Welcome to the future. Not the subtle, minimalist, Steve-Jobs-in-a-turtleneck future — no, no. This is the neon-lit, Chinese-automotive-overlord-has-arrived kind of future. The BYD Sealion 7 Performance isn’t just a car; it’s a rolling tech showcase, a digital aquarium with wheels, and possibly the most polite missile you’ll ever drive.
Launched in 2024, the Sealion 7 is BYD’s all-electric crossover SUV that looked at the Tesla Model Y and said, “That’s cute.” This is BYD’s first generation of the Sealion 7, and believe me, it’s arrived with more drama than your ex on your wedding day.
Now, what you’re looking at here is the Performance variant, which will set you back a cool ₹54.90 lakh (ex-showroom). There’s also a Premium version for ₹48.90 lakh, which is nice if you don’t want your face melted off by torque. But come on, you’re reading a review called Electric Whale Has Breached, not Respectable Dolphin with Mid-Life Crisis.
The Sealion 7 is built on BYD’s e-Platform 3.0 — the same electric soul that powers the Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal, and Denza D9. Sounds like a lineup of rejected Pokémon, but they all pack a punch. It was designed by Wolfgang Egger, the man who designed Alfas, Audis, and even some Lamborghinis, which explains why this SUV has the sharpness of an Italian runway model and the boldness of someone who double parks in Delhi.
From the outside, the Sealion 7 looks like it was sculpted out of wind and LED strips. It’s part of BYD’s Ocean Series, which basically means everything about it is fluid, sleek, and very confused about whether it’s a sea creature or a spaceship. This SUV is 4.8 meters long, 1.9 meters wide, and 1.6 meters tall, and weighs a solid 2,340 kg. That’s right — it’s heavier than your ambition and your uncle’s Royal Enfield combined.
Let’s talk power. Underneath this elegantly overdesigned body is an 82.56 kWh BYD Blade Battery — made of Lithium Iron Phosphate because, well, explosions are out of style. In this Performance trim, you get two motors: a Squirrel cage induction asynchronous motor in the front (yes, that’s a thing, and no, it doesn’t run on squirrels), and a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor at the rear. The result? 523 horsepower. 690 Nm of torque. 0 to 100 in 4.5 seconds. Top speed of 215 km/h. This thing doesn’t drive — it teleports.
Range? A respectable 542 km — unless you’re constantly flooring it to show off to people in Maruti Brezzas, in which case, best keep that fast charger nearby. Speaking of charging, the Sealion 7 supports up to 150 kW DC fast charging. That’s 80% juice in 30 minutes, or roughly the time it takes to scroll through one influencer’s vacation reel.
Don’t worry, slow chargers are also supported. You can charge it in 7.7 hours with a 32A plug, or take your sweet time and let it charge in 35 hours using a basic 10A socket — perfect if you want to plan a weekend road trip two weeks in advance.
On the inside, the Sealion 7 is a disco club disguised as a cockpit. There’s black Nappa leather upholstery that hugs you tighter than your emotionally needy dog, and 128-color ambient lighting, just in case you want your cabin to feel like a nightclub with performance anxiety. The centerpiece? A 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen, which spins like it’s auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus voice assistance, FM, Bluetooth, and probably Morse code if you ask nicely.
There’s a 10.25-inch LCD instrument cluster, 12-speaker Dynaudio system, wireless 50W phone charger, and a panoramic glass roof for dramatic stargazing or judging the weather. You also get a 500-litre boot, and if that’s not enough, there’s a 58-litre frunk up front — ideal for storing cables or hiding your existential dread.
This SUV is not just about flash, though. It’s packed with more safety features than a pilot’s helmet: 11 airbags, ADAS with enough acronyms to start a government agency, emergency braking, lane keeping, blind spot detection, fatigue monitoring, and a system called “Door Open Warning,” which probably yells at you if you try to exit mid-drift. And in case you’re wondering — yes, it has a 360-degree camera, yes it has hill hold, yes it has regenerative braking, and yes, it can drive safer than most humans in Gurgaon.
The suspension setup is legit too — double wishbones in the front and multi-link at the rear, so it floats over bumps like a Buddha in a bubble bath. Also, it has Soundproof double-glazed glass on the windscreen and doors, which means outside noise stays outside, where it belongs — including that one neighbor who always yells at pigeons.
BYD’s engineers even added iTAC — Intelligent Torque Adaptation Control — which ensures that no matter what surface you’re on, torque is being shuffled like poker chips at a Vegas table. Add to that a fully electric power steering system, memory seats, heated mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, 6-way power passenger seat, 8-way driver seat with lumbar support, and cupholders adjustable by height. Because luxury is all about that one extra notch.
The real cherry on top? A complimentary 7kW wall-mounted charger with installation. Also, a 6-year/1.5 lakh km warranty on the vehicle and 8-year/1.6 lakh km on the battery. That’s peace of mind, courtesy of BYD — aka “Build Your Dreams”, although at this point they should rename it “Blast Your Doubts”.
In summary, the BYD Sealion 7 Performance is not just a car. It’s a tech-filled electric beast that doesn’t care what badge is on your neighbor’s garage. It’s fast, flashy and futuristic — mostly because it’s got features your friend’s BMW still dreams about.
So, if you’ve got ₹55 lakh, a taste for electric torque, and a craving for drama, this just might be your next eco-friendly spaceship.
BYD Sealion 7 — not just a car. It’s the Chinese tsunami your Tesla didn’t see coming.
