The Seal premium sedan was unveiled by BYD, and made its debut in the Indian passenger car market in 2021. It was initially displayed at the Auto Expo in India last year. The Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer presently sells the Atto3 SUV and e6 MPV in India; these vehicles are imported and put together at the company’s Chennai facility. “Currently, our lineup includes a sports sedan, an SUV, and an MPV.
We will steady ourselves with the new product, catering to many segments, stated Sanjay Gopalakrishnan, Senior Vice President of BYD India’s Electric Passenger Vehicle Business. Being a market leader in a specialized market for cars costing more than INR 30 lakh is the objective.
New Delhi: Build Your Dreams (BYD), which surpassed Tesla to become the world’s best-selling electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, hopes to establish stability in India this year and continue to lead a specialized market with cars costing more than INR 30 lakh.
The Chinese carmaker now has two models in its India lineup: the Atto3 SUV and the e6 MPV, both of which are put together in its Chennai plant. The Seal luxury sedan, which made its national debut at the Auto Expo last year, was unveiled by BYD on Wednesday.
“Currently, our lineup includes a sports sedan, an SUV, and an MPV. With the new product, we will steady ourselves while serving various market sectors. After the market expands, we will offer more models, according to Sanjay Gopalakrishnan, Senior Vice President of BYD India’s Electric Passenger Vehicle Business.
BYD is present in 21 Indian cities with 24 touchpoints. “We wish to grow even more. We aim to cover around 90% of India’s overall EV market by the end of the year. Thus, in collaboration with both new and current partners, we will grow,” Gopalakrishnan told ETAuto.
The new Seal sedan’s starting price for the entry-level dynamic variation is INR 41 lakh, while the top-spec performance AWD variant is INR 53 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The automobile will be imported into the nation as well. There are two battery options for this model: 61.44kWh and 82.56kWh. According to the top specification, BYD can go from 0 to 100 mph in just 3.8 seconds. It has nine airbags, ADAS Level-2, and NFC card integration.
Bookings for the Seal are now being accepted by BYD for a nominal INR 1.25 lakh. Before March 31st, reservations will receive a few extra services.
Every manufacturer’s share of EVs in the luxury market is roughly 22%. Although it is a small market, the buyers in this sector are well-versed in EVs and technology. Seal will therefore lead that market since it embodies BYD’s technology for EVs, he stated.
The electric vehicle manufacturer, which made its debut in the Indian passenger car market in 2021, is currently striving to obtain ARAI homologation certification for its Atto 3 SUV. The certification will facilitate the removal of the 2,500-unit import volume cap.
To establish a USD 1 billion four-wheeler manufacturing facility in Hyderabad, BYD and a local manufacturing company, Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), presented a proposal to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) last year. The suggestion was rejected by the Center, though. Regarding a status report on BYD’s local manufacturing endeavors, Gopalakrishnan refrained from responding. He did add, though, that BYD sees India as a long-term market.
He states that although there are certain obstacles, such as infrastructure, range anxiety, battery recycling, and residual value of the EVs, the adoption of EVs in India is proceeding as anticipated.
By 2030, the Center wants to see 30% of sales come from EVs.