Can BYD Sea Lion 06 Replicate the Success of Song PLUS?
【Big River Finance Cube Reporter Chen Wei Wang Ningning】 BYD Ocean wants to use "亲儿子" (son) to carry the banner of sales volume.
July 24th, BYD Sea Lion 06 officially went on sale, priced from 13.98 million yuan. This model is considered BYD Ocean's "亲儿子", shouldering the responsibility of resolving historical issues and unifying product systems, aiming to surpass Song PLUS in SUV sales volume.
Although Song PLUS has made significant contributions to BYD Ocean's sales volume, its ownership has always been a historical legacy problem for BYD Ocean. The present model Song PLUS should be renamed "护卫舰05" and incorporated into BYD Ocean's warship series, but due to its strong market appeal, BYD Ocean chose to retain this name, forming the phenomenon of "海洋产品挂王朝标".
The launch of Sea Lion 06 is a crucial step in resolving BYD Ocean's branding unification issue. The addition of Sea Lion 06 not only makes BYD Ocean's SUV lineup more comprehensive, filling the market gap between Sea Lion 05 (compact) and Sea Lion 07 (mid-range), but also intends to upgrade its technology through iteration, enabling it to take over Song PLUS's position in SUVs.
Sea Lion 06 has an advantage over Song PLUS in terms of length, width, height, and wheelbase. The interior space, especially the rear legroom, is more spacious, and the luggage compartment capacity is larger. Sea Lion 06 EV also comes with a front luggage compartment, enhancing its storage capabilities, pure electric driving range, and overall dynamic performance.
From a comprehensive design perspective, Sea Lion 06 is more inclined towards young consumers, featuring split-style headlamps, back-type design elements, which are more in line with the aesthetic preferences of the Z generation than Song PLUS's traditional style.
Moreover, its pricing strategy is more competitive. Multiple models of Sea Lion 06 have achieved "加量不加价" (add value without increasing price). For example, the top-spec model Sea Lion 06 EV, priced at 16.38 million yuan, is slightly lower than Song PLUS's top-spec model, but its configuration far surpasses the latter.
However, whether Sea Lion 06 can replicate Song PLUS's sales data remains to be observed. Since its launch in 2020, Song PLUS has sold over 130 million units, with a cumulative total of 41.85 million units in 2024, ranking first among BYD SUV models and second only to Tesla Model Y in the overall SUV market.
The current market environment is significantly different from when Song PLUS was launched. The competition in the SUV market between 10-15 million yuan vehicles is fierce, with new energy vehicle options such as Zero Run C11 extended-range version, Guangqi E-Aion Y Plus, and gasoline-powered SUVs like Changan CS75 PLUS and Geely Starry L.
Jia Zhichao, co-founder of the Institute for Grid Research and chief automotive observer, stated in an interview with Big River Finance Cube reporter: "To reduce costs, car companies have already narrowed the gap in basic technology in the 10-20 million yuan SUV price range. More emphasis is placed on technology, scenario, and ecosystem to demonstrate value-for-money."
Editor: Tao Jiyan | Reviewer: Li Jin Yu | Auditor: Li Zhen | Supervisor: Guqin