The latest MIIT regulatory catalog released on Wednesday showed that BYD registered its new Sealion 06 SUV model, which will be available both as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and a pure electric vehicle (BEV).
According to the filing, the BYD Sealion 06 SUV is 4,810 mm long, 1,920 mm wide, and 1,675 mm high, with a 2,820 mm wheelbase.
The plug-in hybrid version combines a 1.5-liter engine (74 kW) with an electric motor (70 kW) for a total output of 160 kW. The fully electric variant comes with two motor options: one with 180 kW (241 hp) and another with 170 kW (228 hp), offering different performance levels for buyers.
Also in the same lineup, the Sealion 06 wagon, revealed earlier in the early March catalogue of the Ministry, is a slightly larger model than the Seal 06 DM-i hybrid sedan, which starts at 99,800 yuan ($13,600).
As the official launch is only expected for next week at the Shanghai Auto Show, prices of both the SUV and wagon variants of the Sealion 06 SUV are not yet known.
BYD’s Ocean series covers a range from compact cars to mid-size sedans and SUVs. Looking ahead, the company plans to unify its naming strategy: all sedans will fall under the “Seal” name, while all SUVs will be branded as “Sealion.”
The Seal lineup includes not only the Seal 06 series, but also the all-electric Seal EV sedan, the Seal 07 DM-i hybrid sedan, and the Seal 05 DM-i hybrid sedan.
The same MIIT catalogue also included Leapmotor’s B01 sedan, the L90 SUV from Nio’s sub-brand Onvo, and Li Auto’s upcoming fully electric SUV — the Li i8.
NY International Auto Show
The BYD Dolphin (known in China as BYD Seagull) was awarded on Wednesday as the 2025 World Urban Car, at the New York International Auto Show. Voters included nearly 100 automotive journalists from 30 countries.
The model ranked first with the podium being completed with Hyundai‘s Inster/Casper and the fully electric version of the Mini Cooper.
At the same event, the brand’s executive VP and President of BYD Americas became the first woman and the first Chinese person to be named the ‘Person of the Year’ at the awards.
Sales and European Expansion
BYD remains the top-selling automaker in China, with 722,000 vehicles sold from January 1 to April 13, according to industry data. In Europe, BYD saw record-breaking sales in March, with a 754% year-over-year increase in the UK and a 403% increase in Germany.
After expanding into Switzerland in early April, the brand announced on Thursday it is entering the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
It will launch in both markets with two SUVs—the Sealion 07 EV (known as Sealion 7 overseas) and the Song Plus DM-i (sold as the Seal U DM-i). The Seal sedan and Atto 3 will follow at a later stage.
BYD‘s sub-brand Fang Cheng Bao unveiled on Wednesday its first model in its Tai lineup, the Tai 3 SUV, with a starting price of 133,800 yuan ($18,200) — the brand’s lowest-priced model yet.
