BYD Sealion 7 cost to own in Australia — the true 5-year total
The BYD Sealion 7 starts at $54,990. Over 5 years, owning one (EV) costs about $69,339 in Australia as of July 9, 2026 — $1,156/month, $1.16/km — including depreciation, charging (with the ~12% charging loss most calculators ignore), maintenance, insurance, financing and rego. That's $15,693 more than a comparable Subaru Forester AWD Hybrid over the same 5 years.
BYD Sealion 7 incentives & grants
Novated lease (FBT exemption): for a salary-packaged EV the federal FBT exemption can cut the cost substantially — it depends on your income and tax, so it is not in the totals above. Source: ATO.
BYD Sealion 7 · Australia · 5-year estimate$69,339 total · $1,156/mo · $1.16/km
Where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · BYD Sealion 7 | Hybrid · Subaru Forester AWD Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $32,444 (47%) | $19,526 (36%) |
| Charging / fuel | $5,265 (8%) | $6,064 (11%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$632) | — |
| Maintenance | $4,752 (7%) | $5,502 (10%) |
| Insurance | $12,725 (18%) | $10,000 (19%) |
| Financing interest | $9,778 (14%) | $8,179 (15%) |
| Registration & fees | $4,375 (6%) | $4,375 (8%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $69,339 | $53,646 |
BYD Sealion 7 specs & assumptions
- Starting price
- $54,990manufacturer
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 18 kWh/100kmADR
- Range
- 482 kmADR
- Australia electricity
- 33.00c/kWhAER
- Annual km (assumed)
- 12,000Australia average
Compare the BYD Sealion 7 against any car, your km & your scenario
What the numbers say
The BYD Sealion 7 costs about $69,339 to own over 5 years in Australia — $1,156/month, $1.16/km at 12,000 km/yr — and depreciation is the biggest line: $32,444, 47% of the total (as of July 9, 2026).
- The Subaru Forester AWD Hybrid wins decisively here — $15,693 cheaper over 5 years; at typical assumptions this isn't a close call.
- No realistic annual distance flips this verdict — the Subaru Forester AWD Hybrid stays the cheaper car at every distance we model.
- On cost per month the BYD Sealion 7 ranks #16 of 26 midsize SUV models we track in Australia.
- Where the BYD Sealion 7's $69,339 actually goes: depreciation $32,444 (47%), insurance $12,725 (18%), financing interest $9,778 (14%), charging $5,265 (8%), maintenance $4,752 (7%), registration & fees $4,375 (6%).
- Per km, that is $0.54 of depreciation and $0.09 of charging, with $0.53 for everything else — $1.16/km all-in.
- Charging vs the fleet: the BYD Sealion 7's 5-year charging bill ($5,265) runs $731 above the $4,534 median of the 25 EVs we price at the same rates.
What we assume for maintenance
Assumed $950/yr for an EV at 12,000 km/yr — about $4,752 of the 5-year total above. On this market's assumptions an EV runs about $330/yr less in maintenance than a petrol car ($950 vs $1,280). See the methodology for sources; adjustable in the calculator.
Cost to charge the BYD Sealion 7 at home
The BYD Sealion 7 runs about $6.75 per 100 km at home — versus about $11.41 for a typical 7 L/100km petrol car. Home charging only (the ~12% AC charging loss is included); public DC fast-charging is billed per session by each network — often 2–3× the home rate — and isn't in these figures.
- Per 100 km at home
- $6.7518 kWh/100km + 12% charging loss × $0.33/kWh
- A typical 7 L/100km petrol car
- $11.41/100kmat $1.63/L — for comparison