PUBLISHED ONJuly 15, 2025 7:00 AMBYBen ChiaWhile acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs) in Singapore has been growing rapidly in recent years, as evidenced by the fact that 40 per cent of new cars registered in the first quarter of 2025 are EVs, there remains a significant proportion of the car buying public that aren't ready to dive right into full electric motoring yet.
BYD, as the top-selling car brand here, recognises this as a challenge to be tackled, and to that end, is introducing its first-ever plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) model to be sold in Singapore - the Sealion 6.
The car will officially launch on July 16 here, but before that, BYD invited AsiaOne to go on a road trip across Malaysia with the Sealion 6 as a preview of sorts.
Prior to the trip, we put out a post on our Instagram Stories to solicit questions from you guys about the Sealion 6. Unfortunately, we didn't get many responses, but we will still try our best to answer what we think would be the most common queries about BYD's latest offering.
One odd comment we received on our Instagram post simply said 'Ferrari', not even with a question mark. We weren't quite sure what to make of that really, but let's try to address it anyway.
No, the BYD Sealion 6 is not a Ferrari, not in the slightest. It certainly doesn't have the performance figures to match, unlike perhaps its full-electric sibling, the Sealion 7 (more on that later).
The BYD Sealion 6 is powered by a 1.5-litre inline four petrol engine which, on its own, produces a mere 98hp and 122Nm of torque. That doesn't sound like much, but the engine is also paired with an electric motor that develops 197hp and 300Nm of torque.
Together, they combine for a total output of 218hp and 300Nm of torque. You'll note that it's not a straightforward addition of engine plus motor, and that's because BYD's system has a complex way of managing both to come up with the most efficient output for this particular application.
In any case, the car's performance is probably best described as adequate, with 0 to 100km/h coming in at 8.5 seconds. It copes well if you're just cruising on the North South Highway towards Kuala Lumpur, but it certainly does struggle if you need to climb the steep hills of Genting Highlands, especially with four adults and their luggage on board.
It drives like the SUV that it is too, meaning that it generally feels safe and refined but not particularly eager or engaging. The BYD Sealion 6 is a car that enjoys a casual cruise down the highway, rather than tackling the twisty and winding back roads of Malaysia.
Here's the part that's going to get slightly confusing, but the basic breakdown is that, for Singapore at least, the Sealion 7 is sold as a full electric vehicle, and the Sealion 6 is offered as a PHEV.
Of course, there's a bit more to it than that, but we'll try to simplify it as much as we can. Essentially, in China, BYD uses the name Sealion for a number of models, available as regular internal combustion petrol cars, PHEVs, and full EVs.
You can have a Sealion numbered from 5 through 8, each roughly corresponding to their size and positioning in BYD's lineup, but the car being launched here is actually known as the BYD Song Plus in China, and has been on sale there since 2020.
As such, it is actually an older product than the Sealion 7 which was introduced in 2024, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming BYD's best-selling SUV model in China.
You can sense the Sealion 6's lesser status from its interior, which feels slightly less premium than the Sealion 7. The materials don't feel as plush or upmarket, and it loses a number of features over the Sealion 7, such as a head-up display and memory seats, although overall fit and finish remain relatively decent.
And of course, as mentioned earlier, the Sealion 6 has a relatively modest power output, as compared to the electric Sealion 7 which has up to 523hp and 690Nm of torque in top-spec Performance form.
On paper, yes.
BYD set a challenge for us to hit at least 1,100km before refuelling, as we criss-crossed Malaysia to places as diverse as Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands, Kuantan and Malacca.
The idea is that the electric motor, which is good for a range of around 80km or so, will take care of the early parts of the trip, while the petrol engine, which can also be used to recharge the battery, will kick in once the electrical juices run out.
The reality is though that none of the cars in our convoy came close to the target, and all of us clocked between 700 to 900km, with AsiaOne's car finally succumbing at 761.6km driven.
Granted, we weren't exactly gentle with the car for some parts of the journey, especially during the climb up to Genting, but it is still mildly disappointing, given that 1,000km is a realistically achievable goal that some other hybrids can hit.
Ultimately, range is dependent on a great number of factors, including driving style, type of roads and terrain, and vehicle load. If you're taking a nice and leisurely drive to, say, Penang, you'll probably come closer to the 1,000km target versus traversing small mountain roads on the way to Cameron Highlands.
The price will only be officially announced at the car's launch on July 16, but it is expected to cost slightly more than the Sealion 7, which currently starts at $206,888 with COE as of July 2025.
Yes, you read that right, the Sealion 6 will be more expensive than the Sealion 7. The reason for this is down to government incentives. As a full-fledged EV, the Sealion 7 enjoys up to $40,000 in rebates, consisting of an EV Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) of $15,000, and a $25,000 rebate for being in the lowest band of the Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES).
In contrast, the Sealion 6 PHEV only gets a $2,500 rebate as it falls into the second lowest band of the VES. That $37,500 difference is clearly going to be significant, although BYD says it will try its best to price the Sealion 6 as closely as possible to the Sealion 7.
At the end of the day, PHEVs like the Sealion 6 are really meant for those who are still not quite ready to jump into the full EV driving experience just as yet, for reasons such as range anxiety and lack of convenient access to regular charging.
Whether customers will ultimately embrace it is a question that will be answered in the months ahead, but given BYD's track record of success so far, we wouldn't bet against it.
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