1 minute ago, Alotoftravel said:

How was the test drive and feel of the car . We still do not have a dealership in chiangmai yet. Soon .

It was OK, but due to heavy morning Bangkok traffic the whole drive was at below 60Kmh and on smooth roads. PLENTY OF POWER/Acceleration even for the 7x LR RWD single motor version as I was able to punch the fuel pedal a few times for very short distances.

The HUD is very bright & clear but I'm kinda ambelvant about a car HUD since the dash display shows the same thing.

The test drive was nothing to write home about.

Edit: forgot to mention the wife was not impressed with the inside cleanliness of the test drive vehicle and stated such to the salesman riding along...he blamed it on recent rains and muddy feet. And there was an Air Bag problem light showing on the dash display...the salesman said it was probably caused by test drivers playing with/tinkling with all the infotainment system settings/controls...he said the system needed a reset to clear the trouble light.

Edited May 8May 8 by Pib

37 minutes ago, Pib said:

And to any and all BYD Sealion 7 RWD or AWD owners how do you feel about the car after driving it for X-amount of time? Thanks.

Rented the RWD for 2 weeks, drove only near Bangkok.

Absolutely amazing car. Loved every aspect of it: the headlights on the turns, the seats comfort and space, and the power was really perfect on the RWD, not mind blowing like the AWD or the MG IM5/IM6.

Charging speed is decent, not the best thou.

The best of the SL 7 that most people dont appreciate is The suspension and Chassis tuning. it's another level compared to the cheaper models. it handles really well in many conditions. There is absolute no need to upgrade the shocks or tires, heck, I dont think there are shocks available for it anyways.

Personally, it's great car, worth every bath if you are OK with BYD brand, I'm not ok, so it's not where I will put my money.

Keep in mind that for the AWD, the ownership cost is much higher because you have different set of tires front and back and two motors instead of one.

Edit: the SL7 in Thailand is 400V old platform, the one the sold in China and Europe have been 800V and charge a lot faster.

The AWD is supposed to even have a better suspension... the RWD was really good already for me.

Edited May 8May 8 by brfsa2

Asked Gemini about SL7 charging, I dont know why BYD is not bringing any 800v to Thailand. I bet they should soon, since the new Atto3 is now 800v. maybe they are afraid of the high voltage, lol.

Edited May 8May 8 by brfsa2

54 minutes ago, Pib said:

And to any and all BYD Sealion 7 RWD or AWD owners how do you feel about the car after driving it for X-amount of time? Thanks.

It's difficult to compare it with other EVS as haven't driven them.

Compared to our Honda CRV ..no comparison, so much better all round.

The only thing that bugs me is the info system that still can't find my home.

1 hour ago, Pib said:

How is the Sealion 7 AWD working out for you? How do you feel about it now assuming you followed thru with the buy?

Tomorrow morning/Saturday my local BYD dealership is bringing an AWD to my house for a test drive. The wife and I was at the dealership today and did a lot of "setting" in an AWD, touching & smelling the car, etc.

Right now a AWD is priced a hair less than Bt1.3M and the lifetime battery/motor warranty is free (not the usual Bt5K cost) and a Zhida 7Kw wall charger with installation is also free (not the usual Bt10k cost).

Also did a test drive of a Zeekr 7x Long Range today but it was low speed, heavy Bangkok morning traffic driving.

Appreciate any feedback you can provide.

I love the SL7 AWD, it’s easy to get in and out of, the Seal was a pain.

We are going on a road trip 3 weeks today

Mae Phrik

Ratchaburi

Chumphon

Khao Lak then back stopping in…

Krabi

Khanom

Hua Hin

Nakhon Pathom

Phitsanulok

And maybe Lampang, I have t booked a hotel there in case we decide to drive straight back from Phitsanulok.

4 hours ago, Pib said:

And to any and all BYD Sealion 7 RWD or AWD owners how do you feel about the car after driving it for X-amount of time? Thanks.

We drive the BYD Sealion 7 AWD (for over one year) and the Zeekr 7X AWD (for over one month) - the BYD dazzles as a complete package that is punching way above its price point. We had zero problems with the car, and as I wrote on other occasions, it is built to Audi or MB quality and materials level or above that sell at well over twice it's price. It is a shockingly good car and in some ways a more complete package than the Zeekr that sells for 50% more: Voice commands work better, the BYD app is better, it somehow tracks better at lower speeds, and it has more physical buttons that make sense for everyday use. I like the NFC functionality in the BYD. Conversely, I think BYD is a disaster when it comes to OTAs in general, and specifically to push upgrades to the ADAS suite.

