Sharks and Sealions swim onto SA’s roads

BYD (Build Your Dreams) has announced that it will be adding three new fish to its ocean. The first fish is the BYD Shark 6 (yes, it is a bakkie, not a swimming shark), the second fish is the BYD Sealion6 (no lions were harmed in the making) and, lastly, the BYD Sealion7 is swimming in (because one more sealion never hurt anyone).

Their unveiling marks the arrival of a variety of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in South Africa.

“These vehicles reflect BYD’s commitment to technological innovation, sustainability, and excellence,” said Steve Chang, managing director of BYD Auto SA. “With this launch, we are offering South African consumers a new level of performance, efficiency, and smart mobility solutions.”

BYD now offers six models in South Africa, demonstrating that variety is the spice of life (and also the key to avoiding range anxiety). The lineup includes:

• BYD Atto 3 – the compact SUV that started it all (and still looks good doing it).
• BYD Dolphin – the hatchback so agile, it might start doing backflips.
• BYD Seal – the sedan that proves electric cars can be fast and fabulous.
• BYD Shark 6 – the bakkie that is here to challenge petrolheads’ beliefs.
• BYD Sealion 6 and 7 – the dynamic duo of family SUVs (one hybrid, one pure electric).

^{Photo courtesy QuickPic.}

The BYD Shark 6: the bakkie that eats petrol guzzlers for breakfast, pricing from R 959,900.

Finally, a bakkie that does not guzzle fuel like it is trying to single-handedly keep OPEC in business. The BYD Shark 6 is BYD’s first bakkie in South Africa:

DMO (Dual Mode Off-road) Super Hybrid Off-Road Platform – fancy name for “I go anywhere, but I do it efficiently.”

• 321 kilowatt power – that’s right, it has got the muscle of a V8 but the fuel economy of… well, not a V8.
• 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds – faster than a springbok spotting a lion.
• 9.6L/100km when the battery is dead – still better than some diesel bakkies.

^{Photo courtesy QuickPic.}

BYD Sealion 6: the family SUV that is smarter than teenager, pricing from R 639,900.

Need a car that can handle school runs, road trips, and your mother-in-law’s critiques? The Sealion 6 has it covered:

• 1,080 km range (FWD) – that is almost Cape Town to Johannesburg without stopping (but please stop, your bladder will thank you).
• 5.9s 0-100 km/h (AWD) – because merging onto the highway should be exhilarating, not terrifying.
• 15.6-inch touchscreen – bigger than some laptop screens.
• Head-up display – so you never miss your exit (or your speed limit).

^{Photo courtesy QuickPic.}

BYD Sealion 7: the electric coupe-SUV that is a spaceship, pricing from R 1,099,900.

If the future had wheels, it would be the Sealion 7:

• 0-100 km/h in 4.5s (Performance edition) – faster than your excuse for being late.
• 482 km WLTP range – enough for a week of commuting (or one very spirited weekend).
• 23,000 rpm electric motor – because why go slow when you can go ludicrous speed?
• Rotating 15.6-inch screen – portrait mode for TikTok, landscape for Google Maps.
• 12 Dynaudio speakers – your car, your personal concert hall.

BYD does not only manufacture vehicles, but it is also a zero-emission energy empire. From batteries to buses and trains, to Teslas’ biggest rival, BYD is on a mission to make fossil fuels as outdated as flip phones.

Disclaimer: No actual sharks or sea lions were involved in the making of these vehicles. But the performance might make you feel like you are riding one.

* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.