Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: Which best selling EV makes more sense for India
Tesla has officially entered the Indian market with the launch of the Model Y, priced at ₹ 59.89 lakh (ex-showroom). The electric SUV brings the allure of the Tesla brand along with impressive range figures, clean design, and cutting-edge autonomous tech. Rivalling it is the BYD Sealion 7, a recent entrant in the premium electric SUV space that offers strong performance, luxury appointments, and a more accessible price point starting from ₹ 48.90 lakh (ex-showroom).
With both SUVs targeting the same buyer base but with vastly different approaches, this comparison looks at how the two stack up in design, features, specs, and value. Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: Design
The Tesla Model Y carries over Tesla's trademark clean and minimalist look, with sleek body panels, blanked-out grille, and flush door handles. The facelifted model adds a full-width LED DRL bar, smoked headlamp rings, and 19-inch alloy wheels. Its design is subtle, prioritizing aerodynamic efficiency over showmanship. Inside, Model Y follows this less-is-more philosophy with a spacious cabin dominated by a sole 15.4-inch touchscreen panel and a panoramic glass roof that contributes to the sense of openness.
Also Read : Tesla Model Y launched in India at ₹ 59.89 lakh. But will it drive itself? Find out…
Conversely, the BYD Sealion 7 is more aggressive and modern in styling with a nod to the brand's Ocean X concept. It takes on sharp LED lighting, a broad front grille-like treatment, and a fastback-style rear end that makes it look sporty. The Sealion 7 is longer and has a wider wheelbase than the Model Y, too, providing more planted stance and potentially improved rear seat space. The SUV feels and appears more robust on the road, which will attract customers who want a more aggressive design language. Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: Features
Model Y's premium but streamlined feature set includes heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a panoramic glass roof, and a new 8-inch rear-seat screen. Tesla's infotainment system is rich in features and smooth in delivery, accessed through the central screen, which also serves as the hub for most vehicle functions. Autopilot is standard; Full Self-Driving capability is a paid option. The cabin, although sparse, has ambient lighting, a nine-speaker audio system, and OTA software updates that enhance features over time.
The BYD Sealion 7, on the other hand, leans heavily into tech and comfort. It features a rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen with voice control, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a heads-up display with augmented reality support. Premium Nappa leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated and heated front seats, and a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system are standard. It also gets a larger 58-litre front trunk and a 520-litre rear boot. BYD's DiPilot Level 2 ADAS suite and the optional DiSus-C intelligent suspension system further enhance the Sealion's high-tech appeal. Also watch: BYD Sealion 7 review | Serious challenge to Koreans, luxury EVs | Range, features, drive experience Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: Specifications
The Tesla Model Y is offered in two variants in India. The standard rear-wheel-drive variant comes with a 63 kWh battery pack offering a WLTP range of around 500 km and does 0–100 kmph in 5.9 seconds. The Long Range variant gets an 83 kWh battery with a claimed range of 622 km and a 0–100 kmph sprint time of 5.6 seconds. Both variants have a top speed of 201 km/h. Tesla's 250 kW DC fast charging allows for approximately 267 km of range to be added in 15 minutes via its Supercharger network.
BYD's Sealion 7 comes in two variants. The Premium version features a single-motor rear-wheel-drive setup producing 309 bhp and 360 Nm of torque, powered by an 82.56 kWh Blade battery. It has a stated CLTC range of 567 km and takes 6.7 seconds to accelerate from 0–100 kmph. The Performance trim features dual motors and all-wheel drive, producing 523 bhp and 690 Nm of torque. This trim takes 4.5 seconds to go from 0–100 kmph and has a stated range of 542 km. Fast charging at up to 240 kW allows for a 10–80 per cent charge in under 30 minutes. Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: Price
Tesla has priced the Model Y at ₹ 59.89 lakh for the standard RWD variant, with the Long Range version coming in at ₹ 67.89 lakh (both ex-showroom). While the car offers exclusivity and access to Tesla's global tech ecosystem, it comes in via the CBU route, which pushes up its price significantly.
BYD undercuts Tesla quite significantly. The Sealion 7 Premium variant is priced at ₹ 48.90 lakh, while the high-performance AWD version costs ₹ 54.90 lakh (both ex-showroom). BYD's aggressive pricing strategy makes the Sealion 7 a compelling alternative for those seeking a feature-rich and high-performance EV without crossing the ₹ 60 lakh mark.
Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India.
