3 Months with the BYD Sea Lion 06 PHEV

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Though there are some who object to plugin hybrid electrical autos (PHEVs), preferring to go the complete BEV route, I imagine that PHEVs nonetheless have a spot within the electrical automobile 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 “Coffee, 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 “Build Your Dreams” (BYD) or the established Japanese model Mitsubishi. A Sea Lion 06 or an Outlander. Trying out the specs and the costs, it was a simple selection. He discovered that the know-how and consumption for each automobiles have 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 that they had the “same amount of grunt.” They have been each effectively capable of meet his driving and towing wants.

However what a worth 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 may have gotten himself one other automobile! Majella and I take a look at drove the Sea Lion 06 when it launched in June. You can read about it here. After all, it’s higher to speak to somebody with the real-world expertise of driving the automobile for a number of months. Due to his warfare service pension, Garry doesn’t pay the Federal Items and Companies Tax or Stamp Obligation. This saved him about $7,000. Garry served in Vietnam.

BYD automobiles are literally turning into a standard sight round Brisbane. Garry tells me: “I was seeing these BYDs around town, then there was more and more so I googled it and thought ‘Shit this is a good car.’” Garry went to his nearest gross sales centre and put $1000 down regardless that they didn’t have one in inventory but. Sight unseen, no take a look at drive. He received 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 salesman was a young kid just starting out.” So many are on this quickly increasing discipline. You’ve received to study quick. Garry says he has learnt many of the info he wanted from devoted Fb pages. “I learn something new everyday!”

He tells me the “young kid” knew an affordable 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 street. He was impressed with the knowledge on the BYD web site that acknowledged the economic system of the automobile. “When I leave home to go to Ipswich, I have the battery on 100%. I can get there and back and it costs me nothing.” Garry drives his PHEV like a BEV!

He plugs his Sea Lion in day-after-day. And sure, he has a 5kWh photo voltaic system on his roof. The automotive is charged throughout the photo voltaic peak. He makes positive 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 supplied. He has learnt from Fb conversations that it’s higher to cost slowly regardless that BYD supplied 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 believe how much power this thing has got!” 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 growth program. A spokesperson mentioned that they’re creating tow bars and becoming them to an growing numbers of EVs by way of their growth program as a part of the manufacturing aspect of their enterprise. Their newest prospects 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 “worried about running out of power between towns.” Thus far, 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 may 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 presents.

Garry estimated that the entire journey price him the $5 in electrical energy and about $8 in petrol. “It would have cost me over $30 in the Tucson!” I don’t know the way individuals dwelling 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 individuals 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 thing you’re driving there.” Garry answered some questions and he mentioned: “Sea Lion, BYD, I’ve heard of those things. That’s it, my Tesla’s going!”

Ultimately everybody was capable of cost up and be on their means. BYD intends to launch the Sea Lion 07 absolutely electrical automobile by the tip of the 12 months. I hope Garry will get to attempt it out and compares the 2 autos as a part of his journey of transition.