BYD Sealion 7 long-term test

The Car BYD Sealion 7 Excellence AWD Run by Jonty Renk, video production manager

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 9124 List price £59,000 Best price £52,490 Price as tested £60,100 Official range 312 miles Test range 205 miles Private price now £33,986 Dealer price now £38,590 Running costs £1583 (charging)

17 March 2026 – Seven for seven

My BYD Sealion 7 is the first electric vehicle (EV) I’ve ever owned. It has effectively acted as a litmus test for whether an EV would suit my high-mileage lifestyle and, over the past six months or so, I’ve put more than 7000 miles on the clock in pursuit of an answer.

With this near-six-month test drawing to a close, have I found that answer? Well, yes, and I’ll relay that answer to you in this report. However, I’d first like to preface it with some other conclusions. I have seven (including my answer), which is rather fitting. 

Firstly, let’s talk range. Sure, my 18-mile (total) commute was never really going to prove a challenge – it’d barely challenge a golf cart, let alone an 312-mile (official range) electric SUV. Still, considering I’m without a home charger, I’m glad to say that a full charge was often enough to cater for a couple of weeks worth of commutes. 

And when I did have to travel farther afield, I rarely had any range anxiety. There have only been a handful of times where I’ve had to stop unexpectedly which, considering how long I’ve had the car and how many miles I’ve done in it, isn’t bad at all. 

Secondly (although this is linked to my first point), I’d like to reference the charging process itself. Being a range-topping Excellence version, my Sealion 7 can charge at a maximum charging rate of 230kW. I’ve never actually seen it charge that fast in the real world – that's the UK's charging infrastructure for you – but on numerous occasions I’ve seen in excess of 150kW, which is the maximum rate offered by lesser Sealion 7s (the Comfort and Design). 

Thirdly, there's the interior’s lack of physical buttons. At first, I found it quite frustrating, having to use the touchscreen every time I wanted to, say, change the temperature. 

However, I have to admit that I got used to it, thanks in part to the Sealion 7’s intuitive software. For instance, there are handy shortcuts at your disposal. You can drag three fingers across the screen to adjust the fan speed, and drag three fingers up and down to adjust the temperature, much like using a phone or tablet. In the end, I found doing these things no more distracting than using physical controls. 

Next up, a word on performance. Now, 0-62mph in 4.5sec sounds very quick – in fact, it’s on a par with the Porsche 911 Carrera T. However, what I kept being reminded of was just how instantly the Sealion 7 picks up speed when you first plant your right foot. No waiting for a gearbox to shift down or for a turbocharger to spool up. It just goes, quickly and effortlessly, thanks to all of the pulling power from its electric motor being available instantly. 

Another good thing is that my car came with a few cables: a Type 2 connector, a three-pin transformer and a V2L (Vehicle To Load) adapter – all as standard. I was surprised by how much I used the V2L function (which essentially turns the Sealion 7 into a massive 3-pin plug). I charged laptops, cameras, microphones and more using it, essentially turning my car into a mobile power station. 

Fifth on my list is the app. I’ve spoken a bit about its strengths and weaknesses in my fifth report, but I will genuinely miss the freedom of not having to carry a car key around. Functions like preheating the interior in the morning and quickly checking the vehicle’s location have been really useful. Just being connected to the car from my pocket is a luxury which will be tough to give up.

And as subjective as it may be, I’d like to talk briefly about the Sealion 7’s looks. In short, I really like it. It’s sleek yet muscular, and reminds me of a Porsche Cayenne Coupé. The black paint gives it an air of stealth, too. The interior is smart, and I’m glad I went for the darker colour – there’s a brighter interior colour scheme also available. But as you may remember when editor Steve Huntingford ran a Seal, it was all too easily marked.

And finally, as I promised, my seventh conclusion is my overall conclusion: does an EV work for my lifestyle? Well, yes. It’s not been without its hiccups, the seemingly everlasting software update I described in my third report being the most frustrating. However, generally, life with the Sealion 7 has been stress free.  

But here’s the thing, having the Sealion 7 for six months and coming to this conclusion has led my mind to wander. Are there other electric SUVs that could take my fancy – an MG IM6 or Tesla Model Y, perhaps? Well, as the time comes to choose my next company car, let's see what happens.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Read more about our long-term BYD Sealion 7 >>

Read about more long-term test cars >>

Buy a new car with What Car?

Like the sound of the BYD Sealion 7?

If so, check out our New Car Deals pages to see how much you could save on a BYD Sealion 7.

We’ve got the biggest selection of discounted new cars available in the UK.