First Published Date: 16 Jul 2025, 13:36 pm IST
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
27 minutes ago
- Mint
No proposal to stop ₹500 notes, ATMs to dispense more lower denominations: MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary
The government has no plans to discontinue the supply of ₹ 500 denomination banknotes and ATMs will continue to disburse ₹ 500 alongside ₹ 100 or ₹ 200 notes, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary informed Parliament on Tuesday. Additionally, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in a circular titled 'Dispensation of ₹ 100 and ₹ 200 denomination banknotes through ATMs' issued on April 28, 2025, directed banks and ATM operators to ensure their machines are regularly disbursing ₹ 100 and ₹ 200 notes. In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, the minister said that the RBI has directed the disbursal of more lower denomination notes to enhance public access to frequently used denominations of banknotes. He also mentioned the timeline set by the RBI for this initiative: By September 30, 2025, 75 per cent of all ATMs would dispense either ₹ 100 or ₹ 200 denomination banknotes from at least one cassette. 100 or 200 denomination banknotes from at least one cassette. By March 31, 2026, this number will increase by 90 per cent as all ATMs will continue to dispense either ₹ 100 or ₹ 200 denomination banknotes from at least one cassette. Replying to another question, Chaudhary said the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has been actively pursuing around 76 cases during the period from April 2020 to March 2025. During the last financial year, Sebi received ₹ 949.43 crore from disgorgement, which refers to the act of legally binding a person or entity to surrender any illegal gains obtained through unethical practices in the securities market. "Fraud and cheating are punishable offences as per Indian laws. Several central government, enforcement, and regulatory agencies have been taking action to prevent, detect, and act against investment related frauds," he said. Other government agencies are also involved in combating financial crimes, including: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has identified nine cases of multi-level marketing (MLM) scams in the last five years. The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has investigated around 220 cases of money-laundering , related to investment frauds under PMLA between January 2020 and July 2025. Crypto assets are currently not regulated in India, he said, adding that the RBI-SACHET portal receives multiple complaints about unauthorized deposit taking activities from unregistered entities. He also mentioned some figures around the number of complaints received so far. From April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2025, the portal received around 3,454 complaints related to the "non-repayment of money collected from various kinds of investment schemes.' Another 1,531 complaints were received related to collection of money through MLM, direct selling, and Ponzi schemes, he said.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
27 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Elon Musk, Tesla sued by shareholders over concealing Robotaxi risks
Elon Musk and Tesla have been taken to court by a group of shareholders who allege the company misled them about the safety of its self-driving technology, including the much-publicised Robotaxi. The lawsuit, filed as a proposed class action on Monday, accuses Musk and Tesla of concealing serious risks associated with autonomous driving, according to a report by Reuters. The legal action follows Tesla's first public test of its Robotaxi fleet, which took place in late June in Austin, Texas. During the demonstration, vehicles were reportedly seen speeding, braking sharply, mounting a curb, driving in the wrong lane, and dropping off passengers in the middle of busy multi-lane roads. Tesla's share price fell by 6.1 per cent over the two trading sessions following the test, wiping out approximately $68 billion in market value. Shareholders say Tesla overstated tech readiness The lawsuit claims Musk and Tesla exaggerated the readiness and potential of their self-driving systems, inflating the company's valuation and stock price. Shareholders cited remarks made during an April 22 conference call, where Musk said Tesla was 'laser-focused on bringing Robotaxi to Austin in June'. On the same day, Tesla asserted its autonomous technology would allow for 'scalable and safe deployment across diverse geographies and use cases'. Tesla has not yet responded to media requests for comment. Also named in the lawsuit are Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja and former CFO Zachary Kirkhorn. Robotaxi rollout central to Tesla's future Scaling the Robotaxi service is considered vital to Tesla's long-term strategy, particularly as demand for its core electric vehicle models slows and Musk's political activities continue to draw scrutiny. Musk, currently the world's richest person, has said he intends to make the Robotaxi service available to half of the US population by the end of the year. However, the company must first secure regulatory approval and prove the safety of its technology. Legal developments and fatal crash verdict The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Austin, Texas, by shareholder Denise Morand. It seeks damages on behalf of investors who held Tesla shares between April 19, 2023, and June 22, 2025. In a separate development, a Florida jury on August 1 found Tesla 33 per cent liable for a 2019 fatal crash involving its self-driving software. The accident killed a 22-year-old woman and seriously injured her boyfriend. The court ordered Tesla to pay approximately $243 million in damages. Tesla argued the driver was at fault and has said it plans to appeal the ruling.
