BYD - Build Your Dreams, the enormous Chinese brand just launched into the Irish market, has announced that it will bring a new SUV model to the upcoming IAA motor show in Munich. Meet the Seal U.
On sale in Ireland early next year
BYD says that the Seal U is its "latest pure electric SUV in the D-segment offering exceptional versatility and value with a high specification as standard." From the name, the styling, and the 'Blade' battery pack, it's closely related to the Seal saloon we drove earlier this year, which will be going on sale in Ireland in the autumn.
The Seal U - the U stands for Utility, but you'd probably already guessed that - comes in two trim levels. There's a Comfort model with a 71.8kWh battery and a range of 420km, or a Design version with an 87kWh battery and a range of up to 500km. BYD says this new electric SUV will go on sale in Ireland early next year.
Six-strong European BYD lineup
The Seal U will join the existing lineup of BYD models which are either already on sale in Europe - as in the case of the Atto 3 crossover - or are arriving very soon - the Seal saloon, the Dolphin hatchback, Han saloon, and the Tang SUV. The Seal U brings BYD's European range to six.
It's not the only car that BYD will be bringing to the motor show in Munich, although if you were hoping to see a European-ready version of the ultra-affordable Seagull small electric car (think Dacia Spring rival), then you're just going to have to keep waiting.
No, the other car BYD will show in Munich isn't actually a BYD model at all. Instead, it's a Denza, a company formed as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz. The Denza D9 is a big, all-electric MPV with seats for seven in a 2+2+3 layout. It's not been fully confirmed for European sales, but BYD says that its appearance at the Munich show is to "tease the motoring public and attract the attention of the European audience."
Game-changing technology
Michael Shu, General Manager and Managing Director, BYD Europe and International Cooperation Division, says: "BYD is truly dedicated to introducing innovative and high-tech eco-friendly cars to the European market. The IAA in Munich offers us the perfect platform to showcase our latest BYD-models. We are also committed to offering choice with product portfolio, equipped with our latest game-changing technology, to satisfy different customer demands and provide localised service. We head to the Munich Motor Show with great excitement, where we reveal more about our technological innovations and products, and continue to build relationships with likeminded partners in Europe for win-win cooperation."