Voice commands: In the BYD I can say: 'Let's go home' and she brings up the map and says 'Let's head home together'....it's kind of cute. In the Zeekr I say ''Let's go home'' and she says - "I cant find that phone number'.......WTF!

The BYD app was slow in becoming, 3 years ago only the most elementary functions were available - but now, I find it has bloomed into a quite impressive package. Hopefully BYD gives us yet more access over time to what they already have in China, it will make a lot of owners happy.

Physical buttons: I think BYD nailed it - essential buttons for quick access are tastefully arranged. In the Zeekr there are way too few buttons - e.g. to open the hood are the tailgate, to toggle other functions, it's all sprinkled all over the CSD - how Tesla is that?

The Zeekr 7X is a mixed bag - in some ways it dazzles with more luxurious appointments in some places, and the ADAS looks more promising, but is not quite there yet.

The 7X has some very annoying quirks that could very well be my doing, and hopefully will get sorted out: The locking/unlocking function via Bluetooth is rubbish. The Zeekr shines with a 3.5K CSD, the 360 cameras are very well done, driver profiles that accommodate all settings down to the radio station or last played music file - except the inside rear-view mirror is still a manual job, how pedestrian is that...lol. The automatic doors start to grow on me - I walk up to the SL7 and push the door button, then take a step back, until it clicks that I do have to do the manual labor of pulling the door open myself. Opening the hood via CSD or app only? That for me is pushing it.

The automatic parking function works surprisingly well, but is slow as heck.

I hate Google with a passion, so Android Auto is not my friend - in the Zeekr it is so obnoxious, it it even inserts itself when making phone calls. It's all good and splendid for those that embrace Android Auto completely - I put the app on my phone to sleep and I will use it when I see fit to use it, exercising some free will while I still can.

We washed the 7X once by ourselves - it immediately felt easier than the SL7, the overall smooth design shines. The piano black moldings, not so much. The 7X has roof rails, no such thing on the SL7.

I cant comment on the consumption, I expect neither of them to have that as a strong point, certainly the 7X AWD with 21 inch wheels standard and the wider rubber are not meant to be aimed for range champion results.

We live in a development with plenty of pesky speed bumps, and neither of these cars flattens them sufficiently, actually, the more sophisticate suspension dynamics of the 7X disappoint, neither the dual chamber air-springs nor the CCD dampers seem to have a discernible edge over the SL7.

21 hours ago, Pib said:

And to any and all BYD Sealion 7 RWD or AWD owners how do you feel about the car after driving it for X-amount of time? Thanks.

i drive the sl7 awd and can only confirm what the other sl7 owners have already shared from their experience.

and i can add that even after 16 months and around 25k km driven, it still brings a lot of joy (and puts a smile on my face) every single time i drive the sl7! whether just cruising comfortably or driving a bit more sporty ...

however, one point that personally annoys me is the rather modest quality of the software and the lack of updates!

would i still recommend the sl7? definitely. like any other car, it has its weaknesses, but overall the complete package is great ...

@brfsa2 @carlyai @JBChiangRai @mistral53 @motdaeng

BIG THANKS to all of you for your feedback…it definitely helps me to further evaluate the BYD Sealion 7.   And extra thanks to Mistral53 for the detailed BYD SL7 and Zeekr 7x comparison since he owns/drives both.

 

Ever since late 2025 starting around the Motor Expo 2025 (29 Nov-10 Dec 2025) I’m been focused on either the BYD SL7 AWD or Zeekr 7x Long Range RWD.   I wasn’t really interested in the Zeekr 7x “AWD” due to its automatic doors which I don’t  like and the air suspension system which seemed like it could turn into a maintenance upkeep money-pit right after the warranty expired.   I focused more time on the Zeekr 7x LR vs a BYD SL7 because of the 7x interior, battery/charging system, and the “siren call” of Zeekr marketing. 

 

The alluring Zeekr marketing definitely pulled me closer to Zeekr but then I got somewhat tired of their song due to their song being focused on “HiSo” type talk and very little on pricing.   Of course Zeekr wasn’t actually singing but my review of their websites and numerous Facebook/LINE/Tiktok/etc., pages & videos along with face-to-face interactions with several of their sales people at the motor shows and dealerships left me with a feeling maybe none of the current Zeekr models are for me.  It was kinda like climbing back over to the other side of the fence….leaving the Zeekr side of the fence at least long enough to relook the grass on the other side.

