All-electric sedan showdown: BYD Han vs. Seal

While BYD is a relatively new car brand in the Philippine market, its distributor, ACMobility, has already managed to propel the carmaker as a powerhouse. 

The aforementioned is evident in its model lineup alone, which, as of this writing, now has a strong new energy vehicle (NEV) competitor for some of the hottest segments in the local scene. It already has the BYD Shark 6 DMO for the pickup truck market, the eMAX 7 for multi-purpose vehicles, and a bunch of entries for the crossover and sport utility vehicle segments. 

In the realm of sedans, the brand also has its top dogs - the BYD Han and the Seal. Both are strong all-electric contenders in the executive sedan market and are brimming with creature comforts. But the question now is: which is better on paper? Let’s find out here by comparing the specifications of the top-spec BYD Han Performance against the Seal Performance. 

Tale of the Tape

To get the full picture when comparing the BYD Han and Seal, let’s go over the two sedans’ dimensions via the table below: 

Dimensions	BYD Seal Performance	BYD Han Performance
Length (in millimeters)	4,800	4,995
Width (in mm)	1,875	1,910
Height (in mm)	1,460	1,495
Wheelbase (in mm)	2,920	2,920
Ground clearance (in mm)	120	141

 

As expected, the BYD Han is significantly larger than the Seal. The former, after all, is classed as a full-size sedan, while the Seal is a mid-size model. Interestingly, the two nameplates have the exact same wheelbase length. The aforementioned hints at the fact that the two both use the Chinese car brand’s e-Platform 3.0. 

When comparing cars as a consumer, taking the time to examine their size figures is essential. Doing so will provide some clues on how they will feel to drive, and how easy they will be to park. Plus, taking careful consideration of a vehicle’s dimensions will also clue you in as to whether the car can even fit in your garage or not. 

Exterior

For their exterior styling, both the BYD Han and Seal are representative of the carmaker’s current design language. The two models wear sleek bodies, filled with sharply hewn design details. The two likewise get exterior parts that clearly gear them up for optimized aerodynamics. 

For their exterior lighting, both rides come with adaptive LED headlamps with automatic functionality, LED daytime running lamps, LED taillights, and rear fog lamps. Notably, both get LED bars spanning the width of their rear ends. 

The two rides also get sequential turn signal lamps and a high-mount brake lamp. Further visibility is likewise ensured by power-folding side mirrors (with heating), rain-sensing wipers, and rear windshield defoggers. 

Other notable exterior equipment available for the two BYD sedans includes the following:

• Sunroof
• Power tailgate
• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Flush door handles
• Exterior NFC card readers

For the glass used in their windows, the BYD Han features anti-ultraviolet coated glass with heat insulation, while the Seal utilizes acoustic glass. Also, the Han comes with puddle lamps mounted on its pair of side mirrors, while the Seal does not. 

Regarding cargo, the BYD Han’s trunk offers up to 410 liters of space, whereas the Seal comes with 400 liters. 

As a note for prospective buyers, the BYD Seal gets four color options, which is two more compared to the pricier and larger BYD Han. 

Specifically, the Seal may come in Arctic Blue, Atlantis Grey, Cosmos Black, and Aurora White. The Han, meanwhile, is only available in Arctic White and Cosmos Black. 

Interior

Both sedans offer a luxurious and generously spacious cabin for up to five occupants. The two also have a well-arranged dashboard with easy-to-reach controls for the driver and front passenger. 

Specifically for the driver, both the BYD Han and Seal offer a power-adjustable seat with lumbar support, memory function, and ventilation. The two sedans also get leather-wrapped steering wheels, a push-to-start button, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a tilt and telescopic steering column, and a center armrest - among others. 

The digital gauge cluster on the Han, however, is sized at 12.3 inches, which is a fair bit larger compared to the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster on the Seal. Both also come with heads-up displays. 

For everyone inside their cabins, both the BYD Han and Seal were equipped with leather upholstery, but only the Han features power-reclining second-row seating. The interior door cards and dashboard of the Han also use leather combined with carbon fiber inserts. The Seal, meanwhile, eschews carbon fiber inserts in favor of suede. 

All inside the BYD Han and Seal are kept cool by an automatic air-conditioning (AC) system. For both cars, their AC units are reinforced by a particulate matter 2.5 filter, a cellulose nitrate 95 filter, and a negative ion air purifier. 

Both sedans also have ambient lighting, back-lit interior door handles, map lamps, glove box lamp, and luggage compartment lamps. The Han adds on to those with foot well lamps, which are not present on the Seal. 

For infotainment systems, both cars get a 15.6-inch touchscreen with a rotating function. The two also come with a 12-piece Dynaudio speaker set, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging pads, 12-volt accessory outlets, and USB ports.

