The Chinese manufacturer, BYD, is, like many other car companies, anxious to capitalise on an expanding hybrid market, as sales of fully electric cars decline on many world markets - including Ireland.
It has launched its first plug-in hybrid, the SEAL U super hybrid here, with a proven sales strategy - a keen entry level price and a long list of standard equipment. And there's more to come. BYD will be launching another four models in Ireland over the next year, including a small EV with a budget price of between €20,000 and €25,000.
First impressions are that the car is generically styled to appeal to the widest possible SUV audience but a high waistline and standard 19" wheels do add enough to make it stand out from the crowd.
Internally, it is bright and pretty spacious. As with many other new cars, the "leather" upholstery is vegan, which means it’s synthetic.
The entry level Boost version of the new PHEV comes on to the market at €42,150. A four wheel drive version starts at €49,140.
Features include a 15.6" rotatable touchscreen (one of BYD's cleverest features) and a 12.6" infotainment screen, both of which have crisp displays. There’s satellite navigation, intelligent voice control, an electric sliding sunroof, air conditioning, keyless entry, ambient lighting and a heads-up digital display on the windscreen. Both driver and front passenger’s seats have electric adjustment and memory.
The warranty covers 150,000 or a six year period and the battery is covered for eight years, or a 200,000 kilometre lifecycle.
BYD claims a pure-electric range of 70 kilometres is possible and that in urban conditions the car can run in electric mode for up to 81 per cent of the time. A combined electric and petrol (from the car’s 1.5 petrol engine) range of 1,080 km’s is also claimed but we’ll wait to find out if these figures stand up in real world conditions, as distinct from ideal ones.
There’s a 425 litre boot capacity and this can be extended to 1400 litres with the rear seats folded down.
The car already has a EuroNCAP maximum crash test rating of five stars. Standard safety features include blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and several other automatic driving safety aids.