 

Plus, Zeekr does not offer a lifetime battery/drive motor warranty and use NMC chemistry batteries for their 7x LR and AWD models (they do have LFP chemistry for the 7x Standard model).  I don’t really have anything against "current day" NMC chemistry batteries especially since Zeekr uses tip-top quality CATL batteries which would outlast the car.  The battery/charging system of the Zeekr 7x is awesome…and as mentioned Zeekr uses top quality “CATL” LFP and NMC batteries.  After researching CATL batteries I reached the conclusion that CATL makes excellent batteries in addition to being the 800 pound  worldwide EV battery guerrilla.  IMO CATL batteries are a step above BYD batteries (even BYD’s new Gen 2 blade battery)….not to imply BYD batteries are not good batteries as BYD batteries are very good.  However, no lifetime battery/drive motor warranty is offered as a freebie or paid option by Zeekr which bothered me since several other brands like MG, BYD, etc., did offer lifetime warranties.

 

Additionally, the wife and I fell out of love with the 7x  front end clam shell type appearance…fell back in love with the BYD SL7 sleek looking front end…more of a racing look front end.  The Zeekr 7x interior is very nice….a small step above the BYD SL7 but the SL7 interior is still very nice and there are things I like better about the SL7 interior such as the center console, dash display, and it still uses a good amount of physical buttons for key controls vs needing to dig thru a display to press an icon.  

Oh yea, based on the test drives the Zeekr 7x HUD is brighter/more capable than the BYD SL7 HUD…..but when it comes to HUDs I’m pretty much ambivalent since a HUD basically duplicates what is being shown on the dash/center display…but maybe once I use a car HUD more I will move it from the category of “I can take it or leave it” to the “I definitely want to have and use it.” Time will tell.

 

The wife and I did do a test drive of the BYD SL7 AWD this fine Saturday morning.  The drive was all in Bangkok traffic but I was able to get up around 80KmH a few times and also punch the fuel pedal several times….and boy does it have power/acceleration.  From social media reviews/videos I'm sure higher speed highway driving (i.e., above 90Kmh) is fine also. The wife was getting a little scared with my heavy foot driving….had me rein in the chariot horses.  And I intentionally drove over speed bumps and pot holes to see how the car handled them and it handled them just fine….a smooth drive….a smooth ride based on old school coil spring technology vs a more complicated air suspension system.

 

The BYD rep riding along said they can deliver a SL7 AWD  within approx. 3 business days of booking…they have it in ready stock….just need a little time to install window tinting and do other small stuff….we are going with black exterior and interior. 

However, we did “not” give the rep a final decision/book the car today (booking fee is still BT10K like it was in late 2023 when I booked my current Atto)  but I told the rep we are 99% sure we want the SL7 and will provide a final decision probably on Monday.   Unless something happens over the next few days to sour us on a BYD SL7 AWD (or Trump starts WW3) maybe by around this time next week I will have a SL7 AWD setting in my home carport.  Time will tell.

 

Thanks again to all for your great feedback/crossfeed….much appreciated.   

  

Just as FYI regarding which model of the BYD Sealion 7 people buy in Thailand, that is the AWD or the RWD model, according to DLT "registration" data for Jan-Apr 2026 there were 512 AWDs and 1032 RWDs registered during the Jan-Apr timeframe for a total of 1,544. Pretty much 2 RWD for every 1 AWD.

12 hours ago, Pib said:

The BYD rep riding along said they can deliver a SL7 AWD  within approx. 3 business days of booking…they have it in ready stock….just need a little time to install window tinting and do other small stuff….we are going with black exterior and interior. 

My friend ordered a blue AWD just before the motor show, they tried to deliver him a shark grey 2 weeks ago and he refused it, they can't say when he will get the blue one, he's still waiting.

2 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

My friend ordered a blue AWD just before the motor show, they tried to deliver him a shark grey 2 weeks ago and he refused it, they can't say when he will get the blue one, he's still waiting.

Yea, it's seems a common thing when someone orders a color other than white, silver, gray, or black (the colors considered conservative by Thai's and probably represents 90% of the vehicles on Thaiand roads).....like ordering a bright, less conservative color such as a red, blue, green, yellow, etc., vehicle the dealership usually says that brighter color will be available in short-order but it turns out few to none are actually in stock anywhere in country and maybe not even on the next incoming boat shipment.

Unfortunately, dealerships are often less than truthful in the true availability of certain color vehicles and/or models....will say most anything to secure a booking.

