2023 BYD Seal electric car caught on camera in Australia

The 2023 BYD Seal electric car – the Chinese company's challenger to the Tesla Model 3 sedan – has been photographed in Australia, ahead of its expected arrival in local showrooms before the end of this year.

Photos posted by Al Vuectic to the BYD EV Owners Australia Facebook group show a right-hand-drive, camouflaged Seal sedan on a flatbed truck in Sydney, likely ahead of a round of testing on local roads.

As previously reported, the opening of orders – and first showroom arrivals – for the BYD Seal in Australia have been pushed back to the second half of 2023.

There is little to note on this Australian prototype that hasn't been seen in photos of cars in China, however it is right-hand drive – and wears Continental tyres, rather than the widely criticised Atlas Batman tyres of the BYD Atto 3 small SUV in Australia, which testing by Drive (and customers) found to be lacking in grip.

As reported previously, the Seal is sized similarly to a Toyota Camry or Tesla Model 3 – and is classified in Chinese showrooms under BYD's 'Ocean' range, alongside the nautically-named Dolphin and Seagull hatchbacks, upcoming Sea Lion electric SUV, and Frigate and Corvette 07 hybrid SUVs.

Drive has previously reported the Seal is due to receive a new name upon its Australian launch, but it is unclear if this is still planned.

Using Chinese prices as a guide, the Seal range could start from about $60,000 drive-away in Australia – however this is an estimate, and Australian pricing is yet to be announced.

In China, the Seal is available with up to 700km of claimed driving range (in lenient Chinese lab testing), or up to 390kW/670Nm in flagship dual-motor versions, capable to deliver a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.8 seconds.

Stay tuned to Drive for more news on the 2023 BYD Seal electric car as its local launch due later this year approaches.