South Africa next? BYD unwraps flagship three-row Sealion 8
Penned-in for Australia from the first quarter of 2026, the plug-in hybrid Sealion 8 could well become BYD's range-topper in South Africa should approval be given.
Known as the Tang L in China, the rebadged Sealion 8 has been approved from key right-hand-drive markets. Image: headlightmag.com
Its profile in South Africa gradually starting to grow, BYD has released details of the export market Tang L that will be sold as the Sealion 8.
Changing dynasties
Sharing its name with the standard Tang that went on-sale in its current second generation guise in China five-years ago, the Tang L is, however, of a completely different design as it rides on BYD's Super e-Platform offering both electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
ALSO READ: BYD Sealion 7 priced as brand's new flagship EV crossover
Although part of BYD's Dynasty range of products at home, the Tang L will adopt the nameplate used by its Ocean series of products for markets outside China, which currently also comprises Seagull/Dolphin Mini, Dolphin, Seal and Shark.
The fundamentals
Shown as the Tang L in January, and set to be offered with five, six or seven seats as per the 'L' suffix, the Sealion 8 measures 5 040 mm long, 1 996 mm wide and 1 760 mm tall, with its wheelbase stretching 2 950 mm.
Practicality-wise, the Sealion 8 has a boot capacity of 675-litres, which increases to 960-litres with the third row folded down. Dropping the middle row sees space increase further to 1 960-litres.
Plug-in hybrid for export only
On the power front, the Sealion 8 will only offer plug-in hybrid powertrains in contrast to the Tang L, which also comes with a fully electric powerplant.
Marketed as DM-i in China, the initial setup combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with BYD's 29.5-kWh Blade battery pack.
Powering a single motor mounted on the front axle rather than the rear, the setup produces a combined 200kW/315Nm, which BYD claims will result in 0-100 km/h taking 8.6 seconds.
Interior gets BYD's trademark rotating infotainment display. Note: Interior of the BYD Tang L depicted. Image: carnewschina.com
The claimed all-electric range, based on China's CLTC regulations, is a supposed 175 km.
Wearing the DM-p badging – the 'p' denoting performance – the range-topping Sealion 8 retains the same 1.5-litre turbo engine, but in combination with a second electric motor on the rear axle plus a larger 35.6-kWh Blade battery pack.
The result is a combined output of 400kW/670Nm, 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and a claimed CLTC electric-only range of 215 km.
Spec sheet
In terms of spec, the Sealion 8 will come standard a panoramic glass roof, a rotating 15.6-inch infotainment system, wireless smartphone chargers, an augmented reality Head-Up Display, fragrance dispenser, BYD's latest LiDAR system, including autonomous driving, and a 21-speaker sound system.
Watch this space
Penned-in for Australia, but, according to carexpert.com.au, only from the first quarter of 2026, an announcement regarding the Sealion 8 for South Africa remains to be made.
However, given the availability of the plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 and the all-electric Sealion 7, don't be surprised if approval for the local market is granted not long after its arrival Down Under.
Additional information from drive.com.au and carnewschina.com.
