- One of China’s best-selling EVs is getting a makeover.
- The new BYD Seagull (Dolphin Surf in Europe) is larger, more powerful, and now features a front trunk.
- The original Seagull is currently priced from roughly $10,000.
Everybody knows that China’s EV landscape is vastly different from what we get in the United States, and the main difference is just how cheap cars can get over there. One such example is the BYD Seagull, which now retails for the equivalent of roughly $10,000.
Thanks to its low price and more than decent equipment, the Seagull, sold as the Dolphin Surf in Europe, was once China’s best-selling car, and now there’s a brand-new one that promises to offer more of everything.
The second-generation BYD Seagull is still properly small, measuring 165.5 inches (4,205 millimeters) long, 71.2 in wide (1,810 mm), and 61.8 in (1,570 mm) tall, but the new body is 16.7 in (425 mm) longer than the outgoing model, while the wheelbase has been increased by 5.9 in (150 mm), for a total of 104.3 in (2,650 mm)
All of this should make for a roomier interior, an area where the old Seagull struggled to offer enough room for four adults.
Besides giving the second-generation EV a larger body, BYD also flipped the way the Seagull is powered. While the old model had a front-mounted 73-horsepower electric motor, the new Seagull gets a 127 hp lump at the rear, making it rear-wheel drive. It’s a big leap in terms of power, and it also means that the new Seagull gets a front trunk that seems quite generously sized, whereas the outgoing EV didn’t get a frunk at all.
Wider, 205-millimeter tires mounted on 16-inch wheels make for a wider stance, while the updated suspension with an independent multi-link setup at the rear should make for a more engaging drive. As a reminder, the first-gen Seagull had a torsion beam at the rear, which is one of the cheapest suspension arrangements, though switching to rear-wheel drive likely forced BYD to go with an independent setup on the new EV.
The new Seagull gets power from an 800-volt lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that features BYD’s Flash Charging capabilities. There’s a 30-kilowatt-hour pack and a 39.2-kilowatt-hour option, with BYD claiming that a top-up to 70% can be made in as little as five minutes, while a 97% charge can be done in nine minutes. The base battery enables a CLTC-rated range of 199 miles (320 kilometers), while the longer-range model is good for 260 miles (420 km). On the EPA cycle, that would translate to roughly 140 miles and 183 miles, respectively.
On the technology side, the new EV will be available with a lidar-based advanced driver assistance system. Inside, there’s now room for five people instead of four, and a huge central touchscreen acts as the infotainment system’s interface.
Pricing is anyone’s guess, though it’s clear that the new Seagull will try its best to attract as many buyers as it can in the sub-$15,000 segment in China, where its recent performance has been lukewarm at best. It’s also unclear if the new Seagull will make its way to Europe, where BYD currently sells a modified version of the China-spec model to comply with safety regulations.
