3 Months with the BYD Sea Lion 06 PHEV

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Though there are some who object to plugin hybrid electrical automobiles (PHEVs), preferring to go the complete BEV route, I consider that PHEVs nonetheless have a spot within the electrical car ecosystem. That is ably demonstrated by Garry’s expertise with the primary BYD Sea Lion 06 bought in Queensland. Briefly, he drives it like a BEV — as it’s designed to do. Garry attended our “Espresso, Cake and EVs” morning and I used to be eager to listen to his story.

In searching for his first EV, Garry solely had a selection of two — it was both the unknown Chinese language model “Construct Your Desires” (BYD) or the established Japanese model Mitsubishi. A Sea Lion 06 or an Outlander. Testing the specs and the costs, it was a straightforward selection. He discovered that the expertise and consumption for each automobiles had been comparable. They each get 1.5 L of petrol consumption per 100 km pushed, with about 90 km of battery vary on a full cost. He drove them each and located that they’d the “similar quantity of grunt.” They had been each nicely in a position to meet his driving and towing wants.

However what a value distinction! The Mitsubishi would have set the veteran pensioner again AU$75,000, whereas he bought the Sea Lion 06 for simply AU$48,000. That’s a AU$27,000 distinction. He might have gotten himself one other car! Majella and I take a look at drove the Sea Lion 06 when it launched in June. You’ll be able to examine it right here. After all, it’s higher to speak to somebody with the real-world expertise of driving the car for just a few months. Due to his struggle service pension, Garry doesn’t pay the Federal Items and Companies Tax or Stamp Responsibility. This saved him about $7,000. Garry served in Vietnam.

BYD automobiles are literally turning into a typical sight round Brisbane. Garry tells me: “I used to be seeing these BYDs round city, then there was increasingly so I googled it and thought ‘Shit it is a good automotive.’” Garry went to his nearest gross sales centre and put $1000 down despite the fact that they didn’t have one in inventory but. Sight unseen, no take a look at drive. He obtained to do a take a look at drive two weeks later on the BYD drive day on the finish of June. I requested him concerning the gross sales expertise. “The salesperson was a younger child simply beginning out.” So many are on this quickly increasing discipline. You’ve obtained to be taught quick. Garry says he has learnt a lot of the info he wanted from devoted Fb pages. “I be taught one thing new on a regular basis!”

He tells me the “younger child” knew an inexpensive quantity concerning the automotive. At the moment Garry says he knew “bugger all.” By the point he did the take a look at drive, Garry’s thoughts was made up. Although, he would have most popular an extended take a look at drive on the open highway. He was impressed with the data on the BYD web site that acknowledged the economic system of the car. “After I depart dwelling to go to Ipswich, I’ve the battery on 100%. I can get there and again and it prices me nothing.” Garry drives his PHEV like a BEV!

He plugs his Sea Lion in day by day. And sure, he has a 5kWh photo voltaic system on his roof. The automotive is charged throughout the photo voltaic peak. He makes certain it’s not plugged in after 4 pm when electrical energy costs peak. He tells me it takes about 5 hours to cost from a wall socket utilizing the granny charger offered. He has learnt from Fb conversations that it’s higher to cost slowly despite the fact that BYD offered a wall charger with the acquisition of the automotive.

He nonetheless has to place petrol within the automotive. His earlier automotive was a 2 L Hyundai Tucson Highlander. He describes it as high quality, nevertheless it “had no guts. The Sea Lion 06 beats it, I can’t consider how a lot energy this factor has obtained!” The Tucson used to make use of about $60 price of petrol per week. Now Garry solely fills up the Sea Lion each 5 weeks.

Garry must tow and he was unable to suit a tow bar ready-made, because the automotive has solely simply arrived in Australia. He was contacted by Speedy Tow Bars with the provide to supply a tow bar if they may “borrow” has automotive for a few weeks for his or her improvement program. A spokesperson stated that they’re creating tow bars and becoming them to an rising numbers of EVs by their improvement program as a part of the manufacturing facet of their enterprise. Their newest clients being the newly launched sensible automobiles from Mercedes.

The Sea Lion 06 Premium that Garry drives can tow 1700 kg. He has already tried it out and tells me “It handles like a dream!”

After all, I requested the query … why a PHEV and never a BEV. Garry confides that he’s “anxious about operating out of energy between cities.” To this point, he has pushed the Sea Lion about 3000 km. I requested about his longest journey. It was to the Gold Coast — about 140 km from dwelling every means, a 280 km spherical journey. He set the battery for 25% so he might drive 70 km on battery, then the petrol motor kicks in throughout the drive to replenish the battery. When he arrived on the Gold Coast he had 25% battery capability. He charged up on Chargefox, which price $5.

See this CleanTechnica article for an evidence of the varied modes that the BYD Sea Lion affords.

Garry estimated that the entire journey price him the $5 in electrical energy and about $8 in petrol. “It could have price me over $30 within the Tucson!” I don’t know the way folks residing on a pension can afford to run fossil fuelled automobiles. The Sea Lion claims that it has 758 km vary within the petrol tank, plus battery vary.

Whereas charging on the Gold Coast, Garry had an amusing interplay with an Uber driver. The Uber driver had run his Tesla down to three% and was fairly eager to get some cost. There have been 4 folks lined as much as cost. Sadly, one other EV driver had plugged in and left the scene. Her automotive was already at 100%. The Uber driver requested Garry “What’s that factor you’re driving there.” Garry answered some questions and he stated: “Sea Lion, BYD, I’ve heard of these issues. That’s it, my Tesla’s going!”

Ultimately everybody was in a position to cost up and be on their means. BYD intends to launch the Sea Lion 07 totally electrical car by the tip of the 12 months. I hope Garry will get to strive it out and compares the 2 automobiles as a part of his journey of transition.