Two and half years ago the same delay happened to me when buying my red 2023 Atto. Dealership started off promising delivery within a week...it ended up taking closer to a month....and that only happened when a person's financing for a red Atto was disapproved late in the financing process and then that red Atto became available to me. The dealership could have given me a white or gray Atto literally within a few days---plenty in stock.

Edited May 10May 10 by Pib

On 5/9/2026 at 8:03 PM, Pib said:

Unless something happens over the next few days to sour us on a BYD SL7 AWD (or Trump starts WW3) maybe by around this time next week I will have a SL7 AWD setting in my home carport.  Time will tell.

Congrats on the purchase decision, you will love the car, I loved it on my 2 weeks with it.

I dont want to spoil it, but if it's me upgrading from Atto 3, I would wait some months... the SL7 is still 400V and it drops just 90kw after 40%, the 150kW speed is only until 40%.

The SL7 as a car is a massive upgrade, but the battery and charging is a less upgrade... anyways... if you dont need to CS fast charge a lot or do long trios, then it's likely going to be just fine.

I love the SL7 too, if they upgrade to 800v today I will consider it. Overall, the SL7 charges relatively slowly compared to newer battery models these days... Also the new Atto3 came out in China, and it looks like a beast in terms of specs and power.

Charging curve: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=630169402864810&set=a.176402778241477

The wife test drove the IM5, and she wanted to book right there, I said hold on!!! we are going to buy in December motorshow with some discounts.

If the SL7 can do 800V and support charging at 350kW or more, than it will be a very strong contender against the Xpeng G6, 7X and IM5/IM6

just for comparison, Xpeng G6 18-81% in 20 minutes.

BTW, I saw the new AION V 602 Luxury, it looks amazing and charging curve is better than BYD.
The car is only 900,000 baht with a 75kWh 400V 3C battery.

it looked great and very comfortable from just sitting inside, I was impressed, it even got massage and air ventilated seats, and the best: the back seat can fold!

Edited May 11May 11 by brfsa2

1 hour ago, brfsa2 said:

Congrats on the purchase decision, you will love the car, I loved it on my 2 weeks with it.

I dont want to spoil it, but if it's me upgrading from Atto 3, I would wait some months... the SL7 is still 400V and it drops just 90kw after 40%, the 150kW speed is only until 40%.

The SL7 as a car is a massive upgrade, but the battery and charging is a less upgrade... anyways... if you dont need to CS fast charge a lot or do long trios, then it's likely going to be just fine.

I love the SL7 too, if they upgrade to 800v today I will consider it. Overall, the SL7 charges relatively slowly compared to newer battery models these days... Also the new Atto3 came out in China, and it looks like a beast in terms of specs and power.

Charging curve:

The wife test drove the IM5, and she wanted to book right there, I said hold on!!! we are going to buy in December motorshow with some discounts.

If the SL7 can do 800V and support charging at 350kW or more, than it will be a very strong contender against the Xpeng G6, 7X and IM5/IM6

just for comparison, Xpeng G6 18-81% in 20 minutes.

BTW, I saw the new AION V 602 Luxury, it looks amazing and charging curve is better than BYD.
The car is only 900,000 baht with a 75kWh 400V 3C battery.

it looked great and very comfortable from just sitting inside, I was impressed, it even got massage and air ventilated seats, and the best: the back seat can fold!

Have you considered the Aion Hyptec HT?

It's the cheapest 800V car in Thailand at less than 1.2 million with a lifetime warranty.

DC Fast Charging supports up to 280 kW.

DC Fast Charging: 10-70% in 15 minutes.

DC Fast Charging 0-100% in 53 minutes.

I created an app to analyze the raw data exported from Carscanner and the OBD2 device.

I found out a few interesting facts:

• The Atto 3 motor rejects 1,800 Watts of heat at highway speeds (120kmh), while the IM5 motor only rejects 675 Watts. This 62% reduction in heat is from the difference in voltage from 400V to 875V allowing current to half, thus (i^2 * R) copper losses are reduced to 1/4.

• My atto3 during the incident that it lost more than half of battery cooling, and temperature reached 53C, my battery internal resistance was really high causing a lot of heat release up to several kW.

• The Atto3 has quite a lot of copper losses actually, it could be because of the round wiring on the motor. instead of hairpin style of the new models like the SL7 Euro/China.

have a look at the code here: https://github.com/brfsa/atto3_telemetry/blob/master/atto3_telemetry.rb

and this is my Atto3 report from 2 incidents where the battery was 53C and 48C.

https://brfsa.github.io/atto3_telemetry/index.html

1 hour ago, brfsa2 said:

Congrats on the purchase decision, you will love the car, I loved it on my 2 weeks with it.

