Chinese giant launches 3 new cars in South Africa

BYD has officially launched three new cars in the South African market, with prices ranging from R640,000 to R1.3 million.

The new cars include the hybrid bakkie SHARK 6, the hybrid SUV SEALION 6 and the all-electric SEALION 7.

“We are thrilled to introduce the BYD Shark, SEALION 6, and SEALION 7 to South Africa,” said Steve Chang, Managing Director of BYD Auto SA.

“These vehicles reflect BYD’s commitment to technological innovation, sustainability, and excellence.”

With the launch of the new cars, BYD will offer six models in the South African market. The brand already offers the BYD ATTO 3, DOLPHIN hatchback, and SEAL sedan.

In the coming weeks, all of the newly introduced models will be available in eight BYD showrooms in South Africa.

The group said it will expand and strengthen its sales and after-sales network in South Africa as per its commitment to customer satisfaction.

Despite being a relatively new entrant in the South African market, BYD is a massive company that continues gaining market share in many countries.

The company’s share price has risen close to 500% over the last five years and recently saw a bump after announcing that its cars could add 400 kilometres of range in just five minutes of charging.

The company also employs over 900,000 people, adding over 200,000 new workers in 2024. Thus, it is the world’s largest automaker by R&D workforce.

BYD SHARK 6 – Price: R959,900

The BYD SHARK 6 is the first bakkie that BYD has launched in South Africa and features the DMO Super Hybrid Off-road Platform, combining off-road capitabilties with safety features of an SUV.

The SHARK 6 has a rear-drive powertrain, EHS electric hybrid system, and a 1.5T high-power engine. It reaches a peak power of over 430 horsepower, equivalent to a 4.0L V8 engine.

It accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometers in only 5.7 seconds. The cars intelligent electric All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) means the car can adjust the torque distribution between its front and rear wheels in milliseconds.

As a plug-in hybrid, the car has both fuel and electric power modes. When the battery runs out, the car’s fuel consumption only rises to 9.6 litres per 100km.

The car also prioritises safety by integrating an ultra-high safety Blade Battery and a high-strength steel frame through CTC technology, ensuring robust protection.

BYD added that the Blade Battery functions both as an energy unit and a structural component, fortifying both battery and vehicle safety with multi-layered defense.

BYD SEALION 6 – Price: R639,900 to R789,900

The BYD SEALION 6 is desinged to be a family SUV, balancing performance, fuel efficiency and intelligent features.

The AWD version accelerates from 100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds, while the front-wheel-drive (FWD) variant offers fuel efficiency of 5.5L per 100 km.

On a full tank, the SEALION 6 can travel up to 1,080 km in the FWD model and 870 km in the AWS model. BYD said that this makes it the ideal choice for both commutes and extended road trips.

BYD added that technology is key to the SEALION 6, which features a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, smart voice control, and an advanced head-up display (HUD).

The HUD projects key driving information onto the windshield, such as speed, speed limits, adaptive cruise control data.

BYD SEALION 7 – Price: R1,099,900 to R1,299,900

BYD SEALION 7, a sport-coupe SUV, is the fourth pure electric model in South Africa, BYD said that the car offers sleek design, advanced EV technology, and superior driving dynamics.

Thanks to its high-tech features, such as dual V-shape magnets, the SEALION 7 achieves a noticeably stronger acceleration of 4.5 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h for the performance edition, with a top speed of 215 km/h.

The SEALION 7 comes with with BYD’s Blade battery and offers 82.56 kWh battery capacity, with a maximum WLTP range of 482km.

Thus, for short-distance only commutes, the SEALION 7’s charge can last up to 10 days.

With Intelligent fast-charging technology, the SEALION 7 battery can also be recharged from 20% to 80% within 30 minutes with DC rapid-charging rates of 150 kW. Both

Both versions of BYD SEALION 7 come with a 7KW wall box charger and a 2.2KW portable charger as standard.

With its Cell-to-Body (CTB) construction, the BYD SEALION 7 has a massive cabin space, offering a 500L boot capacity with the rear seat in place, and a 58L front boot space.

The centre of the new model’s dashboard comes with a 15.6-inch screen that can rotate between portrait and landscape orientation.