BYD unveiled the model on the first day of the Shanghai auto show on April 18, with a starting price of RMB 200,000 yuan to 250,000 yuan and an expected launch date in the third quarter.

(Image credit: BYD)

BYD (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has rebranded its hybrid sedan originally called the Chaser 07 as the Seal DM-i, seemingly hoping to capitalize on the latter's better popularity.

The first B+ sedan in BYD's Ocean series is officially named the Seal DM-i, the new energy vehicle (NEV) giant announced today on Weibo.

BYD unveiled the Chaser 07 on the first day of the Shanghai auto show on April 18, with a starting price of RMB 200,000 ($28,030) to RMB 250,000 and an expected launch date in the third quarter.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

With a length, width and height of 4,980 millimeters, 1,890 millimeters and 1,495 millimeters, and a wheelbase of 2,900 millimeters, the vehicle is larger than the BYD Seal battery electric vehicle (BEV), which has a length, width and height of 4,800 millimeters, 1,875 millimeters, 1,460 millimeters, and a wheelbase of 2,920 millimeters.

Initially launched in China on July 29, 2022, the BYD Seal BEV was seen as one of the strongest rivals to the Tesla Model 3 in the country.

Deliveries of the model began in August last year, with more than 15,000 units delivered in both November and December, data monitored by CnEVPost show.

But this year, with the overall performance of China's NEV market weakening after some stimulus policies were withdrawn and a price war, Seal's sales have slumped, selling about 8,000 units in each of the past two months.

On May 10, BYD made a revamped version of the Seal available, offering five variants with starting prices of RMB 189,800, RMB 202,800, RMB 222,800, RMB 239,800, and RMB 279,800, marking the first time the model's starting price has been below RMB 200,000, respectively.

The addition of the hybrid variant is expected to boost Seal sales.

The Seal DM-i entered a regulatory catalog from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in early May under the name Chaser 07, and comes in four variants.

Two of them are powered by engines with a displacement of 1,498 ml and a peak power of 81 kW. They are powered by electric motors with a peak power of 145 kW.

The other two versions are powered by an engine with a displacement of 1,497 ml and a peak power of 102 kW. They are equipped with electric motors with a peak power of 160 kW.

The model's NEDC electric range on battery power is 121 km and 200 km, respectively.

($1 = RMB 7.1359)

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