BYD Seal 390 AWD vs Porsche 718 Cayman: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Seal 390 AWD hits 100 km/h in 3.77 s versus 4.56 s for the 718 Cayman. The instant torque of 670 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the Seal 390 AWD leads by 0.79 s and sits roughly 9 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Seal 390 AWD is doing 155 km/h against 149 km/h for the 718 Cayman. The gap is 0.60 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Seal 390 AWD crosses the line in 11.93 s versus 12.65 s. The 0.72 s gap represents roughly 36 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The Seal 390 AWD maxes out at 180 km/h while the 718 Cayman keeps accelerating towards 274 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.40 s.

Around 736 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the 718 Cayman overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 94 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the 718 Cayman finishes in 22.89 s versus 23.93 s. The 1.04 s delta in favour of the 718 Cayman shows that top speed makes a clear difference.

The Seal 390 AWD features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the 718 Cayman’s RWD. At low speeds (0-30, 0-50, 0-80 km/h), AWD doubles the driven contact area: all four wheels transmit torque to the road, virtually eliminating wheelspin at launch. This traction advantage is decisive in the range where the motor delivers peak torque, before power and aerodynamics take over.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Seal 390 AWD is capped at 180 km/h, the 718 Cayman at 274 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 6.70 seconds. The 0.79 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.