BYD Cars Philippines, under ACMobility, wants to democratize electrified vehicles with the launch of the Sealion 6 DM-i. At P 1.548-million, it becomes BYD’s entry-level offering yet packs a serious amount of space, features, and tech.
Unlike their other offerings like the Dolphin and Atto 3, the Sealion 6 DM-i is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Equipped with BYD’s Super DM-i powertrain, the Sealion 6 combines an ultra-efficient 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle normally aspirated 4-cylinder engine with a strong electric motor. Mated to an E-CVT, its combined 217 horsepower and 325 Nm outputs allow it to go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.3 seconds. Furthermore, an 18.3-kWh high-voltage battery offers an all-electric range of 105 kilometers. With its 60-liter fuel tank, that can stretch its range to up to around 1,100 kilometers—double or even triple other conventional or even hybrid compact SUVs.
Moreover, unlike conventional hybrids, the Sealion 6 DM-i can also charge its BYD Blade Battery using a Type 2 AC charger. Using the bundled 7-kW home box charger, it can power up from 0 to 100 percent in about three hours. Like many other BEVs, it also has V2L or Vehicle to Load capability allowing it to act as mobile generator in case of blackouts or natural disasters.
A part of the BYD Ocean series of vehicles, the Sealion 6 DM-i adopts the Ocean x Face front-end. The unique U-shaped LED headlight cluster is complemented by the Ocean Starlight full-width LED taillights at the back. Standard 19-inch wheels with a “Surging Wave” design fill each corner. An NFC card reader embedded into the sideview mirror allows keyless entry using a compact keycard that fits into a wallet.
Measuring in at 4,775 mm in length, 1,890 mm in width, and 1,670 mm in height, the Sealion 6 DM-i is similarly sized to the full-electric BYD Atto 3.
BYD Cars Philippines is offering three colors for the Sealion 6 DM-i: Azure Blue, Artic White, and Harbor Gray. The first two colorways offer a distinct white-and-blue interior treatment, while the latter one has a classic black-and-brown color.
Regardless of interior color, the Sealion 6 DM-i fully-kitted for its price. The front seats offer power adjustment with heating and ventilation, while at the back, the 60/40 split-folding seats has adjustable amounts of recline. The driver gets full digital instrumentation courtesy of a 12.3-inch LCD screen, while at the center, the rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen integrates wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. Dual zone climate control with rear vents, a 10-speaker Infinity sound system, dual 15-watt wireless chargers, USB Type A and Type C connectors, ambient interior lighting, and a panoramic sunroof complete the luxury accoutrements.
The Sealion 6 DM-i also comes with a 10-year complimentary access to the BYD App. Using the built-in 4G/LTE connectivity, it has advanced telematics features allowing users to locate their vehicle in real-time or monitor key vehicle stats. In addition, it unlocks other features such as built-in navigation, intelligent voice command, and even the ability to roll out of OTA (Over The Air) updates.
Safety-wise, the Sealion 6 DM-i comes with BYD’s leading ADAS suite called DiPilot offering functions such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, forward collision warning, and even traffic sign recognition. This is on top of 6 SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, stability control, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, and tire pressure sensors.
As a democratizer of electrified vehicles, BYD sees the Sealion 6 DM-i as being able to capture a sizeable market share chunk, especially for its segment. The Sealion 6 DM-i competes in the compact SUV (C-segment SUV) which currently accounts for 3.5 percent (around 15,000 units) of new car sales per year. In the coming years, ACMobility sees this segment to grow to about 5.2 percent or more than 25,000 units per year.
The current C-segment SUV leaders are the Ford Territory (49 percent) and the Corolla Cross (18 percent). These are the competitors whose buyers the Sealion 6 DM-i hope to capture. As a secondary market, BYD is also looking at the Upper C-segment category where electrified models have managed to corner a 38 percent share—the highest of any vehicle category. There, the CR-V has a 63 percent share followed by the RAV 4 (17 percent), Hyundai Tucson (11 percent), and the Mazda CX-5 (8 percent).
All things equal, BYD Cars Philippines sees the Sealion 6 DM-i reaching a 30 percent market share, selling about 2,100 units annually. This will make them the second bestselling offering in the C-segment SUV segment and the bestselling electrified offering, beating even market leader Toyota.
Like other BYD models, the Sealion 6 DM-i has a bumper-to-bumper 6-year or 150,000-kilometer warranty. The high-voltage battery, meanwhile gets a separate 8-year or 160,000-kilometer warranty. Since it has an internal combustion engine, the pegged PMS schedule is just once a year.
