Build Your Dreams (BYD) might not be a big auto brand in India yet, even though it is one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) makers across the globe. The company has been trying to spread its wings in the country but has faced several hurdles due to Chinese heritage. That hasn’t stopped the carmaker from pursuing its plans for the Indian market.
The Chinese electric carmaker has filed a trademark for the name ‘Sea Lion’ in India. This could be the company’s upcoming EV in India, its third model in the country after BYD E6 and Atto 3. Interestingly, there is no such vehicle named Sea Lion in BYD’s international lineup.
BYD Sea Lion trademarked
A new EV from BYD has been spotted testing overseas and it is likely to adopt the Sea Lion name tag. It’ll be interesting to see if BYD brings this model to India or rebrands some already existing model for our market.
Spy images of the testing prototype suggest the upcoming model could be a midsize SUV/crossover which is likely to measure 4,770mm in length, 1,910mm in width and 1,620mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,900mm. This makes it 315mm longer, 35mm wider, and 5mm taller than Atto 3 with the former offering a 180mm longer wheelbase. The spy pics show the test mule having a coupe-like receding roofline and is likely to be based on BYD’s e-platform 3.0.
Layout inside the cabin is familiar to the rest of the BYD range. This includes highlights such as a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Other details include a multifunction, flat-bottom steering wheel and fancy drive selector on the centre console.
BYD Sea Lion powertrain
Powertrain specs of the Sea Lion aren’t confirmed yet although it is likely to be available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The rear-wheel drive option is expected to get the same specs as the Atto 3 with an electric motor delivering peak output of 204 bhp and 310 Nm of torque.
The all-wheel drive version, on the other hand, should get a dual-motor set-up with a combined 530 hp (217 hp from the front, 313 hp from the rear) output. The crossover is rumoured to come equipped with an 82.5kWh battery pack that can offer a range of up to 700 km on a single charge.
