BYD has unveiled an all-electric version of its Sealion 8 seven-seat SUV boasting up to 653km of driving range, 570kW of power and battery charging times of just nine minutes.
Badged Atto 8 for Europe, the new electric SUV is closely related to the Sealion 8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) already on sale in Australia, sharing its body, dimensions and three-row seating layout.
But despite BYD’s rapidly expanding Australian electric vehicle line-up, the company’s local operation says it has no immediate plans to introduce the battery-electric version.
READ MORE: 2026 BYD Atto 2 DM-i Review: Australia’s cheapest plug-in hybrid drives like an EV, but it’s not as smooth as some
READ MORE: 2026 BYD Atto 3 Evo Premium Review: Rear-drive rethink amps up the driving pizazz for BYD’s original EV
READ MORE: 2026 BYD Sealion 8 Premium PHEV Seven-Day Review: The family car to build our dreams?
READ MORE: Best EVs to buy in Australia: The ultimate guide to affordable EVs
The Atto 8, which debuted at the Paris motor show this month, will become BYD’s flagship SUV in Europe when sales begin in the first quarter of 2027, offering a choice of rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive powertrains.
Both versions use BYD’s second-generation Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, with a substantial 115kWh capacity.
The entry-level Design RWD employs a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 340kW and 365Nm, providing a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 8.0 seconds and a WLTP driving range of 653km.
The flagship Excellence AWD adds a second electric motor, increasing combined output to 570kW and 775Nm.
That reduces the claimed 0-100km/h time to 4.6 seconds, while WLTP driving range drops to 602km.
For comparison, the most powerful Sealion 8 PHEV sold in Australia combines a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine with electric motors to produce 359kW and 675Nm, reaching 100km/h in a claimed 4.9 seconds.
The biggest technological development is BYD’s Flash Charging system, which makes its European BYD-brand debut in the Atto 8.
Using compatible ultra-high-powered charging infrastructure, BYD claims the 115kWh battery can be replenished from 10 to 70 per cent in just five minutes, or from 10 to 97 per cent in nine minutes.
Even in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius, the company claims a 20 to 97 per cent recharge takes only 12 minutes.
Those figures depend on access to compatible Flash Charging equipment, rather than conventional public DC fast chargers.
BYD says it plans to install 3000 Flash Charging stations across Europe by the end of 2027.
The technology is also destined for Australia through BYD’s premium Denza brand, with an initial rollout of compatible chargers planned for Denza dealerships before a broader expansion.
Measuring 5040mm long, 1996mm wide and 1760mm high, with a 2950mm wheelbase, the Atto 8 has virtually identical external dimensions to the Australian Sealion 8 PHEV.
The cabin accommodates seven occupants across three rows, with 270 litres of luggage space when all seats are occupied and up to 1960 litres with the second and third rows folded.
There is also a 136-litre front luggage compartment.
Interior equipment includes a 15.6-inch central touchscreen with Google built-in, a 10.25-inch digital instrument display and a 26-inch head-up display.
Other features include a panoramic glass roof, three-zone climate control, wireless phone charging and heating, ventilation and massage functions for the front and outer second-row seats.
If introduced in Australia, the electric Sealion 8 would compete in the relatively small but growing seven-seat electric SUV segment against the likes of the Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Volvo EX90.
It would also offer an alternative to more expensive premium electric SUVs, although its eventual competitive position would depend heavily on Australian pricing.
The existing Sealion 8 PHEV is priced from $56,990 before on-road costs for the Dynamic FWD, rising to $63,990 for the Dynamic AWD and $70,990 for the Premium AWD.
However, European pricing for the Atto 8 has yet to be announced, making it too early to predict how much the fully electric model might cost if introduced here.
The post BYD Sealion 8 goes electric! Seven-seat Atto 8 EV revealed with 653km range and nine-minute charging appeared first on EV Central.
