BYD Seal: Touring Scotland in superfast saloon with 323-mile range

The BYD Seal is an electric saloon car that hopes to steal sales from the Tesla Model 3 with its smart looks and 350-mile range.

It’s available in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive versions, both with 82.5kWh batteries.

The two-wheel drive one does 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and has an official range of 354 miles.

Go for the four-wheel drive model and the 0-62mph time improves to a supercar-baiting 3.8 seconds. Range drops slightly, to 323 miles.

The BYD Seal on a bridge near Pitlochry, with a forest in the distance. — The BYD Seal near Pitlochry. Image: Jack McKeown.

All versions come with a heat pump to improve cold weather efficiency.

The BYD Seal costs £45,695 for the rear-wheel drive model and the all-wheel drive version I tried out costs £3,000 more.

Touring Scotland in the BYD Seal

I took it on a week-long Scottish holiday. Setting off from Dundee we headed through Crieff and Comrie to our destination at Loch Awe.

After three nights there we took a beautiful route up to Fort William then along past Loch Laggan and Dalwhinnie and up the A9 to Carrbridge.

the car on the road with hills in the background — We took the BYD Seal on a tour of Scotland. Image: BYD.

How would an electric car fare on long journeys across Scotland where there isn’t a charger around every corner?

We stayed at the Ben Cruachan Inn on Loch Awe. It has an electric charger, which made our journey much easier.

I set off from Dundee with 80% battery and arrived there with around 45%.

Jack beside the BYD Seal, a handsome electric saloon — The BYD Seal is a handsome electric saloon. Image: Jack McKeown.

Plugging in over dinner gave us plenty of charge for a few days’ sightseeing. There were no other electric cars at the inn so I didn’t feel guilty plugging in overnight on our last day, so we left with a completely full battery.

The car’s official range is 323 miles and after charging to 100% that’s exactly what the readout said.

the car parked on a wooded path — Exploring the Highlands in the BYD Seal. Image: Jack McKeown.

We reached Carrbridge with 60% left in the tank and I didn’t have to worry about charging until we were on our way home.

Three quarters of an hour plugged in at Pitlochry while we stopped for lunch got us above 80%, which meant we arrived back in Dundee with 63%.

Having a 300-mile-plus range isn’t necessary but it does give peace of mind.

With the distances I usually cover, I would only have to worry about plugging in once a week.

What is the BYD Seal like to drive?

The BYD Seal drives nicely. And it is very fast indeed. Floor it and the car launches forward like a bullet out of a gun.

Even a moderate push on the accelerator is enough to surge effortlessly past a line of traffic.

Due to the extra weight of the batteries, electric cars are heavier than petrol cars and usually feel stodgier and less nimble.

This wasn’t the case with the BYD Seal, which impressed me with its poise.

the BYD Seal on a country road — Ride and handling are excellent. Image: BYD.

On the A85 through Comrie and along Loch Earn its accurate steering and tidy handling made short work of the narrow and twisting roads.

And on the high, undulating and beautiful road that crossed Rannoch Moor the car’s suspension handled undulations nicely, while its boundless power made short work of hills.

Cruising down the A9 through Highland Perthshire, I was impressed by how silent the cabin was.

Comfortable interior

The seats are covered in high-quality quilted leather and are heated and ventilated. They’re very comfortable for long journeys.

The car's interior — The touchscreen rotates 90 degrees. Image: BYD.

Rear passengers get decent leg room, although head room is nippit for tall people.

The 400-litre boot is a good size and you get another 53 litres under the bonnet, which is useful for storing the charging cables.

The back seats — Seats are quilted leather. Image: BYD.

Almost all the car’s systems are controlled via a huge 15.6in touchscreen.

Its party trick is that it will rotate to landscape or portrait orientation – the latter is useful for sat nav, as you see more of the route ahead.

Air conned

There are a couple of nuisances. The main one is a poor air conditioning system. Our trip coincided with the arrival of the Scottish summer… in mid-September.

Temperatures soared to 25 degrees and the climate control pushed out air that was tepid at best. We had to drive with the windows down.

If it can’t handle Scotland’s heat, I’d hate to drive one in Texas. Towards the end of our trip temperatures turned cooler and I can confirm the heated seats and steering wheel work well.

The BYD Seal, seen from the rear on a country road, is a smart-looking car. — The BYD Seal is a smart-looking car. Image: BYD.

And while the big touchscreen looks terrific, it’s not always easy to use. Icons for the heating are small and you have to delve into separate menus for heated seats.

I wish carmakers would bring back buttons and dials for these functions.

Verdict

Fundamentally, the BYD Seal is a very good car. It drives well and has an excellent range. It’s comfortable, and the interior is of a higher quality than its key rival the Tesla Model 3.

It deserves to be a success.