Meet BYD’s new Sealion 05 EV, a smart electric SUV that’s cheaper than you’d expect

BYD’s new Sealion 05 EV is finally here, and it’s even better than expected. The mass-market electric SUV is loaded with BYD’s “God’s Eye” smart driving tech, has up to 323 miles of driving range, and starts at just around $16,000. It even has a built-in refrigerator.

BYD launches new Sealion 05 EV, a smart electric SUV

Does your car have a mini-fridge? If it does, it likely wasn’t under $20,000. BYD is on fire. After launching the new Qin L EV yesterday, a new Tesla Model 3 rival but at half the cost (119,800 yuan/ $16,500), BYD has another trick up its sleeve.

BYD officially launched the Sealion 05 EV on Tuesday. The smart electric SUV is available in three trims and starts at 117,800 yuan ($16,200).

Powered by a 50 kWh LFP battery, the base “Zhihang” Edition has up to 430 km (267 miles) of CLTC driving range. The mid “Smart” Edition and “Flagship Smart” models have a 60.9 kWh battery, providing up to 520 km (323 miles) of CLTC driving range.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The Sealion 05 EV is 4,520 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, and 1,630 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,720 mm. That’s slightly smaller than the new Tesla Model Y launched in China (4,797 mm long, 1,920 mm wide, 1,624 mm tall).

In comparison, the base Tesla Model Y RWD starts at 263,500 yuan ($33,300) and has a CLTC range of up to 593 km (368 miles). The Long Range AWD starts at 313,500 yuan and has a range of up to 719 km (447 miles).

The BYD Sealion Smart Edition starts at 127,800 yuan ($17,600), while the flagship trim costs 137,800 yuan ($19,000).

With DC fast-charging speeds of up to 156 kW, the Sealion 05’s battery can charge from 30% to 80% in just 18 minutes.

All trims are equipped with BYD’s “God’s Eye” C driving assist system. BYD’s DiPilot 100 is a “three eye” intelligent driving platform powered by five radars, 12 ultrasonic radars, and another 12 cameras for ADAS features like High-Speed Navigate On Autopilot, Full-Scenario smart parking, and active safety.

Like the Qin L EV sedan, BYD’s new electric SUV adopts a revamped interior with a 12.8″ floating center screen and an 8.8″ driver display.

It even includes a built-in refrigerator to keep things cool (or even heated) on the road. Despite its compact size, the Sealion 05 EV has plenty of storage with a 110 L “extra large” frunk (front trunk) and a 600 L trunk that can expand to 1,460 L with the rear seats folded.