New Models BYD Seal DM-i Touring—Space Meets Efficiency

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BYD is filling a gap created by established manufacturers with its PHEV estate. With an attractive price-performance ratio and plenty of space, the Seal Touring offers sought-after features.

While the range of models in the SUV segment continues to grow year after year, the selection of estates is now limited—especially when it comes to plug-in hybrids with a decent electric range. BYD fills this gap with its eleventh model—the Seal 6 DM-i Touring.

The 15.9 feet long station wagon with its bulky name and appealing design competes in the highly popular D-segment. Developed for the European market and specifically for Germany, the model is expected to significantly contribute to the ambitious sales targets of the Chinese manufacturer in Germany. BYD Germany's CEO, Lars Bialkowski, does not reveal how many units of the PHEV station wagon he plans to sell. However, he is optimistic that the Seal 6 DM-i Touring will become one of the best-selling models in the portfolio here.

Plug-in Hybrid for the Transition

When it comes to the target audience for its latest model addition, BYD is certainly not picky: According to the Chinese manufacturer, it simply targets everyone—private customers as well as fleets, user choosers, and mobility providers such as taxi companies, Uber, or subscription specialists. Lars Bialkowski estimates the private customer share to be 30 to at best 40 percent.

BYD views plug-in hybrids as a bridging technology for customers who shy away from buying an electric car due to range anxiety but want to drive electrically for their daily commute and in the city while also valuing the highest possible overall range. The Chinese manufacturer claims that its top model offers a range of up to 839 miles with a full battery and a full tank. It can drive up to 62 miles purely electrically.

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Limited Selection of Trims And Paint Options

BYD focused on economical and efficient driving, an attractive price-performance ratio, and generous space when developing its PHEV station wagon. All three aspects are indeed present: while the starting price of $46,000 is not exactly a bargain, the Seal 6 DM-i Touring impresses even in the base version with solid standard equipment—from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to electrically adjustable seats, an electric tailgate, and rear parking radar. The selection of equipment options and paint colors is intentionally limited: there are just four colors and two equipment variants. At launch, a third option will be added, limited to 1,000 units.

The top-tier Comfort version, priced at $53,000, features a panoramic glass sunroof, a 360-degree camera, heated and ventilated front seats, two wireless smartphone charging stations, and a high-quality sound system with eight speakers. It also includes a 6.6 kW onboard charger.

The Trunk Holds 675 Liters

The interior concept is impressive: passengers in the rear benefit from ample legroom and headroom. Most notably, the trunk is generously sized with a volume of 675 liters, or 1,535 liters with the rear seats folded down. This is combined with a harmonious mix of materials and a tidy cockpit. The centerpiece, depending on the equipment variant, is a 12.8 or 15.6-inch touchscreen mounted on the center console.

With the entry-level variant Boost, the manufacturer positions itself against competitors in the C-segment, targeting primarily private customers. However, those opting for this variant with a 10-kWh lithium iron battery and a system output of 135 kW/184 hp will have to accept significant compromises in electric range: instead of 62 miles, it only covers 31 miles. The top version Comfort, with a 19-kWh battery and a range of 62 miles, meanwhile, targets commercial customers as it benefits from reduced taxation.

About Five Liters of Fuel Consumption

During an initial test drive in the top variant, the Seal DM-i Touring demonstrated its efficiency. While it is usually common to see the purely electric range of a plug-in hybrid quickly drop to zero, the onboard computer of the BYD station wagon reported a higher electric range than at the start of the journey after a roughly 62 miles mix of city traffic, country roads, and highways, with a fuel consumption of 4.7 liters and an electricity consumption of 4.8 kWh/100 mi.

This is made possible by BYD's "Super Hybrid DM Technology": similar to the SUV counterpart Seal U DM-i, the station wagon also features two self-developed electric motors with integrated control, which in the top version are combined with a lithium iron battery and a 1.5-liter gasoline engine delivering 72 kW/98 hp with an efficiency of 43 percent. Unlike traditional PHEV concepts, the combustion engine serves solely as support for the electric motors. The total system output amounts to 156 kW/212 hp.

Compatible With Fast Charging Stations

The system can be operated in two modes: In EV mode, the wheels are driven exclusively by the electric motor. In HEV mode, the gasoline engine supplies power to the battery and the electric motor via an inverter, while the car maintains the responsiveness of a pure electric vehicle. In moments when additional power is required, the HEV mode can switch from a series to a parallel connection.

Although efficiency was the primary focus in the drivetrain development, driving pleasure is not neglected: during the test drive, the PHEV station wagon proved to be both powerful and responsive, typical of an electric car. By the way, the station wagon can be charged not only at a wallbox but also at fast-charging stations, although the charging capacity of 26 kW is modest: according to the manufacturer, charging from 30 to 80 percent takes 23 minutes.

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