Thanks. I pickup my black SL7 AWD next week on Monday. Window tinting needs to be applied and some other small stuff done before then. I could have probably got the car "before" this coming Monday, however, the wife and sales ladies started looking at what would be the next "auspicious" day to take possession of the SL7 and this coming Monday was the earliest auspicious date...so Monday it is. And I did another test drive before the booking/forking-out Bt10K and picking the auspicious date...boy, oh boy, the SL7 AWD has PLENTY of power...much more power than I'll ever need or be able to use...but I will like having that power. 😁

Edited May 11May 11 by Pib

2 hours ago, brfsa2 said:

I created an app to analyze the raw data exported from Carscanner and the OBD2 device.

I found out a few interesting facts:

• The Atto 3 motor rejects 1,800 Watts of heat at highway speeds (120kmh), while the IM5 motor only rejects 675 Watts. This 62% reduction in heat is from the difference in voltage from 400V to 875V allowing current to half, thus (i^2 * R) copper losses are reduced to 1/4.

• My atto3 during the incident that it lost more than half of battery cooling, and temperature reached 53C, my battery internal resistance was really high causing a lot of heat release up to several kW.

• The Atto3 has quite a lot of copper losses actually, it could be because of the round wiring on the motor. instead of hairpin style of the new models like the SL7 Euro/China.

have a look at the code here: https://github.com/brfsa/atto3_telemetry/blob/master/atto3_telemetry.rb

and this is my Atto3 report from 2 incidents where the battery was 53C and 48C.

https://brfsa.github.io/atto3_telemetry/index.html

Wow!!!!....I'm still absorbing above....super detailed. I did notice you used 104 cells in the script for the 60.48Kw battery (Extended Range Atto 3) ...it actually uses 126 cells....don't know if that will make any difference in your calculations. And I think for the 50KW battery (Standard Range Atto 3) it uses 108 cells.

See weblink below for full article/details.

https://www.car250.com/2026-11-05-ev-new.html

See weblink below for full article/details.

3 hours ago, Pib said:

Thanks. I pickup my black SL7 AWD next week on Monday. Window tinting needs to be applied and some other small stuff done before then. I could have probably got the car "before" this coming Monday, however, the wife and sales ladies started looking at what would be the next "auspicious" day to take possession of the SL7 and this coming Monday was the earliest auspicious date...so Monday it is. And I did another test drive before the booking/forking-out Bt10K and picking the auspicious date...boy, oh boy, the SL7 AWD has PLENTY of power...much more power than I'll ever need or be able to use...but I will like having that power. 😁

Congratulation - you made a good decision! We were at the dealer this afternoon and I took a quick glance at the Atto 3 - you are moving up to an entire different level of vehicle refinement and dynamics, there is so much going on under the skin that most people will never understand. Enjoy!

6 hours ago, brfsa2 said:

I dont want to spoil it, but if it's me upgrading from Atto 3, I would wait some months... the SL7 is still 400V and it drops just 90kw after 40%, the 150kW speed is only until 40%.

I asked Deepseek: 'The export version of the BYD Sealion 7 V3.0 (not the Evo version) is touted as 800V architecture, but I see charging voltage only around 635V. Is it technically 800V, or just for marketing?'

Deepseek: 'This is an excellent technical question, as it gets to the heart of how modern EV platforms actually work versus how they are marketed.

The short answer is: Yes, your export version Sealion 7 is technically an "800V architecture" vehicle, but not in the way you might expect. The ~635V you're observing is correct and expected for this system. It is not marketing hype, but it does require a more detailed explanation of how BYD implements high-voltage charging.

Let me break this down into three clear parts.

---

### 1. Why You See ~635V (It's the 'Nominal' Voltage)

First, it is crucial to understand that "800V" is an architecture class or a nominal value, not a fixed number. No EV runs at exactly 800.0V at all times. The voltage of a lithium-ion battery pack changes depending on its State of Charge (SOC).

- When a battery is full, voltage is at its peak.

- When a battery is empty, voltage is at its lowest.

- The number you see on a charger (~635V) is likely the current operating voltage, which could be the nominal voltage of the pack or the voltage at a medium SOC.

Industry-wide classifications place systems with an operating range of roughly 550V to 930V into the "800V class". Your observed 635V sits squarely within this range. It is fundamentally different from a 400V-class car, which typically operates between 350V and 450V.

