BYD Seal vs NIO ET5: which electric sedan to import

The BYD Seal and NIO ET5 are two all-wheel-drive electric sedans of roughly the same size and power. In our catalog the Seal costs ₽2,860,000 and the ET5 ₽3,410,000. On paper they are close, but behind the price gap lie different approaches to batteries, charging and service. Let us look at what will still matter once the car has arrived in your city.

Which cars exactly we are comparing

The Seal is a new 2025 car in Performance AWD trim, in stock at our Shenzhen warehouse. The ET5 is a 2024 car with a 75 kWh battery and 22,000 km on the clock, currently in transit from Hefei. So this is a new car against a nearly new one: part of the ET5’s warranty period has passed, but the first owner has absorbed most of the depreciation.

Battery and charging

The Seal has the larger battery, and it shows in range: 650 km against 560 km on the CLTC cycle. The Chinese cycle is generous; on the motorway and in winter both cars will do less, but the ratio holds. The ET5 is slightly more frugal, at 15.4 kWh per 100 km against 16.8 kWh.

At a fast charger the Seal takes up to 150 kW and goes from 10 to 80% in 26 minutes; the ET5 takes up to 125 kW and needs 30 minutes. Four minutes on a trip is barely noticeable. What matters more is that both cars cope well with cold: both have a heat pump plus heated and ventilated seats.

NIO battery swapping outside China

NIO’s big idea is swap stations, where a depleted pack is exchanged for a charged one in a few minutes. In China that is a working network. Kazakhstan, Russia and Central Asia have no such stations, so here the ET5 is an ordinary electric car charged from a wall box or a fast charger. Part of the price you pay for the NIO ecosystem simply goes unused after delivery.

Which car suits whom

• The Seal — if range, a new car with the full factory warranty and a lower turnkey price matter most.
• The ET5 — if you like NIO’s interior and handling, are happy with a low-mileage car and charge mostly at home.
• For frequent intercity trips with sparse chargers, the 90 km range advantage points to the Seal.

The bottom line is simple: for ₽547,000 less in China and about ₽605,000 less turnkey to Almaty, the Seal gives you more battery and a new car. Buy the ET5 deliberately — for its character and finish, not for battery swapping that does not exist here. The calculator shows the exact price to your city, and we can find a similar car within your budget on request.