BYD Seal electric car price trimmed 48 hours after orders open

The price of the top-of-the-range 2024 BYD Seal Performance has been trimmed two days after orders opened – so the vehicle falls under the threshold for government electric-car rebates in certain Australian states.

The Seal Performance is now priced from $68,748 plus on-road costs, a reduction of $50 from the original list price of $68,798 plus on-road costs.

The price change was spotted by keen-eyed social media users on Thursday – less than 48 hours after orders opened on Tuesday night.

While it is a small reduction on the surface – less than 0.1 per cent of the value of the car – it allows the BYD Seal Performance to qualify for electric-vehicle incentives from state governments in New South Wales (for a limited time) and South Australia.

In these states a $3000 rebate is given for vehicles valued at less than $68,750. In NSW this threshold is the 'dutiable value', which includes arbitrary 'dealer delivery' charges – however unlike some other electric-car makers, BYD does not charge a dealer delivery fee.

The effective saving of $3050 in NSW and South Australia – as long as customers proactively apply for the rebate after purchasing the vehicle – only applies if the free white paint and black interior options are selected. All other exterior or interior colours cost extra and push the vehicle over the threshold.

In NSW the $3000 government rebate – as well as a stamp duty exemption on electric cars priced less than $78,000 – will only be available on orders placed before the end of this year, as the program will be scrapped from 1 January 2024.

The NSW government says it will honour the $3000 rebate and stamp duty exemption for buyers "who have purchased or placed a deposit on an eligible [electric car], and are awaiting delivery" by the end of this year, even if the vehicle is delivered sometime next year.

MORE: NSW to scrap electric-car purchase incentives, but increase funding for charging infrastructure

BYD Seal orders placed today are estimated to see delivery in December 2023 or January 2024, according to the BYD Australia website.

Despite the price reduction, the BYD Seal Performance remains $748 above the threshold for Queensland's $6000 electric-car government rebate, which applies to vehicles with a dutiable value (before on-road costs, but including dealer delivery fees) of less than $68,000.

The other two models in the BYD Seal range – the $49,888 Dynamic and $58,798 Premium – are unchanged, and have always been eligible for the NSW and South Australian government subsidies.