Will the BYD Seal Dethrone the Tesla Model 3?
The electric vehicle (EV) market yielded some unlikely competition for the legacy automakers of the world. To most Americans, Tesla is the undisputed titan of the EV market. However, not all of Tesla’s competition resides in the domestic or legacy marques; BYD has its sights set on expanding its reach right into Tesla’s backyard. That’s right; the BYD Seal is in North America, and it wants to dethrone the Tesla Model 3.
The BYD Seal is bringing the big guns to the EV fight
BYD’s diminutive four-door EV, the Seal, is in the North American market. That should have the Tesla Model 3 worried.
| Model | Single-charge range | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Seal RWD | 285 miles | $44,800 |
| Model 3 RWD | 272 miles | $38,990 |
| Seal AWD | 323 miles | $52,000 |
| Model 3 Long Range | 333 miles | $45,990 |
However, the advantages of the North American-market BYD Seal depend on the trim level. For instance, the entry-level 61.44 kilowatt-hour (kWh) rear-wheel drive (RWD) Seal has a 13-mile single charge advantage over the base Model 3 RWD. However, the dual-motor Model 3 Long Range boasts an extra 10 miles over the AWD Seal.
Unfortunately, originality isn’t in the cards for the Seal. At a glance, the Seal’s front end is a blatant facsimile of the Hyundai IONIQ 6, another sloping, aero-friendly electric car on the North American market. And why wouldn’t BYD rip off Hyundai’s design?
The IONIQ 6 has a 0.21 drag coefficient, one of the most slippery values on the current market. It’s enough to allow the IONIQ 6 SE to bag a claimed 361 miles on a single charge.
Further, a cursory investigation into BYD’s online configurator for the Seal reveals another pretty obvious copy. Specifically, a glance at Tesla’s display pages for its vehicle lineup shows a similar layout. Still, beyond the obvious knockoffs, the Seal could put the squeeze on the Model 3 in the North American market.
While the BYD Seal has the Tesla Model 3 in its sights, it’s not going to beat it in the United States– yet
The BYD Seal might be in the North American market, but it’s not going to challenge the Tesla Model 3 in the U.S. quite yet. The Seal is the second of the brand’s “Ocean Series” to make landfall in Mexico, following the Dolphin.
However, the Mexican market is just the latest of the Seal’s exploits. The electrified automaker sells its vehicles in over 70 countries. Tesla should keep an eye on the oceanic-monikered EV; it could be honing in on the Model 3’s market.
