Second-generation BYD Seal 07 unveiled in China with bigger body, 718km EV range and LiDAR

A rapid replacement, officially revealed

BYD has officially unveiled the second-generation Seal 07 in China, releasing the first images of the mid-to-large sedan in both plug-in hybrid and battery-electric form, as reported by CarNewsChina. The unveiling came after the new car was exposed in Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology certification documents in August, during its homologation process. CarExpert's report notes the official reveal arrives just six months after the original Seal 07 EV was launched in China in March 2026, with the first-generation DM-i plug-in hybrid having been released there in 2025. ¹²³⁶

The pace of the replacement is unusual even by BYD's standards. CarNewsChina observed in August that the outgoing Seal 07 had been on the domestic market only five months when the new model surfaced in MIIT filings, and noted the automaker is known for a rapidly developing line-up of around 45 cars domestically, including different model years. Pravda.Ru's report similarly characterised the five-month turnaround as atypical for a Chinese brand, whose generation changes normally take years rather than months. ⁵⁶

The quick succession may reflect weak demand for the outgoing car. CarExpert reports the rapid replacement may be a response to poor sales, citing China EV DataTracker figures showing the outgoing Seal 07 EV and PHEV recording just over 1000 sales in China in August. CarNewsChina independently reported the same August figure of 1,005 units handed over, and its earlier report recorded just 627 deliveries in June 2026, with the site describing the outgoing sedan as a flop in its home market. ¹²⁴⁶

Bigger dimensions, Seal 08-inspired design

According to BYD, the new Seal 07 measures 5080mm long, 1960mm wide and 1495mm tall on a 2960mm wheelbase. CarExpert notes these official dimensions confirm those previously revealed in the MIIT filing, and that the new car is 85mm longer and 50mm wider than the current Seal 07 EV it will replace, liberating a more spacious cabin while roof height stays unchanged. CarNewsChina's dimensional comparison table lists the outgoing model at 4995mm long, 1910mm wide, 1495mm tall on a 2900mm wheelbase. ¹²³⁶

For Australian context, CarExpert calculates the new Seal 07 is 240mm longer than the plug-in hybrid Seal 6 sedan and Touring sold locally, and 280mm longer than the smaller Seal electric sedan on sale here since late 2023. BYD has adopted its Ocean Aesthetics 2.0 design philosophy on the new model, aligning its visual identity with the larger Seal 08 sold in China, with a closed grille, wave-shaped split headlights and a full-width tail-light assembly. ¹²

CarNewsChina describes a side profile marked by straight clean lines, a panoramic sunroof and semi-hidden door handles, with a choice of wheel designs in 18-inch or 19-inch specifications. Its August filing report also recorded approach and departure angles of 13 and 15 degrees, tyre sizes of 245/50 R18 and 245/45 R19, and a curb weight between 1960kg and 2060kg depending on powertrain, with gross weight of 2410kg to 2510kg. ³⁶

Powertrains: 718km EV and a 245km-range plug-in hybrid

The electric variant will come with a rear-mounted 300kW motor, a WLTP range of no less than 718km and a 240km/h top speed, according to CarExpert. CarNewsChina's September filing report adds detail from the MIIT: the long-range Seal 07 BEV uses a larger 88.682kWh LFP battery weighing 618.6kg, about 30 per cent of the car's curb weight, delivering a CLTC range of 875km, which translates to 718km on the WLTP cycle. ¹²⁴

An entry-level electric version is also on record. CarNewsChina reports the base Seal 07 BEV uses a 76.744kWh LFP battery weighing 539kg, roughly 28 per cent of curb weight, driving a 245kW motor with a CLTC range of 775km, equivalent to 636km WLTP. The entry-level battery can be charged from 10 to 97 per cent in nine minutes, according to the filing data reported by CarNewsChina, and Pravda.Ru likewise attributes the nine-minute charging claim to the base battery. CarExpert notes there is so far no official sign of this entry-level EV version in the launch material, which according to MIIT documents produces 245kW, 5kW more than the current model. Pravda.Ru likewise reports two electric outputs of 329 and 408 horsepower with ranges of up to 718km and 875km respectively. ¹²⁴⁵

The plug-in hybrid pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 115kW with a 160kW electric motor and a 38.029kWh lithium iron phosphate battery delivering an electric driving range of 245km under the WLTC cycle, according to CarExpert. CarNewsChina's filing reports add that the DM-i version tops out at 190km/h and consumes 4.25L/100km with a drained battery, and identify the engine as the BYD472ZQB unit and the motor as the TZ210XYC. ¹²⁴⁶

Driver assistance and technology

The new Seal 07 is equipped with a roof-mounted LiDAR, which CarExpert says indicates the inclusion of BYD's God's Eye B advanced driver-assistance system. CarNewsChina's August report, based on the MIIT filing, described the LiDAR as suitable for the DiPilot 5.0 assisted-driving system capable of the Navigate On Autopilot function. Pravda.Ru suggests the LiDAR setup handles city autopilot and automated parking in top BYD models, but notes the base version may not include it, and that no sales timing or pricing had been announced at the time of its report. ¹²⁵⁶

Australian prospects unconfirmed

The new Seal 07 has not been confirmed for Australia at this stage, though CarExpert reports it could be offered locally alongside the smaller Seal electric sedan available here since late 2023 and the Seal 6 PHEV sedan and wagon released in May this year. Australian government certification filings published in May 2026 suggest the plug-in hybrid Seal 7, as it could be known here, would become BYD's second PHEV sedan in local showrooms after the Seal 6. BYD typically drops the zero from some Chinese-market model names for export markets. ¹²

Locally, CarExpert reports the Seal remains BYD Australia's best-selling sedan, outselling both the newer Seal 6 sedan and wagon, though not the Shark 6 PHEV ute or any of the brand's SUVs, led by the top-selling Sealion 7 mid-size electric SUV. No Australian pricing or launch timing for the new Seal 07 has been announced, and no sales start date or pricing for China had been confirmed in the reporting either. ¹²⁵