BYD Sealion 7 vs Kia EV6: real world range comparison

The BYD Sealion 7 and Kia EV6 are positioned as premium electric SUVs with dual-motor all-wheel-drive setups and claimed ranges of over 500km. While the Sealion 7 offers more power, the EV6 gets a larger battery pack. But which one goes further in real-world conditions? Here’s a look at our test data from both EVs.

BYD Sealion 7 vs Kia EV6: Specifications and price

EV6 gets a slightly larger battery; Sealion 7 is significantly more powerful

The Kia EV6 uses a slightly larger 84kWh battery pack, while the Sealion 7 counters with substantially higher power and torque figures. The BYD is also notably quicker in the 0-100kph sprint. However, the EV6 carries a significantly higher price tag. Claimed range figures cannot be directly compared as the two EVs use different testing cycles.

BYD Sealion 7 vs Kia EV6: Real-world range compared

EV6 delivers significantly higher tested range

In our real-world tests, the Kia EV6 delivered a substantially higher range than the BYD Sealion 7 in both city and highway conditions. The difference was especially large on the highway, where the EV6 managed 560.3 km compared to the Sealion 7’s 344 km. On average, the EV6 delivered 123.2 km more range on a full charge.

The EV6 achieved efficiency of 5.18 km/kWh in the city and 6.67 km/kWh on the highway. The Sealion 7, meanwhile, returned 4.90 km/kWh in city driving and 4.17 km/kWh on the highway.

In our testing we also found the regenerative braking for both cars isn't strong enough, being unable to bring the cars to a complete halt in the most aggressive setting of regen. 

Buyers prioritising outright performance and value may prefer the Sealion 7, while those looking for longer range and stronger highway efficiency may lean towards the EV6.

Autocar India’s range testing

For our real-world range test, we begin with each car’s battery fully charged and tyre pressures set as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. We drive the cars on a fixed loop covering both city and highway stretches while maintaining set average speeds. We then calculate the range based on the percentage of charge consumed. The AC is set to 22deg C in auto mode, and features such as the music system, lights and ventilated seats are used as needed, just as a regular user would. This approach ensures consistency and gives a clear idea of what to expect in daily use.

Prices are ex-showroom, India.