BYD Seal: E-car looks like Tesla 3, but comes from China

Chinese carmaker BYD has unveiled a new e-car, presumably following the philosophy that “it’s better to steal well than to make a bad one”, because the new BYD Seal looks strikingly like the Tesla Model 3.

BYD Seal: Tesla clone shows off in first teaser video

Apart from a first teaser video, most official information about the BYD Seal is still pending. The electric car is being built on the basis of the Chinese manufacturer’s Ocean-X concept car, which was unveiled in the fall of 2021, and was scheduled to be presented to the public at an auto show in Beijing at the end of April. However, due to newly imposed COVID-19 measures, it is rather doubtful whether the event will take place at all.

What immediately catches the eye in the teaser is the visual… let’s call it “resemblance”… to the Tesla Model 3. After all, the electric mid-range car also enjoys enormous popularity in China. While the Seal’s front and rear end, including headlights, are strongly reminiscent of the Tesla model, the model is said to be offered at a significantly lower price than its U.S. counterpart.

As cnevpost.com reports, the Tesla Model 3 is currently being offered in China starting at the equivalent of 38,300 euros. Fully equipped, 50,500 euros are called. However, this price is to be significantly undercut with the BYD Seal and from the equivalent of 31,700 euros, or for 40,400 euros in full equipment on the market preschen.

Seal appears in three versions

As per information from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) highlight, the BYD Seal will be offered in three versions. The translated report says the Seal would come in at 4.8 meters long, 1.875 meters wide and it would be 1.46 meters wide. With a wheelbase of 2.92 meters.

According to cnevpost.com, however, the three models differ in terms of total weight. This would be 1,885 kg, 2,015 kg and 2,150 kg. One version is equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous motor with 70 kW and 150 kW maximum power, the other has 230 kW power.

The third model has a dual motor, which consists of an asynchronous front drive with 75 kW and 160 maximum power, and a rear motor with 70 kW and 230 kW. However, these details have not been confirmed by BYD.

Details should be available at the official unveiling, which is probably imminent. Whether the BYD Seal will also make it to Germany is currently unclear.