NOW READ: Plug-in hybrid BYD Sealion 6 lands in South Africa
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mail & Guardian
a day ago
- Mail & Guardian
The BYD Seal 7: Humbling BMW drivers since 2025
The BYD Seal 7. You're in the wrong country if you've never pulled up to a robot and heard a BMW driver rev his car before boosting to the next robot. It's usually a case of 'if you've got it, flaunt it' for those drivers, and some people want to be like them, while others of us laugh at them. One thing that you cannot take away from BMW drivers is that their vehicles can actually back up all the noise they make with the power they produce. However, since new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) entered the market, the power figures that we used to only see on performance cars have become child's play for NEVs. We constantly look at above 200kW of power and over 350Nm of torque. But one critique in the motoring world has been that, while everyone enjoys the power, they miss the noise. The term 'speed and sound' becomes redundant with EVs. With the BYD Seal 7, which is a fully electric sedan, the power figures are astounding. It comes in two variants: the premium and the performance, with the former producing 230kW of power and 360Nm of torque and the latter producing 390kW of power and 670Nm of torque. BYD claims that the performance model does 0-100 in just 3.8 seconds while the premium model takes just under 6 seconds to hit 100km/h. I had the premium model on test, so I didn't get the adrenaline rush I would have got from the performance, but the figures on it mean it is still extremely rapid. It's great to test the instant torque on the vehicles but you have to be a responsible driver and citizen. It's not as if you can go around racing everyone and making a noise — like those BMW drivers. But it also means that you can put them in their place should the need arise. Luckily for me, it actually did. I was going down Atlas Road in Boksburg on my way home after a long two-hour game of padel. I pulled up to the robot just before the highway and some smart BMW driver pulled up next to me revving his engine with his window down. He obviously couldn't hear my vehicle but the Seal 7 gives off real sports-car vibes, which is probably why he wanted to prove a point. I looked across at him and he made the same gesture that I've seen Vin Diesel make in the Fast & Furious movies. He basically challenged me to a race to the next robot. At first, I ignored the gesture and just looked forward but then he revved again. I was not going to just sit back now, so I gave him the signal that it was on. As we left that robot, he made a solid start because of his turbocharged engine, but when the BYD Seal 7 got moving, he just couldn't keep up. Bear in mind, because I was passing it, I didn't see what model he was driving. As we stopped at the next robot, he rolled his window down again, and he asked me about the car. It had obviously impressed him. What impressed me more was just how fast the arrogance disappeared off his face. The Seal 7 is an impressive vehicle. When I drove the BYD Sealion 7, I felt that, at higher speeds, the car seemed slightly nervous, but the Seal 7 got more and more comfortable as the speed increased. It feels extremely solid as the Seal 7 has a double-wishbone plus a five-link suspension. It uses the double wishbone set-up for individual wheel control, while incorporating five control arms for greater suspension geometry flexibility. The range of the car is also impressive. It uses the 82.5kWh BYD Blade battery and the premium variant has 570km of range while the performance variant has 520km of range. Comfort The Seal 7 comes with a beautiful interior that has heated and ventilated leather seats, a pleasing suede panel on the dashboard and a full leather steering wheel. The cabin is completed by the 10.25-inch instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch infotainment system that comes equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A nice touch is that there are a few buttons around the gear. These include the aircon and demister buttons. You still have to control temperatures on the infotainment system, but in a world where buttons in vehicles have become so rare, we appreciate the few that we see in a vehicle. There is ample room for backseat passengers to sit comfortably. The boot has 400 litres of space and the frunk, which refers to the storage space in the front of the vehicle, has an additional 53 litres. Safety The BYD Seal 7 has earned a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. It scored 89% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 82% for vulnerable road user protection and 76% for safety assist technology. It also comes equipped with a large amount of safety features like autonomous emergency braking, lane-support systems and advanced driver assistance systems. Pricing and verdict The BYD Seal premium variant is priced at R999 900 and the performance variant is priced at R1 199 900. It must be noted that this has been touted as the brand's flagship sedan. It's silent, but it is comfortable and, performance wise, it is deadly. So for a million rand, is it worth it? I'm actually surprised that it doesn't cost more. If this vehicle had a German badge on it, it would definitely surpass the R2 million mark. However, it is difficult to see the average South African affording a car worth a million rand. It is no wonder the NEV market is growing at such a slow pace in the country.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Peugeot's GTi revived, but as an ultra powerful electric 208
