BYD Sealion 7 long-term test

The Car BYD Sealion 7 Excellence AWD

Why it’s here To prove that an electric car can be a suitable choice for a high-mileage, luggage-loading videographer 

Needs to Provide comfort on long journeys, easily transport people and equipment on long shoots and convince a die hard combustion engine user that ICE isn't the only way to go 

Mileage 1933 List price £59,000 Best price £52,490 Price as tested £60,100 Official range 312 miles Test range 252 miles 

25 November 2025 – Over the air

Technology is absolutely brilliant, when it works. My BYD Sealion 7 is a prime example of that. It’s a tech-heavy car, and its various systems and gizmos have never done me wrong… up until now. You see, I’m currently writing this long-term report from a pay and display car park in Gloucester town centre. I’d like to have left by now, but my car has been rendered undrivable.

Let me explain. About 24 hours ago, I was prompted to perform a software update for my car, so naturally I scheduled it to complete overnight, nice and simple. However, the next morning I awoke to a disappointing notification on my phone, with the car’s companion app saying that, for safety reasons, my car cannot perform an over-the-air software update while it's charging. Okay, fine.

I decided that, due to the update's estimated competition time being 45mins, I’d pop into town and the car could update while I was at the gym. I parked up, locked the car and headed in to, you know, pump some iron.  

Fast forward an hour and I was finished. Iron had been pumped and I was exhausted. I was ready to go home, but my Sealion 7 had other ideas. Upon hopping in I was greeted with the following message: “Upgrading (0%), completed within 45 minute(s)”. 

Excuse me? For the entire time I was out, the car has done diddly squat. Worse still, while the update is in process, the car is unable to be driven. 

I tried to stop the update, but I couldn't use the screen. I couldn't put the car in drive or use most other functions, meaning the only thing I could do was watch YouTube videos on my phone. Leaving the car for a bit wasn't an option, because the update only seems to progress with me inside the car. Which brings us to the current moment in time, where I've just been forced to buy an additional hour of parking. 

The update took 50mins to get to 88% (so much for 45mins) before... failing. At least I can leave, but it looks like I’ll have to go through this rigmarole again at a later date. I can only hope that next time it'll happen somewhere more convenient. 

My Sealion 7 has thoroughly impressed me overall, but this experience has certainly put a stain in its otherwise squeaky clean record. 

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