Additionally, both sedans also get the following technologies:

• 4G connectivity
• Over-the-air software updates
• Voice assistant
• BYD cloud service

As a side note, the BYD cloud service is marketed as the BYD App. Per its name, it is a smartphone application that is able to remotely lock and unlock the vehicle, pinpoint its location, and pre-cool its interior - among others. 

Safety

As expected from premium-level sedans, both the BYD Han and Seal come standard with a comprehensive array of safety gear. 

Found on both nameplates are dual front airbags, front and rear side airbags, side curtain airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, anti-lock braking, traction control, electronic stability control, and an anti-theft system. The BYD Han, however, adds on to those with its knee airbag. 

On the flipside, the BYD Seal comes with an “Intelligent Torque Adaption Control” system, which the car brand says is an active mechanism that optimizes power distribution between wheels in real time. 

Apart from their standard lineup of safety gear, both the BYD Han and Seal were kitted out with a significant number of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS), such as:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane keep assist
• Lane change assist
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Lane departure warning
• Blind spot detection

Interestingly, the more affordable Seal has several ADAS components that are not included in the Han. The aforementioned includes a front and rear cross-traffic alert and braking system, an intelligent speed limit control system, and a traffic sign recognition feature. 

Performance

For its powertrain, the BYD Han uses a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system. In total, the aforementioned system can generate up to 510 horsepower (hp) and 700 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque. 

The BYD Seal Performance, on the other hand, is propelled by a similar all-wheel-drive, dual-motor setup with a maximum churn of 522 hp and 670 Nm of torque. 

Based on the figures above, the Seal has a slight edge against the Han when it comes to generating horsepower. The Han, however, can produce a bit more torque. Do remember, though, that the Han has a curb weight of 2,250 kilograms (kg), which is a bit heavier compared to the Seal’s 2,185 kg curb weight. 

With regard to suspensions, the Seal uses a front double wishbone system, while the Han comes with a front MacPherson strut system. Both use a multi-link suspension for their rear ends. 

The larger nameplate does come with the DiSUS-C, which is absent on the more affordable Seal. 

Per BYD, the DiSUS-C is a semi-active system capable of adjusting the damping force in order to provide enhanced ride comfort, as well as improved driving dynamics, depending on the situation. 

Additionally, the Han comes with Brembo front and rear discs and calipers, whereas the Seal was kitted out with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) discs and calipers. 

Concerning range, the BYD Han can cover 521 kilometers (km) according to the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). The top-spec Seal Performance, in comparison, boasts a New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) range of 580 km. 

Both get BYD Blade Battery packs, but the Han uses a larger 85.4 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery compared to the 82.6 kWh battery on the Seal Performance. 

On the one hand, the BYD Seal has a maximum direct current (DC) charging rate of 120 kilowatts (kW), while the Han has 150 kW. For both cars, the aforementioned can be translated to a charge time of 30-80 percent state-of-charge in just thirty minutes (via CCS2 DC charging station). 

Here is a table listing the basic specifications of the BYD Han and Seal Performance:

Specs	BYD Han Performance	BYD Seal Performance
Motor Setup	Dual permanent magnet synchronous motors
Drivetrain	All-wheel-drive
Horsepower	510	522
Torque	700 Nm	670 Nm
Battery capacity	85.4 kWh	82.6 kWh
Range	521 km (WLTP)	580 km (NEDC)
Front suspension	MacPherson strut	Double wishbone
Rear suspension	Multi-link
Brakes	Brembo front and rear discs	Front and rear discs
Charging port	CCS2
Curb weight	2,250 kg	2,185 kg

Pricing

In the Philippine market, the BYD Han’s sole variant, the Performance, retails for P3.113 million. The BYD Seal, meanwhile, has two locally available trims, with the entry-level Advanced priced at P1.998 million. The top-spec BYD Seal Performance, on the other hand, is available for P2.548 million. 

Final thoughts

To sum it all up, the BYD Seal is more than a match against its larger Han sibling. Then again, the full-size sedan does offer a bit more in terms of interior features that enhance usability and comfort. 

As mentioned above, it comes with a larger set of displays, power-reclining rear seats, and puddle lamps. Sure, the said features sound simple, but their presence on a car, at least for some buyers, will mean a world of difference in making it easier to use on a daily basis. 

Performance-wise, however, the BYD Seal is comparable to the larger and more expensive Han in some aspects. On the one hand, the full-size BYD-made model gains an advantage in handling capabilities due to its set of Brembo brake components and its DiSUS-C semi-active damper system. 

So, in the end of the day, the heftier price tag on the BYD Han is more than justified, while the BYD Seal remains a good value-added buy for people looking for a fast and luxurious ride. 

Those interested in either of the two BYD executive sedans, however, should give each car a good ol’ test drive. Reading about their specs on the internet is a good start, but having some seat time with these all-electric beasts will make for a more informed purchase, after all. 

Also read:

Here’s a closer look inside the BYD Seal

BYD Seal: strengths and weaknesses

You are looking at the 10,000th BYD NEV retailed in PH

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