[UPDATE 06/09/2024 12:11] BYD Seal Dynamic price has officially been revealed. It has just become Malaysia’s cheapest electric sedan.
[UPDATE 02/02/2024 11:47] The BYD Seal Dynamic will be launched in Malaysia on 6 September, according to Sime Darby Motors.
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Over the weekend, Sime Darby Motors (SDM) published several teasers related to BYD Seal on BYD Cars Malaysia’s Facebook and Instagram pages. From what we have seen so far, it seems that SDM is hinting at the release of a new base model for the electric sedan which is called the BYD Seal Dynamic.
How did we know that it is BYD Seal Dynamic?
The second teaser posted by SDM pretty much gave it away that the Seal Dynamic is about to be launched in Malaysia. This is because the teaser specifically showed the wheel design that is exclusive to the Dynamic variant.
Not only that the design different from the wheel that was fitted to the Premium and Performance models, it also has a different size. Specifically, the Seal Dynamic has 18-inch wheels with 225/50 R18 tyres as opposed to its two higher-end counterparts that feature 19-inch wheels and 235/45 R19 tyres.
Based on photos that we have seen from Singapore, Thailand, and New Zealand, the Seal Dynamic models were also fitted with GitiComfort 225 V1 tyres instead of the Continental EcoContact 6Q tyres that were on the Premium RWD and Performance AWD variants. Hence, we expect this will be the same for Malaysia as well.
Why was the BYD Seal Dynamic omitted from the Malaysian launch in February?
The existence of Seal Dynamic was not a secret as the variant has been listed on BYD Malaysia’s website before. However, the variant was removed when Seal made its official Malaysian debut on 22 February.
During the media Q&A session at the launch event, this was what SDM’s Managing Director of Southeast Asia, Jeffrey Gan told SoyaCincau.com in regard to the omission of the Dynamic option:
“Yes, you are right, there are three variants available.
However, when we were doing our market review, we realised that the demand was very much more on the Performance and also the Premium model.
Hence, we’ve decided that for the Malaysian market we only introduce these two variants.”
BYD Seal Dynamic quick specs
Aside from the wheel design and size, another factor that made the Seal Dynamic different from the Premium and Performance variants is its power output. Even though it still features a rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup, its electric motor has a much lower output of 150kW (201hp) alongside 310Nm of torque which is similar to the Extended Range variants for Atto 3 and Dolphin.
As a comparison, the Seal Premium has a 230kW (309hp) motor that also produces 360Nm of torque. On the other hand, the Seal Performance has been equipped with two motors which have a total output of 390kW (523hp) alongside a maximum torque of 670Nm.
Meanwhile, the Seal Dynamic also has a battery capacity of 61.44kWh which is much lower than the Premium and Performance models that were equipped with an 82.56kWh battery pack. This is why it is not surprising to see that the Dynamic variant has the lowest WLTP-rated range in the Seal family at 460km.
Not to forget, the DC charging speed for the Seal Dynamic is also limited to 110kW, unlike Dynamic and Performance options which can go as high as 150kW. When it comes to AC charging, the base model still features a 7kW AC onboard charger just like the two other variants.
The Dynamic variant will reduce the entry price point for BYD Seal
In Malaysia, the BYD Seal currently has an on-the-road (OTR) starting price of RM180,430 for the Premium model and RM200,430 for the Performance variant. We don’t expect the pricing for these two models to change but the new Dynamic model should generally reduce the price barrier for the Seal family.
If we have to make an educated guess, we believe that the Seal Dynamic will be made available with a price tag of between RM160k to RM170k. That price point will make things interesting since it is not that far off from the 2024 Atto 3.
Despite the teasers, SDM has yet to reveal the launch date of the Seal Dynamic in Malaysia. The official announcement should be around the corner (UPDATE: The launch event has been scheduled for 6 September) but for the meantime, do check out our brief take on the Seal Performance below:
