The announcement of right-hand drive production for BYD’s Camry-sized sedan and wagon range opens the doors to an Australian introduction.
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Australia could soon see a new hybrid mid-size sedan entrant with the BYD Seal 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid.
Revealed for the Chinese market in April 2024 and offered for sale there one month later, the Seal 06 DM-i now moves a step closer to an Australian introduction following a report from the UK's Autocar claiming a right-hand-drive version for the UK market is coming.
Offered overseas as both sedan and station wagon, the Seal 06 DM-i could potentially slot into the Australian BYD range as a PHEV alternative to the existing Seal EV.
“The BYD Seal 06 DM-i sedan and wagon are currently under evaluation for the Australian market. It’s an exciting model, and one that we believe would resonate well with local buyers.” James Robinson, BYD’s Australian public relations manager, told Drive.
“However, at this time, there are no firm plans as to whether or not the Seal 06 DM-i will come to Australia.”
Domestic market specifications for the Seal 06 see it available with either a 10kWh or 16kWh LFP battery pack, rated for 60km or 90km of electric-only range, respectively, on the WLTC cycle.
That’s paired with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine rated at 74kW and 128Nm while two electric motor outputs of 120kW/210Nm and 160kW/260Nm are available.
The BYD Seal 06 sedan measures 4830mm long, 1875mm wide, 1495mm tall and rides on a 2790mm wheelbase.
Compared to the Toyota Camry, Australia’s top-selling hybrid medium sedan, the Seal 06 is 90mm shorter nose to tail, 35mm wider, and 50mm taller, with a 35mm shorter wheelbase.
BYD also has a wagon version available, which would potentially make it the only non-prestige mid-size wagon in Australia besides the Skoda Octavia, with alternatives like the Mazda 6 and Volkswagen Passat now discontinued in Australia.
In Australia, the Medium Car Under $60,000 class offers two non-plug-in hybrid modes in the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, although Honda’s classification lags behind its current $64,900 drive-away pricing.
The Camry is offered in three variants spanning $39,990 to $53,990 plus on-road costs.
BYD’s entrant could become the first plug-in hybrid in its segment below $60,000. For comparison, the all-electric Seal sedan currently sold in Australia is priced from $46,990 to $61,990 plus on-road costs.
If the Seal 06 PHEV follows the lead set by the pressing relationship of the Sealion 7 EV and Sealion 6 PHEV SUVs, the Seal 06 DM-i has the potential to arrive at a price that undercuts its electric counterpart by as much as $10,000.
Final specifications and positioning may see that difference reduced, and the lower-volume sedan market in Australia could also have an impact on BYD’s final pricing, if the Seal 06 DM-i does get the green light for a local introduction.
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Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