For the first time in its one-again, off-again 41 year history, the Peugeot GTi name now features on an EV. Peugeot 208 once again wears the GTi name, but this time solely as an EV. Image: Peugeot Announced at the end of May as making a comeback five years after first rumours started emerging, Peugeot has officially revived the GTi nameplate for the 208, albeit solely with electric propulsion. Showcased on the eve of this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans, the newly named E-208 GTi also becomes the most powerful GTi-badged hatchback the Lion brand has ever made. Aggressive exterior Building on the aesthetic revisions applied to the standard 208 and by extension, the E-208, two years ago, the E-208 GTi receives model specific bumpers and door sills, colour-coded wheel arch extensions, slotted 18-inch alloy wheels supposed to pay homage to the 205 1.9 GTi, a front lip spoiler underneath the bumper, and 208 letting on the C-pillar. ALSO READ: Peugeot makes it official: GTi coming back in June but… Not stopping there, Peugeot has dropped the GTi's ride height by 30 mm compared to the normal E-208, while also increasing the front and rear tracks by 56 mm and 27 mm respectively. Claimed to be sporty but not overdone, the special applique concludes with an imitation gloss black rear diffuser, a black finish on the sealed grille, red detailing as a further nod to the 205 GTi, and black tinting for the LED fog lamps. Changes underneath and inside The work of Peugeot's Sport division, and reportedly with input of the 9X0 that will once again compete in the top-tier Hypercar class at Le Mans, the E-208 GTi's e-CMP platform has also undergone a series of changes from the standard E-208. As with the exterior, the interiors' main theme is red in a further nod to the 205 GTi. Image: Peugeot Besides the mentioned alloy wheels wrapped in specially designed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, Peugeot has fitted uprated springs and shock absorbers, a new anti-roll bar at the rear, a limited slip differential and retuned electric power steering. Along with the track width extensions, Peugeot has fitted bespoke Peugeot Sport brakes utilising red-painted brake calipers with four-pistons of a diameter of 355 mm at the front. Sport seats feature red accents, 208 GTi embroidery work and the Peugeot Lion logo integrated into the headrests. Image: Peugeot Inside, the tribute touches to the 205 GTi continue with red finishes on the floor mats, seatbelts, dashboard and doors, red accents plus a mesh pattern on the Alcantara sport seats, perforated leather and Alcantara with red detailing on the GTi-branded steering wheel, and seven ambient lighting colours. Voltage turned up Up front, the retention of the 54-kWh battery pack used in the regular E-208 has come with a considerable increase in power and torque from 115kW/260Nm to 206kW/345Nm. The same unit used in the Abarth 600e and Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce, the E-208 GTi will get from 0-100 km/h in a claimed 5.7 seconds and hit a limited top speed of 180 km/h. Exterior design pays extensive homage to the iconic 205 GTi. Image: Peugeot The claimed all-electric range is 350 km and the waiting time using a DC fast charger up 100 kW less than 30 minutes from 20-80%. A 7.4 kW charger, which will require four hours 40 min of charging from a wallbox, is however fitted as standard. Not for us On-sale in Europe before the end of the year, with pricing still to be announced, the E-208 GTi is not expected to be offered in South Africa at any stage within the next few years. ALSO READ: Peugeot 208 GTi's imminent revival can bring fight to VW Polo GTI
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Global EV sales rise in May as China hits 2025 peak
Global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles rose 24% in May compared with the same period a year ago, as strength in China offset slower growth in North America, according to market research firm Rho Motion. Electric vehicle sales in China surpassed more than one million units in a single month for the first time this year, driven by strong domestic demand and targeted export efforts from Chinese manufacturers, notably BYD, tapping into emerging markets. BYD's exports to Mexico and Southeast Asia, along with Uzbekistan, have significantly boosted sales in the regions, said Rho Motion data manager Charles Lester. Fleet incentives in Germany and robust growth in Southern Europe helped lift the European market, while the expiry of Canadian subsidies dragged on North American demand, he added. The story this month with global vehicle sales is the continued chasm between Chinese market growth versus the faltering market in North America Rho Motion data manager Charles Lester Global carmakers face a 25% import tariff in the US, the world's second-largest car market, causing many to withdraw their outlooks for 2025. In Europe, new incentives for fleet buyers in Germany are expected to support electric car sales through the second half of the year. Tesla's Model Y production in Berlin shields it from tariffs, yet it faces market share pressures as production ramps up globally amidst shifting trade tensions. US President Donald Trump's stance towards emissions standards and uncertainties around tariffs has also hampered EV growth in North America. In the US, tax credits for EVs are available but will begin phasing out from 2026, contributing to hesitation among buyers. Global sales of battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids rose to 1.6-million units in May, Rho Motion data showed. Sales in China grew more than 24% from the same month last year to 1.02-million vehicles. Europe posted a 36.2% increase to 0.33-million units, while North American sales edged up just 7.5% to 0.16-million.