Mint
27 minutes ago
- Mint
Moscow backs Delhi as Trump warns of higher tariffs in 24 hours
In a sharp escalation of trade tensions, US president Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that he would impose higher tariffs on Indian goods within 24 hours, citing India's continued purchases of Russian oil. In an interview with CNBC, Trump accused India of fuelling Russia's war in Ukraine and labelled it the 'highest tariff nation," claiming that India benefits from US trade while not offering reciprocal access. 'With India… what people don't like to say is they have the highest tariff of anybody. We do very little business with them because their tariffs are so high," Trump said, adding, 'We settled on 25%, but I think I'm going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they're buying Russian oil. They're fueling the war machine." Russia swiftly stepped up to India's support, denouncing the US stance as part of a 'neo-colonial agenda" aimed at arm-twisting sovereign nations. The spat comes amid ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US, and growing friction over Washington's tariff actions. Steel duty Earlier in the day, India's minister of state for commerce Jitin Prasada told Parliament that New Delhi has not received any response from Washington to its request for consultations under a WTO agreement regarding the steep 50% duty imposed by the US on Indian steel, aluminium, and related products. The US has cited national security concerns, a claim India disputes. 'India has accordingly reserved its right to suspend substantially equivalent concessions (right to impose equal trade measures in response) as the US has not complied with its obligations under the AoS," Prasada said, referring to the WTO's Agreement on Safeguards (AoS). While Prasada's statement was in the context of US tariffs on metals, it reflects a wider hardening of India's position as the US now threatens additional duties tied to geopolitical differences. India and the US have held five rounds of talks on a Bilateral Trade Agreement since March this year, the most recent in Washington from 14-18 July. Prasada also said, 'To safeguard the interests of farmers and domestic industry, international trade negotiations allow for inclusion of sensitive, negative or exclusion lists—categories of goods on which limited or no tariff concessions are granted." 'Intentional targeting' Trade analyst Ajay Srivastava, founder of the think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), said the US is intentionally targeting India because New Delhi has refused to bring non-negotiable issues such as agriculture and dairy to the discussion table. 'It's a known fact that China imports far more oil from Russia than India does; yet, the US is silent on Beijing. This selective pressure on India reflects strategic targeting, not just trade concern," Srivastava said. In 2024, China imported $62.6 billion worth of Russian oil, compared to India's $52.7 billion, as per GTRI data. 'Even the US continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear sector, palladium for EVs, fertilizers and chemicals from Russia, and the European Union remains a key buyer of Russian crude oil, LNG, and petroleum products. Then why is India being singled out?", he asked. Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova rebuked the US over the tariff measures, accusing Washington of 'pursuing a neocolonial agenda" and interfering in the internal affairs of sovereign nations. On the US raising tariff barriers against key Global South partners, Zakharova said such actions 'cannot halt the natural course of history." She added that sanctions and restrictions have become a defining feature of the current global order. 'Unable to accept the erosion of its dominance in an emerging multipolar world, Washington continues to impose politically motivated economic pressure on those choosing an independent path," she said. Indian action A day earlier, New Delhi had called the targeting of India 'unjustified and unreasonable." In a statement issued on late Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that like any major economy, India would take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security. 'The US itself continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear sector, palladium for EVs, fertilizers and chemicals from Russia," the ministry had said. The statement noted that India's Russian oil purchases were driven by a need to secure affordable and reliable energy after traditional suppliers shifted exports to Europe at the start of the Ukraine conflict. 'At the time, the US had actively encouraged India's oil imports from Russia to help stabilize global markets," it added. India's energy imports are aimed at ensuring price stability for domestic consumers, the ministry said, contrasting this with continuing trade between Russia and its critics. 'Unlike India, such trade is not a national compulsion for them," it said. The European Union, it said, recorded €67.5 billion worth of goods trade with Russia in 2024, while services trade stood at €17.2 billion in 2023. Europe's LNG imports from Russia also hit a record 16.5 million tonnes in 2024, surpassing the previous peak of 15.21 million tonnes in 2022. EU-Russia trade also spans fertilizers, mining goods, chemicals, metals and machinery. Russian oil India's oil imports from Russia have declined recently. In May 2025, purchases fell 9.8% to $9.2 billion compared to a year ago, official data shows. In FY24, India exported about $70.1 billion worth of refined petroleum products globally. Europe emerged as the largest regional destination, with exports to the continent valued at $18.4 billion, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce. The Netherlands alone accounted for about $10.9 billion, representing nearly 25% of India's total petroleum product exports during this period—the highest share among European countries—highlighting its role as a key transit hub for Indian refined fuel entering the EU market. This trend has triggered concerns among Western nations that India's trade route could be serving as a backdoor for Russian oil entering the European market. In FY25, the value of India's crude oil imports from Russia stood at about $50.3 billion, making it the largest supplier of crude to India, surpassing traditional sources like Iraq and Saudi Arabia. India imported around 1.75 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil between January and June 2025, making it the top supplier in that period. Mint reported on 2 August that India will continue to buy oil from Russia, notwithstanding the penal threat and public criticism from the US earlier this week. In fact, India is even reaping a bigger discount on these purchases. Crude cargoes State-owned refiners—Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd (HPCL)—are continuing to procure oil from Russian suppliers. Negotiations are also underway for fresh spot deals, as reported by Mint. The last two or three cargoes have been booked at a discount of up to $3 a barrel, compared to about $1.7 in the earlier purchases, and it is likely to rise further, even if not significantly, after Trump's censure of India for its Russian energy purchases, Mint reported. The discounts on Russian oil have narrowed down to single-digit from the high of around $30 per barrel in 2022. India's state-run oil marketers are also in joint discussions with US firms to secure cooking gas supplies starting next year, signalling a potential deepening of energy ties. The companies are exploring long-term arrangements with American exporters. India traditionally imports most of its LPG from West Asian countries including Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia through long-term contracts, while other major LPG importing countries source it from the US. The US so far has been supplying India LPG in small volumes through spot deals, and this is the first time the Indian companies may have a term deal with US suppliers. On the other hand, China has been a major buyer of LPG from the US.
