The BYD Sealion 08 on display at the 2026 Chengdu Auto Show. Credit: BYD
- The Sealion 08 has a pre-sales price range of 230,000 yuan ($33,880) to 280,000 yuan, with the EV version offering a CLTC range of up to 900 kilometers.
- The SUV features BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery and flash charging technology, and is the second of the Ocean lineup’s 2 flagship models.
BYD (HKEX: 1211) will officially launch the Sealion 08 SUV (sport utility vehicle) on September 2, introducing the flagship model of the new energy vehicle (NEV) giant’s Ocean lineup.
Local automotive media outlet Auto Home reported the plan today, saying BYD recently disclosed the launch date through an official channel. The automaker had not announced the plan on its social media channels as of publication.
The SUV made its debut at the Beijing Auto Show on April 24 and became available for pre-order on August 13. The Sealion 08 is on public display at the ongoing 2026 Chengdu Auto Show.
The SUV is available with DM-i plug-in hybrid and battery electric powertrains. According to BYD’s mobile app, the plug-in hybrid variants have pre-sales prices ranging from 230,000 yuan ($33,900) to 260,000 yuan, while the EV variants are priced from 250,000 yuan to 280,000 yuan.
Positioned as a mid-to-large-size SUV, the model measures 5,115 mm in length, 1,999 mm in width and 1,800 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,030 mm.
Visitors examine the BYD Sealion 08 at the 2026 Chengdu Auto Show. Credit: BYD
All Sealion 08 variants feature BYD’s flagship technologies, including the second-generation Blade Battery, cell-to-body (CTB) integration, flash charging and the fifth-generation DM hybrid system, according to information released previously by BYD.
The EV version offers battery packs with capacities of 92.093 kWh and 115.072 kWh, providing CLTC ranges of 710 kilometers, 800 kilometers and 900 kilometers.
The plug-in hybrid version uses a dedicated 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with a maximum output of 115 kW. It offers WLTC battery-only ranges of 275 kilometers and 300 kilometers, and a CLTC battery-only range of up to 400 kilometers.
The single-motor EV variants have a maximum output of 320 kW or 370 kW, while the dual-motor version uses a 215-kW front motor and a 370-kW rear motor. The single-motor plug-in hybrid version has a maximum output of 200 kW, while the dual-motor version uses 200-kW motors at both the front and rear.
The new model is equipped with rear-wheel steering, the DiSus-A intelligent body control system, dual-chamber air suspension and a road-preview system. It also features the God’s Eye 5.0 advanced driver-assistance system.
The Sealion 08 is the second of the Ocean lineup’s 2 flagship models. Its sister model, the Seal 08 sedan, was launched on July 2 with a starting price of 196,900 yuan.
The Sealion series is currently one of BYD’s fastest-growing product lines. It sold 49,057 vehicles in July, up 54.14% year-on-year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
BYD Sealion Series Monthly Sales 2024-2026
Month
2024
2025
2026
January
8,334
13,780
February
12,844
13,633
March
18,125
23,354
April
26,220
37,352
May
3,400
33,790
42,615
June
6,950
34,757
47,624
July
7,007
31,827
49,057
August
7,023
53,279
September
11,663
54,065
October
19,232
53,988
November
14,608
54,955
December
16,704
44,397
BYD Sealion series monthly sales
2024
2025
2026
The series sold 227,415 vehicles in the first 7 months of the year, accounting for 10.21% of BYD Group’s total sales.
BYD is reshaping its premium product portfolio with 4 flagship models. In addition to the Seal 08 and Sealion 08, its Dynasty lineup includes the Da Tang SUV, launched in June, and the Da Han sedan, which opened for pre-sales on August 21.
The Seal 08 starts at 196,900 yuan ($29,030) and is BYD’s first model to offer flash charging as standard across all trims.
($1 = 6.7852 yuan)