### 2. The Crucial Difference: EVO vs. Non-EVO (e-Platform 3.0)

This is the most important part of the answer. Your research is correct that the non-EVO version has different hardware, but it is still an 800V system.

| Feature | Export Sealion 7 (Your Version) | Domestic/EVO Version |

| Platform | Standard e-Platform 3.0 (often called "800V" in marketing) | e-Platform 3.0 Evo (Upgraded version) |

| Architecture | 800V Class (Nominal voltage ~600-650V) | 800V Class (Nominal voltage similar, but with advanced features) |

| Max Charging Power | ~150 kW - 230 kW (Varies by market) | ~230 kW - 240 kW (Higher peak with intelligent current boosting) |

| Key Tech | Standard 800V charging | "Current Boosting" (升流充电) - Converts high voltage into higher amperage to maximize non-liquid-cooled chargers |

The key takeaway here is: Both versions are "800V architecture," but the Evo version has additional power electronics that allow it to squeeze more power out of standard 250A chargers by boosting the amperage, a feature called "升流充电" (current boosting). Your non-Evo version lacks this specific booster, but the core battery and motor systems are still designed for the higher voltage class.

### 3. Marketing vs. Reality: The "Global 800V" Standard

Your suspicion about marketing is not entirely unfounded, but in this specific case, BYD is technically correct. The confusion arises because many automakers (like Porsche or Hyundai) initially defined "800V" as systems operating above 800V at peak charge (e.g., 835V).

However, the industry has settled on a broader, more pragmatic definition:

- True "Legacy" 400V: Operating range ~350V - 450V (e.g., BYD Atto 3, Tesla Model 3/Y).

- True "800V Class": Operating range roughly 550V to 930V.

Because your Sealion 7's lowest voltage (when empty) is likely still around 550V-600V, and its peak is likely over 700V (not 800V), it cannot be called 400V. It is, by industry definition, an 800V-class vehicle.

Why would BYD do this? A slightly lower nominal voltage (635V vs 800V) allows them to use slightly less expensive silicon IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistors) in the inverter rather than the more expensive silicon carbide (SiC) required for 800V+ systems. It is a cost/performance balance, but it still qualifies as high-voltage architecture.

### Summary: Is it 800V?

- **Legally/Technically:** Yes. It meets the industry standard for an "800V-class" system (operating range 550V-930V).

- **Compared to Porsche/Hyundai:** It is on the lower end. Their systems hit 800V+ at peak; BYD's non-EVO system is lower (around 650V nominal).

- **Marketing Claim:** Technically accurate, but slightly generous. They are using the class definition rather than the literal peak voltage definition.

You are not being cheated. Your ~635V reading confirms you have a high-voltage 800V-class vehicle. The "Evo" version is simply a more advanced implementation of that same 800V concept, featuring current-boosting technology to charge faster on older, lower-amperage chargers.

(Gemini answered similarly)

The main reason why I would be weary about the Goldilocks 800V solution is Tesla. Yeah, that Tesla......... I am not a fanboy, but I am not one to deny where credit is due, and Tesla achieves class best consumption figures on the good ol' 400V clunker tech - that should give you pause!

800V, 900V, 1,000V is superior to 400V systems no doubt, but to the point to make is another truism: How often do you run at peak power output for which that matters? You can do 120 km/h all day with a puny 22 to 25 kW motor output power!

As for charging power, it is only tangentially a factor of the battery voltage. And here is the real bummer: Take that 800V technology car to a 400V charger and the power transfer can be an abysmal 40 kW! (e.g. Zeekr 7X) because the car has to boost the voltage, and since Thailand has plenty of 400V chargers, at least for a while this is not to be underestimated.

Just as a side note and why skepticism is always essential, I followed up with:

'Can you re-check about the silicon carbide (SiC) inverters - I read a release that claimed even the e-Platform 3.0 uses SiC?'

[ ]

'Why the confusion might have occurred:

Early press releases for e-Platform 3.0 heavily promoted the "Shift to SiC" as a major differentiator from older platforms . When the Evo version launched, marketing materials again highlighted "SiC" as a feature—creating the impression that SiC was new to Evo—when in reality, it was an improved version of the SiC module .

Final Verdict: Your non-Evo Sealion 7 does benefit from SiC technology. It is a key part of why the base 800V architecture can still achieve decent efficiency, even without the Evo pack's additional current-boosting features. The Evo simply takes that same base material and refines the packaging for a marginal gain in peak performance .

Thank you again for the excellent catch, and I apologize for the initial inaccuracy.'

4 hours ago, Pib said:

picking the auspicious date...boy, oh boy, the SL7 AWD has PLENTY of power...much more power than I'll ever need or be able to use...but I will like having that power.

