Cristiana Oprea and the BYD Seal 01 at the project presentation in Bucharest. Photo: Mihnea Tatu, via FRAS.
Europe’s first BYD race car was built in Romania: the Seal 01 has 530 hp
A production BYD Seal Excellence has been converted in Romania into an electric car for competition. The project is named BYD Seal 01, develops 530 hp and made its debut on 29 August at the National Super Rally Championship round held in the centre of Timișoara.
The car is driven by Cristiana Oprea, 2025 Super Rally Electric Class champion and the first Romanian woman to start a World Rally Championship round. At the Timișoara debut, Oprea finished second in Class E, behind Horia Platona, according to the classification reported after the race by FanRally.
The Seal 01 is not a works car developed by the manufacturer in China. It is an independent project of Cristiana Oprea’s team, carried out locally with the support of Romanian companies and specialists. The Romanian Automobile Sport Federation presents it as the first BYD race car built in Europe.
The starting point: BYD Seal Excellence AWD
The base car is the top version of the BYD Seal electric saloon. The Excellence configuration uses two electric motors and all-wheel drive, with a total output of 390 kW, equivalent to 530 hp, and a maximum torque of 670 Nm.
The road model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. The power announced for the Seal 01 is the same as that of the production car; the project communication does not indicate an increase in motor performance or a change to the battery at this first stage.
The important differences are in mass, chassis, brakes and cabin safety. The team set out to adapt a fast electric saloon to the repeated demands of a Super Rally stage.
About 160 kg have been removed
The BYD Seal is a street car built for comfort and daily use. The conversion began by removing items that are not needed on a competition course. The team eliminated:
- the audio system;
- the airbags;
- ambient lighting;
- the carpets;
- other interior comfort components.
After the modifications, the car is about 160 kg lighter. The team has not published the final measured mass or the weight distribution, so the communicated difference should not be confused with a complete homologation sheet.
The first stage of stripping, reassembly and diagnosis was carried out with the support of ATP Group Baia Mare. Keeping the electronics of a modern electric car working after several modules have been removed is an important part of the conversion, even if the motors remain standard.
FIA-certified roll cage and a cabin prepared for competition
The emptied interior received an FIA-certified roll cage, built by Ireco Motorsport. Bucket seats, six-point harnesses and a Sparco extinguisher were installed, together with the equipment required for competition.
The exact wording matters: the project has an FIA-certified safety cage and equipment typical of a race car. FRAS communication does not state that the BYD Seal 01 is an internationally homologated model in a dedicated FIA category.
Removing the airbags is normal in a car that uses competition seats, harnesses and a protection structure, but it makes this configuration unsuitable for ordinary road use.
KW suspension, Ferodo brakes and Braid wheels
The Seal 01 uses adjustable KW suspension, which allows ride height and behaviour to be adapted for urban courses and, later, hill-climb stages. The braking system received Ferodo competition components.
The original wheels were replaced with lighter Braid rims, fitted with Michelin motorsport tyres. The wheel choice reduces unsprung mass and allows a tyre suited to competition temperatures and loads.
Let’s Race supported the choice and supply of components. The team has not published wheel sizes, tyre specification or suspension settings, so these cannot yet be compared precisely with the production configuration.
Why a heavy electric car needs well-controlled brakes and cooling
The 530 hp provide acceleration, but they do not automatically solve the problems of a competition car. A production electric saloon has a high mass, and repeated braking puts pressure on discs, pads, tyres and control systems.
Cristiana Oprea has indicated three directions for further development: improving braking, software changes and additional mass reduction through carbon-fibre body parts.
Software matters because torque distribution between the two motors, throttle response, energy recovery and thermal control were initially calibrated for road use. The team has not yet announced concrete changes to these functions.
No data have been published on battery temperature, power drop after several runs or the charging strategy between stages. That information will show how well the platform can be adapted for a full season.
Debut at Super Rally Timișoara
The first competition appearance was at the Trofeul Profi Timișoara, round three of the 2026 National Super Rally Championship. The event ran on a 4.95 km urban course laid out in the city centre, between the Modex car park, City Hall and the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Cristiana Oprea finished second in Class E. The electric-class win went to Horia Platona, driving a BMW i4. For the Seal 01, the round was the first test in real competition, not the end of development.
The overall classification was won by Aurelian Andronache in a Wolf GB08 Thunder prototype, by only 0.019 seconds ahead of Simone Tempestini. Those cars belong to different categories, and their result is not a direct comparison with the electric BYD.
The next race is scheduled in Bucharest
The BYD Seal 01 is due to take part in the Trofeul București on 10 October 2026, the last round of the Super Rally season. That race will give the team another chance to test the brakes, suspension and energy management on an urban course.
The plan for 2027 is broader. Cristiana Oprea intends to enter the car in the National Hill Climb Championship as well. Longer stages and changes in altitude will place other demands on battery temperature, power delivery and braking.
The stated objective is for the Seal 01 to become a test platform for electric performance. That does not mean the project’s results will automatically reach production BYD cars; no official technical programme between the team and the manufacturer has been announced.
Who contributed to the project
The project belongs to Cristiana Oprea’s team and was built with the support of several partners:
- ATP Group Baia Mare — stripping, reassembly and diagnosis;
- Ireco Motorsport — FIA-certified roll cage;
- Let’s Race — components and technical consultancy;
- UniCredit Leasing — principal partner;
- PPC blue Romania and Schaeffler — partners of the sporting programme;
- Walero and GoPro — technical partners.
The presentation event was held in Bucharest, in a space hosted by Țiriac Auto. The presence of the BYD logo and the use of a car bought from the brand’s range do not, however, turn the project into a car built by the manufacturer’s motorsport department.
What the project means for electric motorsport in Romania
FRAS has accepted electric cars in its competitions for several years. The federation recalls the debut of a Volkswagen Golf electric prepared for hill climb in 2018, the participation of a MINI Cooper SE in 2020 and the Tesla projects later developed by Dominic Marcu.
The BYD Seal 01 adds a Chinese manufacturer to that list and shows that a local team can convert an electric platform that has only recently entered the Romanian market. Technical relevance will depend on the car’s evolution, reliability over several races and the transparency of the data collected.
For the public, the project also offers a useful comparison between the performance declared on a production-car sheet and the real demands of motorsport. High power is the starting point; mass, cooling, brakes, tyres, software and safety decide whether the car can repeat the performance in a competition.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BYD Seal 01 built officially by BYD?
No. It is an independent project carried out in Romania by Cristiana Oprea’s team and its partners, based on a production BYD Seal Excellence.
What power does it have?
The two electric motors develop a combined 390 kW, equivalent to 530 hp, and 670 Nm. The power is the same as that communicated for the Excellence AWD road version.
How much lighter is it than the production model?
The team announces a reduction of about 160 kg by removing comfort equipment and installing the competition configuration. The final mass has not been published.
What result did it achieve at its debut?
Cristiana Oprea finished second in Class E at Super Rally Timișoara, behind Horia Platona.
Where will it compete next?
The next appearance is scheduled at the Trofeul București on 10 October 2026. From 2027, the team intends to take part in the National Hill Climb Championship as well.
