Tesla’s Reign Challenged: BYD’s New Electric SUV on the Horizon

Chinese automaker BYD is setting its sights on the global electric vehicle market.
This time, they’re targeting Tesla with a coupe-style electric SUV. According to a February report by market research firm TrendForce, Tesla held the top spot in the global electric vehicle market share at 19.9%, but BYD was hot on its heels at 17.0%.

Moreover, Tesla’s net profit for the first quarter of this year was $1 billion, showing a sharp decrease of over 55% compared to last year. BYD plans to use Tesla’s stumble to capture the top spot in the electric vehicle market.

Lamborghini Designer’s creation
Matches Ocean Series’ Family Look

BYD revealed the overall look of its electric SUV, the Sea Lion 07, including its interior. Until now, they had the Seal, an electric mid-size sedan to compete with Tesla’s Model 3, but they didn’t have a model to compete with the Model Y. In this regard, the upcoming release of the Sea Lion 07 attracts consumer expectations as it’s predicted to compete fiercely with Tesla.

The Sea Lion 07 is a mid-size urban SUV in the Ocean Series, including the Seal and Dolphin. Wolfgang Egger, a former Audi and Lamborghini designer, handled the exterior design. The front-end design, featuring sleek headlights and a thin horizontal line underneath, maintains the family look seen in the Seal from the same Ocean Series.

Controversy Over Resemblance to Porsche Taycan
Smooth Side Design

The aerodynamic front-end design features elegant curved lines.
In contrast, the sharp-edged bumper design and aggressive air intakes create a new impression. This design has been critiqued for resembling the Porsche Taycan, causing controversy over the design.

The sides feature a black high-gloss finish on the B and C pillars, creating a smooth look as if the side windows are seamlessly connected. This design principle applies to the door area, where flush-style door handles contribute to a soft side profile. A long horizontal character line located beneath it further enhances this.

A chrome garnish line was added underneath the sleek coupe-style roofline that gracefully arcs.
At the rear, the arch line is emphasized with horizontally stretched taillights, maintaining a similar design principle.

Display Dominates Dashboard
Luxurious Leather Material Used

The interior also maintains a luxurious feel.
A display featuring wave-like graphics spans the length of the dashboard, and a floating rotary display is mounted in the center. The 4-spoke steering wheel, equipped with numerous physical buttons, is covered in leather, enhancing the overall luxury. Leather is also used on the door panels and seats. The seats are said to include ventilation, heating, and massage functions.

The Sea Lion 07’s body dimensions are 190 inches in length, 75.7 inches in width, 63.7 inches in height, and a wheelbase of 115.3 inches, slightly larger than Tesla’s Model Y, signaling it will be a strong competitor. The powertrain offers a choice between a 228 horsepower motor and a more powerful 308 horsepower motor, while a dual motor version adds a 215 horsepower motor to the front wheels. Although detailed information about the battery has not been released, it is expected to contain BYD’s Blade battery. Moreover, it is expected to be released at a reasonably affordable price range of 200,000 to 260,000 yuan (approximately $31,756 to $41,284).