BYD Cars PH rolls out Seal 5 DM-i

MANILA: In its bid to further democratize electric vehicles (EV), BYD Cars Philippines has brought in yet another electrified offering in the form of the Seal 5 DM-i. 

For those who feel like the name rings a bell, the compact sedan uses a similar platform to the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i — which came out just several months ago. 

Per the Ayala-led car brand, the BYD Seal 5 DM-i targets first-time car buyers looking to start their motoring journey using a sustainable automobile.

Further, it is also aimed at fleet owners and operators, who are conscious of the carbon footprint their vehicles leave while plying our country’s thoroughfares. 

Let’s get to know more about the newest addition to BYD Cars Philippines’ roster by checking out its specifications. 

BYD Sealion 5 DM-i 

Dimensions

Like a proper city car, the BYD Sealion 5 DM-i packs decent dimensions. Below are its measurements: 

Overall length	4,780 millimeters (mm)
Overall width	1,837 mm
Overall height	1,495 mm
Wheelbase	2,718 mm

 

Due to its size, the car offers a reasonable road presence while still allowing its owners to easily squeeze through traffic or get in and out of tight parking spaces. 

Its wheelbase is also adequate enough to provide passengers with a comfortable ride quality. 

Exterior 

Outside, the BYD Seal 5 DM-i takes up similar styling cues as other nameplates in the Ocean series family. 

At the fore, the compact sedan wears plenty of horizontal lines on its fascia with its grille having a modern, three-dimensional latticework. The linear styling of the vehicle’s front end is accentuated by a long parallel line that seems to wrap around the nose of the car where the company’s emblem sits proudly. 

Notably, it also has air vents on its cheeks, which probably helps it achieve better range by making it more aerodynamic. 

The side profile of the BYD Seal 5 DM-i is accentuated by a clean-looking flank with body-colored side mirrors (with repeaters), body-tone door handles, a set of two-tone 16-inch wheels wrapped with 255/60 series tires (or 17-inch wheels shod in 215/55 radial tires), blacked-out pillars, and shiny chrome accents on its windows. 

At the back, the electrified city car boasts a seamless rear end. It is fitted with a long horizontal light bar with the “BYD logo”, “BYD Seal 5” nameplate, and “DM-i badge” all finished with a sheen chrome coating. 

The rear bumper sports reflectors and a bunch of horizontal lines, while two indentations on each of its sides mimic the aforementioned air vents found at the front. 

Interior 

For a compact car with a base price of under P1 million, the BYD Seal 5 DM-i’s interior looks luxurious. 

The driver is welcomed with plenty of leather appointments that elevate the cabin atmosphere of the humble hybrid. Swathed in opulent upholstery are the following: 

• Steering wheel
• Seats
• Center armrest
• Door cards
• Dashboard

Multi-functional controls for operating the car’s media system, connected smartphone, and other features can be found on the steering wheel. Giving it a modern look are blue accent stitching and brushed aluminum trims slapped on its three spokes. 

As for the seats, they are well-cushioned, bolstered, and have perforation for improved airflow. They are also designed to look like bucket-type seats, which kind of give the interior a dash of sportiness. 

Those sitting at the back get to rest on bench-type seats that are covered with the same material. 

Technology 

One of the highlights of the BYD Seal 5 DM-i is the abundance of technological amenities it offers. 

Making it an appealing choice for many of today’s car buyers are its dynamic screens. 

Facing the driver is an 8.8-inch LCD digital instrument cluster, which displays relevant driving information in crisp detail. 

Below are some of the data one can check through the display: 

• Speed
• Battery level
• Estimated range 
• Selected or engaged gear

The driver can also view some trivial information like the time and the temperature using the instrument panel. 

Sitting at the center of the dashboard is BYD’s iconic 12.8-inch infotainment screen. Some of its unique features include its rotating function — so drivers and passengers can adjust the screen orientation based on their needs — as well as gesture controls, which allow easy tweaking of things like air conditioning temperature and fan speed. 

The said infotainment unit is Wireless Apple Carplay- and Android Auto-ready, so pairing smartphones can be done without the use of annoying cables.

This also improves the overall user experience since navigation applications like Google Maps as well as online music platforms like Spotify, can be integrated with the vehicle seamlessly. 

Other notable technological features include the following: 

• Start / stop push button 
• USB charging ports 
• Rear air conditioning vents 

It is also worth noting that the BYD Seal 5 DM-i is capable of charging or powering other appliances through its vehicle-to-load feature. So, that’s a plus. 

Powertrain 

Under the hood of the BYD Seal 5 DM-i is a 1.5-liter gasoline engine, which acts as a generator or a “range extender” for the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) located at the front wheel axle of the subcompact sedan. 

Depending on the variant, the aforementioned internal combustion engine will be paired with either an 8.3- or an 18.3-kilowatt-hour (kWh) Blade battery. The former (Dynamic) delivers approximately 50 kilometers (km) of emissions-free driving while the latter (Premium) pushes the numbers to give would-be owners some 115 km of all-electric range. 

With the range extender in play, the base model can go as far as 1,175 km while the range-topping variant can move up to 1,240 km. 

Car buyers with varying performance needs can pick their preferred grade as the entry-level model makes about 177 horsepower (hp) with 316 Newton-meters (Nm) while the top-tier variant dishes out 194 horses and 325 Nm. 

For a better look at how the two available variants differ, powertrain-wise, below is a table comparing them side-by-side: 

	BYD Seal 5 DM-i Dynamic	BYD Seal 5 DM-i Premium
Engine	1.5-liter	1.5-liter
Electric motor	PMSM	PMSM
Drivetrain	Front-wheel drive	Front-wheel drive
Battery (in kWh)	8.3	18.3
All-electric range (km)	50	115
Overall range (in km)	1,175	1,240
Maximum power (in hp)	117	194
Maximum torque (in Nm)	316	325

 

Variants, pricing 

As we briefly covered above, the BYD Seal 5 DM-i is available in two variants: Dynamic and Premium.

Below are their respective price tags: 

BYD Seal 5 DM-i Dynamic	P948,000
BYD Seal 5 DM-i Premium	P1.198 million

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