Dude. The auspicious day must be picked, how can you not let your wife do it? 🤣 this is Thailand, if you don't pick it, anything that happens to it, will be your fault, bought the wrong day. 🤣

Having me power engineered to the car is always the Pro move if you value engineering head room.

High power figures and high efficiency isn't just a number; it defines how much "headroom" you have before the system starts throttling on the highway, a long trip in a super hot day, or fast charging on they middle of the day under the sun in PTT.

If you have 300kw motor, charging and wirings or that high rate, it will be not breaking a sweat in the highway or in bad conditions. Mean while the atto3 is chocking at the heat generated and the cooling system if at full 100% power at 4kw.

It is never too much power...

3 hours ago, Pib said:

Wow!!!!....I'm still absorbing above....super detailed. I did notice you used 104 cells in the script for the 60.48Kw battery (Extended Range Atto 3) ...it actually uses 126 cells....don't know if that will make any difference in your calculations. And I think for the 50KW battery (Standard Range Atto 3) it uses 108 cells.

Uhm. I can't remember exactly why I picked that number... thanks for catching that! I think I need to update it.

39 minutes ago, mistral53 said:

As for charging power, it is only tangentially a factor of the battery voltage. And here is the real bummer: Take that 800V technology car to a 400V charger and the power transfer can be an abysmal 40 kW! (e.g. Zeekr 7X) because the car has to boost the voltage, and since Thailand has plenty of 400V chargers, at least for a while this is not to be underestimated.

Every charger I have tried in Thailand I go look at the label behind to see specs, you know I'm a curious geek, haha.

All of them have been saying 1000v DC and mostly between 200,300 and 400 Amps. Never seen more than 400A.

Neither ever seen only 400V.

But I have seen many broken ones that I didn't budget to look at the label. Sometimes I take a photo of the KW counter to compare later.

Interesting about the SL7 voltages, great to know it's higher than that, definitely good for the crazy Thai heat, higher voltage = less current, less power losses.

9 hours ago, Pib said:

Thanks. I pickup my black SL7 AWD next week on Monday. Window tinting needs to be applied and some other small stuff done before then. I could have probably got the car "before" this coming Monday, however, the wife and sales ladies started looking at what would be the next "auspicious" day to take possession of the SL7 and this coming Monday was the earliest auspicious date...so Monday it is. And I did another test drive before the booking/forking-out Bt10K and picking the auspicious date...boy, oh boy, the SL7 AWD has PLENTY of power...much more power than I'll ever need or be able to use...but I will like having that power

I have also narrowed my choice down to 3 cars, including the 7X LR and the SL7. The Zeekr is more premium otherwise the SL7 is fine. But, I have been searching for news of whether BYD will offer the SL7 in a long range version also, maybe using the new blade 2 battery, but have been unable to find any confirmation of this. I really would like 600+ km of WLPT range, and right now my two final choices are either the Tesla Y LR or Zeekr 7x LR. If BYD will offer a LR in the SL7 I would be willing to wait. As I know you are a BYD afficionado, have you heard any news on this?

1 hour ago, keemapoot said:

I have also narrowed my choice down to 3 cars, including the 7X LR and the SL7. The Zeekr is more premium otherwise the SL7 is fine. But, I have been searching for news of whether BYD will offer the SL7 in a long range version also, maybe using the new blade 2 battery, but have been unable to find any confirmation of this. I really w/ould like 600+ km of WLPT range, and right now my two final choices are either the Tesla Y LR or Zeekr 7x LR. If BYD will offer a LR in the SL7 I would be willing to wait. As I know you are a BYD afficionado, have you heard any news on this?

Yea, I hear you about wanting the "most range" like 600km "WLTP" range for you next EV buy. That's ballpark 600km WLTP was what I also really wanted "if I could get it" in an EV that I "totally liked" including the interior, exterior, technology, support, etc., and it was within my price range. Heck, I could buy a Bt5M car for cash if I wanted to, but for me I just can't see paying over Bt2M for any car from a practical point of view of what I want and need in a car. I think we all have some upper limit on whatever product/service we buy and it varies from person to person as to what they are willing to pay.

Anyway, my research (i.e., googling & youtubing) regarding an "updated" version of the SL7 for Thailand (or other parts of the world) and what the updated version might look like specifications-wise pretty much just led down a bunch of rabbit holes. And all the AI-generated articles/videos didn't help. One rabbit hole would talk a version for the China market, another for the Europe market, and another for other international/export markets where it could vary by country due to various reasons like country-specific vehicle laws/regulations, potential customer buying power, etc...etc...etc.

