BYD Road Journey: Relaxing and Spacious, Yet Hindered by Charging Pit Stops

BYD Road Journey: Relaxing and Spacious, Yet Hindered by Charging Pit Stops

In a week-long journey from Sydney to Melbourne and back, an EV and renewable energy enthusiast embarked on an adventure with the BYD Seal, a popular electric vehicle in Australia. With 20 years of experience in the IT industry, including 14 years as a network engineer and site reliability engineer at Google Australia, the author was no stranger to technology and was eager to share insights about this new electric vehicle.

The author's trip started with only a 30% state of charge, and the return journey required an extra 35 kWh of energy due to this initial charge level. The charging session details for the Sydney to Melbourne leg included stops at Evie North Fitzroy, BP Pulse Glenrowan, Chargefox Barnawartha North, and NRMA Yass, with a total energy consumption of 150.27 kWh and a total cost of $93.22. However, an issue arose at the Tesla Supercharger in Yass, as the BYD Seal was not recognised for charging.

Fortunately, a solution exists for this compatibility issue. The BYD Seal, which uses Type 2 and CCS2 charging ports, can now access Tesla’s proprietary NACS (Tesla Supercharger) network with the use of a CCS2 to Tesla Supercharger adapter. Products like the Lectron Vortex CCS to Supercharger (NACS) plug have been specifically developed to address this fast charging compatibility issue.

The charging session details for the Melbourne to Sydney leg included stops at NRMA Yass, Evie Wodonga Carl's Junior, Chargefox Euroa 1 and 2, and Evie North Fitzroy, with a total energy consumption of 115.79 kWh and a total cost of $74.19. The BYD Seal consumed 54% of its battery on the last leg of the trip home between Yass and Sydney, covering a distance of 283 km.

The efficiency of the BYD Seal is impressive, with a cumulative energy consumption figure of 16.0 kWh/100 km at the end of the week-long trip and a reading of 14.2 kWh/100 km over the last 50 km of driving mainly spent around town. The vehicle also offers comfortable seats with genuine leather and adjustable settings.

However, the author encountered some minor issues during the trip. The lane centering system occasionally reminded the driver to gently tug on the wheel, but if the driver missed the reminder, lane centering automatically turned off, which could be dangerous in a medical emergency as the cruise control remains active. The infotainment system in the BYD Seal sometimes required multiple presses to register.

Despite these minor setbacks, the BYD Seal proved to be a reliable and efficient electric vehicle for long road trips. The author's journey serves as a testament to the growing popularity of electric vehicles in Australia, with the BYD Seal currently Australia's third best-selling electric vehicle.

The author attended the All Energy Australia conference and exhibition in Melbourne, where the latest developments and trends in renewable energy and electric vehicles were showcased. The event highlighted the increasing importance of solutions like the CCS2 to Tesla Supercharger adapter in enabling a seamless transition to electric vehicles for all drivers.

1. The incompatibility issue with the Tesla Supercharger network was solved by using a CCS2 to Tesla Supercharger adapter, making it possible for the BYD Seal to take advantage of fast charging services.
2. The BYD Seal, which operates with Type 2 and CCS2 charging ports, is capable of efficiently covering long distances, demonstrating an impressive cumulative energy consumption figure of 16.0 kWh/100 km over a week-long journey between Sydney and Melbourne.
3. In addition to its efficient performance, the BYD Seal also provides comfortable seating with genuine leather and adjustable settings, making it a suitable choice for everyday use and long road trips.
4. The All Energy Australia conference and exhibition in Melbourne underscored the growing significance of solutions like the CCS2 to Tesla Supercharger adapter in promoting a smooth shift towards electric vehicles and renewable energy, furthering the evolution of the automotive and travel industries.

Read also: