BYD Seal Design RWD cost to own in the UK — the true 5-year total
The BYD Seal Design RWD starts at £45,705. Over 5 years, owning one (EV) costs about £47,712 in the UK as of August 6, 2026 — £795/month, £0.80/mile — including depreciation, charging (with the ~12% charging loss most calculators ignore), maintenance, insurance, financing and VED. That's £86 more than a comparable BMW 320i Sport over the same 5 years.
BYD Seal Design RWD incentives & grants
UK Electric Car Grant: up to £3,750 off the price of an eligible new EV (RRP ≤ £37,000, applied by the dealer). Shown for reference; not included in the totals above. Source: GOV.UK Electric Car Grant.
BYD Seal Design RWD · UK · 5-year estimate£47,712 total · £795/mo · £0.80/mi
Where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · BYD Seal Design RWD | Petrol · BMW 320i Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | £28,337 (59%) | £23,070 (48%) |
| Charging / fuel | £6,063 (13%) | £9,767 (21%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~£728) | — |
| Maintenance | £1,500 (3%) | £2,250 (5%) |
| Insurance | £2,780 (6%) | £2,455 (5%) |
| Financing interest | £8,032 (17%) | £7,324 (15%) |
| Registration & fees | £1,000 (2%) | £2,760 (6%) |
| Total cost of ownership | £47,712 | £47,626 |
BYD Seal Design RWD specs & assumptions
- Starting price (RRP)
- £45,705manufacturer
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 26.2 kWh/100miWLTP
- Range
- 354 miWLTP
- UK electricity
- 26.11p/kWhOfgem
- Annual miles (assumed)
- 12,000UK average
Road tax (VED) for EVs 2026
VED on the BYD Seal Design RWD is £200/yr — the flat standard rate EVs now pay — and it is included in every total on this page. Source: GOV.UK vehicle tax rates.
Cost to charge the BYD Seal Design RWD at home
The BYD Seal Design RWD runs about £7.77 per 100 mi at home — versus about £17.42 for a typical 40 mpg 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 mi at home
- £7.7726.2 kWh/100mi + 12% charging loss × £0.26/kWh
- A typical 40 mpg petrol car
- £17.42/100miat £1.53/litre — for comparison
Compare the BYD Seal Design RWD against any car, your mileage & your scenario
What the numbers say
The BYD Seal Design RWD costs about £47,712 to own over 5 years in the UK — £795/month, £0.80/mi at 12,000 mi/yr — and depreciation is the biggest line: £28,337, 59% of the total (as of August 6, 2026).
- Call it a tie: £86 apart over 5 years is inside the noise of estimates like these — choose on fit and charging access, not on cost.
- The BYD Seal Design RWD pulls ahead of the BMW 320i Sport if you drive more than about 12,000 mi/yr.
- Where the BYD Seal Design RWD's £47,712 actually goes: depreciation £28,337 (59%), financing interest £8,032 (17%), charging £6,063 (13%), insurance £2,780 (6%), maintenance £1,500 (3%), registration & fees £1,000 (2%).
- Per mile, that is £0.47 of depreciation and £0.10 of charging, with £0.22 for everything else — £0.80/mile all-in.
- Charging vs the fleet: at £6,063 over 5 years the BYD Seal Design RWD sits within £393 of the £5,670 median for the 27 EVs we price — nothing unusual either way.
What we assume for maintenance
Assumed £300/yr for an EV at 12,000 mi/yr — about £1,500 of the 5-year total above. On this market's assumptions an EV runs about £150/yr less in maintenance than a petrol car (£300 vs £450). See the methodology for sources; adjustable in the calculator.