BYD Seal Electric Sedan Scores 5 Stars In Euro NCAP Crash Tests

The BYD Seal was previously confirmed to arrive in India as a premium and sporty offering

• The Seal got 35.8/40 points in adult occupant protection.

• It scored 43/49 points in child occupant protection.

• Euro NCAP also tested another EV, the BYD Dolphin, which grabbed a 5-star rating as well.

• India launch of the BYD Seal EV is expected by the end of 2023; could be priced at around Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom).

The BYD Seal electric sedan, which made its India debut at the Auto Expo 2023, has just been crash tested by the Euro NCAP. It fared well and scored a 5-star safety rating in both the adult and child occupant protection.

Adult Occupant Protection - 35.8/40 Pts (89 Percent)

As per Euro NCAP protocols, the Seal EV was rated on 4 parameters, including 3 impact tests (front, lateral and rear), and rescue and extrication. In most tests, the electric sedan offered ‘good’ protection to the heads of the front passengers, and ‘adequate’ protection for the chest and femurs of the co-driver. The passenger compartment itself was rated as ‘stable.’

In both the side and side pole impact tests, protection provided to all critical body areas was ‘good.’ Even in the case of a rear impact, the Seal was stated to offer ‘good’ protection to all passengers against whiplash injuries.

Under the rescue and extrication parameter, the safety authority checks and awards a car on the basis of the availability of a rescue sheet, emergency-calling system, multi-collision brake, and submergence check. The BYD Seal has an e-calling system which alerts the emergency services in the event of a crash. The car also has a system which applies the brakes after an impact to avoid secondary collisions. Although the Seal’s doors, if locked, could be opened within two minutes of power being lost after entering water, the duration for which windows would remain functional is unclear.

FYI- A rescue sheet is developed and distributed by car manufacturers for each model on the market, and helps to identify potential hazards such as the location of airbags, pre-tensioners, batteries and high-voltage cables, as well as the safest places to cut open the structure.

Also Read: Suzuki eVX Electric SUV Breaks Cover; Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Child Occupant Protection - 43/49 Pts (87 Percent)

The Seal EV secured full marks in offering ‘good’ protection to all the critical body areas of both the 6- and 10-year-old child dummies, in both frontal offset and side barrier impact tests. The only technical miss here is the absence of ISOFIX anchorages in the rear-middle seat feature. Also there's no integrated child-seat restraint systems.

Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) - 51.7/63 Pts (82 Percent)

The VRU part of the test assesses how safe the car is for those who might run into it or fall onto it by accident. The Seal EV’s bonnet provides ‘adequate’ protection to pedestrians and while the front bumper is unlikely to mangle their legs, the protection for the pelvis, femur, knee, and tibia region was rated as ‘good.’ Luckily, its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) does a good job of detecting pedestrians and cyclists to avoid collisions in most scenarios.

Also Read: BYD’s $1 Billion Indian Investment Proposal Rejected: Here's What Happened

Safety Assists - 13.8/18 Pts (76 Percent)

BYD’s electric sedan gets advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), most of which will likely be offered on the India-spec model too. As per the Euro NCAP tests, its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system performed well as did the lane support and speed detection systems. However, its driver status monitoring system only detected driver drowsiness, reducing its overall score in this department.

BYD Seal Was Not Tested Alone

Another electric car from the Chinese EV maker, the BYD Dolphin, also got the same safety rating, while scoring exactly the same points in adult and child occupant protection as the Seal EV. It is also a new offering in various global markets, but is unlikely to come to India anytime soon.

More About The Seal EV

The global-spec BYD Seal EV is equipped with 82.5kWh and 61.4kWh battery packs, having a claimed range of up to 700km and 550km, respectively. That said, we’re expecting the long-range version to go on sale in our market with a dual-motor AWD (all-wheel drive) setup which is rated at 530PS and 670Nm. This allows the electric sedan to sprint from 0-100kmph in just 3.8 seconds.

India Launch And Price

The BYD Seal could come to India as a CBU by the end of 2023, priced at around Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom). Its direct rival would be the BMW i4, while it will also serve as an alternative to the likes of the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Volvo XC40 Recharge.

Also Check Out: Can The Tata Punch EV Offer More Range Than The Tata Nexon EV?