Seems vehicles for the China market always get the updated & best stuff first.....then EU countries will get an updated version tailored to Europe, and then another updated version for the rest of the world such as Thailand.

And regarding the SL7 getting the Gen 2 blade battery which might make a person automatically think the battery KWH rating will be increased very significantly simply because it's a Gen 2 which in turn should significantly also increase the range, well, from what I've been seeing so far is BYD might update a vehicle from Gen 1 blade to Gen 2 blade but the KWH size might only increase a little bit because BYD feels a certain KWH size is the most appropriate size for a certain vehicle/market area but by switching to the Gen 2 battery it did provide a "charging speed boost" while also allowing BYD to possibly lower the vehicle weight and selling price since the Gen 2 battery is supposedly around 15% cheaper to build compared to Gen 1 and also lighter. Or, keep the price the same which provides more profit for BYD while still providing the customer a charging speed boost although there might have been little to no battery KWH size increase. And of course updated/more efficient motors also have an impact on range.

Right now there are various sized batteries in the SL7....Gen 1 blade batteries....depends on what portion of planet Earth the SL7 was made for. See below Wikipedia article/snapshot....ranges from 71.8KWH to 91.3KWH with Thailand using an 82.56KWH...pretty much in the middle of the range.

IMO whatever updated SL7 version arrives Thailand this year or next and even if it's utilizes the Gen 2 battery the battery KWH sold in Thailand will not exceed 100KW...and probably remain in the 80 to 90KWH ballpark. But it will be a Gen 2 battery which will cost BYD less to build and will be physically smaller/lighter than a Gen 1 battery....that lighter battery and probably slightly more efficient batteries will probably provide a small range increase.

Summary: above is what I found while in the various rabbit holes.

Current BYD SL7 battery sizes used around the world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_Sealion_7

3 hours ago, keemapoot said:

right now my two final choices are either the Tesla Y LR or Zeekr 7x LR.

Tesla = Swasticar

And when considering any new car a person should give very significant weight to the brand's "support network" like number of dealerships (and whether a dealership is more of just a show room or also a service center)....parts support...is a lifetime warranty for the battery/drive motor offered.....etc..etc...etc.

Zeekr is a prime example of having a small (but growing) dealership network in Thailand. Around a dozen or so locations in Thailand with a little over half of them being in the Bangkok area. Chiang Mai also has one under construction under the Primus company....this is to replace the Zeekr dealership that closed down last year which was run by another company. For me a Zeekr dealership/service center with paint shop capability was jut a 10 minutes drive away here in Bangkok so that is one major reason I gave the Zeekr 7x a lot of consideration.

But as mentioned before, Zeekr does not offer a free or paid lifetime battery/motor warranty... they provide an 8 year/180,000km battery warranty which is a little better kilometers-wise than the BYD 8 year/160,000km battery basic warranty. Lack of a lifetime battery warranty kept bothering me and was a major reason I shifted back to the BYD SL7 side of the fence which does provide a lifetime battery/motor warranty although the lifetime warranty can only be transferred to spouse or children.

Zeekr Dealerships in Thailand

Edited May 12May 12 by Pib

Just now, matchar said:

Have you considered the Aion Hyptec HT?

It's the cheapest 800V car in Thailand at less than 1.2 million with a lifetime warranty.

DC Fast Charging supports up to 280 kW.

DC Fast Charging: 10-70% in 15 minutes.

DC Fast Charging 0-100% in 53 minutes.

yes I did, the HT is soft and a very comfortable, the rear looks really good. will test drive soon.

I want a sporty sedan car, like the IM5, BYD Seal, with large battery (85-100+kW). not sure I want another large SUV,

Another reason I'm interested on the IM5 is because MG is moving to CKD (Local Assembly) for the IM5/IM6, that will stabilize parts supply chain in Thailand. but the sales could also be lying to sell the cars. who knows..

I think more likely is the SL7 will be made in Thailand, as it sells a lot more than MG.

The CLA250+ is a also a great choice because not only the car, also the battery is fully assembled in Thailand. so parts should be easily available and no need to import.

anyone owns a the Hyptec HT?

I love the IM5 interior and performance, but it looks like a jelly-mold and that rear end is a disaster.

The Hyptec has those "expensive to repair" doors.

6 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I love the IM5 interior and performance, but it looks like a jelly-mold and that rear end is a disaster.

The Hyptec has those "expensive to repair" doors.

As far as I know not all versions of the Aion Hyptec have those wing doors