BYD will wade into the seven-seat SUV market in Australia next year with a high-tech plug-in hybrid that claims 0-100km/h acceleration on par with a V8 muscle car.
BYD Australia has locked in plans for its largest SUV and first seven-seater – the 2026 BYD Sealion 8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – due in showrooms in the first three months of next year.
Top-of-the-range versions will offer V8-like power – more than 300kW from petrol and electric motors – and sub-five-second 0-100km/h acceleration, yet quote 200km of electric-only driving range according to Chinese lab testing.
Prices are yet to be confirmed, but it is likely to cost more than the $52,990 plus on-road costs Sealion 6 Premium AWD – and sit closer to the $55,990 to $63,990 Sealion 7 line-up.
The Sealion 8 is based on the BYD Tang L sold in China, measuring 5040mm long, 1996mm wide and 1970mm tall, on a 2950mm wheelbase – in line with a Kluger, Hyundai Palisade or CX-80.
Australian buyers will be offered a choice of two plug-in hybrid systems – the front-wheel-drive DM-i (short for Intelligence), and all-wheel-drive DM-p (Performance).
The DM-i combines a 110kW/220Nm 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with a 200kW/315Nm front-mounted electric motor and a 19kWh battery pack, for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 8.6 seconds.
Flagship DM-p versions add a 141kW/360Nm rear electric motor and larger 35.6kWh battery, for a claimed 4.9-second 0-100km/h dash – about as quick as a Ford Mustang GT or Holden Commodore SS V8.
Only a handful of seven-seat SUVs on the market can accelerate faster, and all are more expensive.
BYD in China claims up to 200km of electric-only driving range for the all-wheel-drive grade – under Chinese testing less stringent than European protocols common in Australia – while a 1200km hybrid range has been quoted.
Overseas, DC fast charging at up to 71kW means a 30 to 80 per cent fill-up can be completed in a claimed 30 minutes, while 6kW vehicle-to-load capability from the exterior charge port can power external devices from the car's battery.
Seven seats – in a two-three-two configuration – will be standard, with BYD China quoting up to 1950 litres of boot space with the second and third rows folded.
BYD Australia has confirmed local Sealion 8s will be available with heated, cooled and massaging seats in the first and second rows of all-wheel-drive models, while LED exterior lights will be fitted.
In China, a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen dominates the dashboard, alongside a 10.25-inch instrument display and 26-inch head-up display, while a 21-speaker DiSound system provides audio.
Available overseas is power 10-way driver and eight-way front passenger seat adjustment, and a heated steering wheel.
The premium interior comes in black or tan colours, with the front seats and steering wheel clad in leather, and the rear seats and large portions of the doors, console, and dashboard finished in soft-touch leather-look trim or bamboo elements.
There's also ambient lighting, a 50-watt vented wireless charger, USB-A and USB-C ports, and even a fragrance pack, as well as a large panoramic roof with an electrically-operated sunblind.
Australian models will miss out on the twin fridge/heating units available on the Chinese model, as well as the option of a DJI drone stored in a roof box, which can take off or land at speeds up to 25km/h, and follow the car at up to 54km/h while recording 4K video.
It is expected Australian cars will offer the option of a tow bar capable of pulling up to two tonnes, as well as up to nine airbags to keep occupants safe, and adaptive suspension.
A full suite of advanced safety technology is expected, including adaptive cruise control, lever-activated assisted lane changes on highways, and lane-centring assist.
More details of the BYD Sealion 8 are due closer to its Australian arrival between January and March 2026.
After graduating from the Automotive Journalism master’s course at Coventry University, Mark Rainford embarked upon a career in and around the automotive industry that has taken in the UK, Germany, and now China. Residing in the latter for the majority of the last decade, he is our boots-on-the-ground expert for the world’s most dynamic automotive market.
