandable to 1460 litres when the rear seats are folded. Additionally, a 110-litre front trunk adds to its storage versatility.

Inside, the crossover integrates technology and comfort seamlessly, featuring a 12.8-inch central touchscreen, an 8.8-inch LCD digital instrument cluster, and a steering column-mounted gear selector—as opposed to the centre-console shifters BYD has been using up until now.

Cool drinks anyone?

On the centre console instead of the shifter is wireless charging pad, physical button controls, cupholders, and a climate-controlled storage box that can cool down to -6°C or warm up to 50°C.

Safety and driver assistance are supported by BYD’s advanced “God’s Eye” DiPilot 100 system, combining five millimetre-wave radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and 12 cameras. It offers advanced highway autopilot capabilities through its Navigate On Autopilot (NOA) function. It is unclear if this technology will make it into export units. 

Two powertrain options are available. The base rear-wheel-drive model produces 140 kW from its electric motor, paired with a 50 kWh LFP battery offering a range of 430 km (CLTC). A more powerful variant ups output to 160 kW and extends the range to 520 km with a larger 60.9 kWh battery.

A plug-in hybrid version, using the familier DM-i system is also available.