BYD has launched the Sea Lion 08, a new flagship SUV under its Ocean series, with prices starting at 229,900 yuan (about $32,400) and rising to 279,900 yuan (about $39,400). The model is offered in eight variants, spanning battery-electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains, with five- and six-seat layouts, and rear- or all-wheel drive.
According to the Chinese automotive outlet 电动邦 (Dian Dong Bang), the Sea Lion 08 is positioned in the 220,000-280,000 yuan segment, a core battleground for new-energy vehicles in China. The entry-level PHEV version starts at 229,900 yuan, while the base BEV starts at 239,900 yuan.
Standard equipment sets it apart
BYD has made a series of features standard across the entire Sea Lion 08 lineup, including a closed dual-chamber air suspension (dubbed Yunqi-A) with a 100 mm adjustable ride height, an active rear-wheel steering system with a maximum rear-wheel angle of ±7 degrees, and a minimum turning radius of 4.95 meters. The car also comes with 11 airbags, electric suction doors, heated, ventilated, and massaging front and rear seats, and a 50W wireless phone charger.
The Sea Lion 08 is equipped with BYD's "God's Eye B" advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), which includes a lidar sensor and supports urban navigation on assisted pilot (urban NOA), highway navigation on assisted pilot, and automated valet parking. BYD is offering a "double guarantee" for the first year: safety coverage for urban navigation and full coverage for intelligent parking scenarios.
Powertrain and range
The PHEV version uses BYD's fifth-generation DM technology, paired with a 55.843 kWh second-generation Blade battery. It offers a CLTC electric-only range of 400 km (about 340 km WLTP est.) (two-wheel drive) or 350 km (four-wheel drive), and a combined range of 1,650 km on a full tank and charge. The NEDC fuel consumption when the battery is depleted is 4.6 L/100 km. The four-wheel-drive PHEV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.
The BEV version comes with a 115.072 kWh second-generation Blade battery, delivering a CLTC range of 900 km for the rear-wheel-drive variant and 800 km for the four-wheel-drive flagship. The latter has a combined motor output of 585 kW (about 785 hp) and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 250 km/h. The rear-wheel-drive version does the sprint in 5.9 seconds.
All versions support BYD's fast-charging platform, which can charge from 10% to 70% state of charge in about 5 minutes, and from 10% to 97% in about 9 minutes. In -30°C conditions, the charging time increases by only 3 minutes. BYD says it has built 10,000 fast-charging stations in China as of August 28.
The Sea Lion 08 measures 5,115 mm in length, 1,999 mm in width, and 1,800 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,030 mm. The six-seat version offers a "space efficiency" of 89.2%, with second-row zero-gravity seats that can slide laterally, and a third row that folds flat to provide up to 1,173 liters of cargo space. The five-seat version has a flat rear floor and a 201-liter front trunk.
Prices are Chinese guide prices before taxes and incentives. The Sea Lion 08 is a strategic product for BYD's Ocean series as it pushes into the premium segment, offering features typically found on models priced above 300,000 yuan (about $42,300).
