The Seagull is BYD’s most affordable electric vehicle, starting at about $10,000 in China and sold overseas as the Dolphin Surf. BYD is preparing to introduce a new version that will likely be an even “bigger” hit.
BYD opens pre-orders for the new Seagull EV
BYD is best-known for its ultra-low-cost vehicles, but the Seagull is much cheaper than anything sold in the US.
In China, BYD’s electric hatch starts at 69,900 yuan, or around $10,000. Meanwhile, the lowest-priced vehicle in the US is the 2026 Hyundai Venue, which costs just over $20,000.
Even in markets outside China, like Europe, the Dolphin Surf, as sold, starts at just €22,900 ($25,000). In places like Brazil and Mexico, the electric hatch is rebadged and sold as the Dolphin Mini.
As one of the most affordable electric cars in many markets, the Seagull (Dolphin Surf/ Mini) has been among the world’s best-selling EVs.
According to the most recent data from CleanTechnica, BYD’s entry-level EV was the world’s sixth-best-selling EV through August, with over 212,000 units sold. It ranks behind only BYD’s own Yuan Up (Atto2), the Tesla Model 3, Geely Xingyuan (EX2), BYD Song (Seal U), and the Tesla Model Y.
For its second generation, BYD is upgrading the Seagull to compete with the incoming wave of entry-level electric cars hitting the market.
The new Seagull is bigger, smarter, and adds a bit more luxury over its predecessor. We caught a glimpse of the second-gen Seagull last month when Zhang Zhuo, general manager of BYD’s Ocean series, revealed the first official images.
BYD said shortly after that part of “Growing Up” means living up to expectations. As such, the new Seagull adds premium features, such as ambient lighting and massaging front seats.
It will also offer more legroom for rear passengers and a refined, immersive cockpit design. The setup includes a larger infotainment display, a new two-spoke steering wheel, and a redesigned center console for extra storage.
From what was shown, the new Seagull will not include a traditional instrument cluster behind the steering wheel.
Instead, it will display the information on the center infotainment screen. It also gains physical buttons below the infotainment and on the steering wheel.
Zhang announced on Weibo that blind pre-orders for the second-generation Seagull officially opened on Friday with six exterior color options.
However, he didn’t reveal prices, which is common in China when opening blind pre-orders for a new vehicle.
BYD hasn’t confirmed battery specs or any other details. Zhang said during the Chengdu Auto Show in August that the second-generation Seagull will launch as the “Great Seagull,” confirming it will go on sale by the end of 2026.
After the new model appeared in China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) regulatory filing in August, we learned a few key details.
For one, the new Seagull is 4,205 mm long, 1,810 mm wide, and 1,570 mm high, with a 2,650 mm wheelbase. That’s 425 mm longer and 150 mm longer in wheelbase than the current Seagull, which measures 3,780 mm in length.
The filing also revealed it will gain a more powerful 95 kW (127 hp) electric motor, up from the 55 kW (75 hp) the current Seagull offers.
Instead of a front-mounted motor like the current Seagull, the new model will switch to a rear-mounted electric motor.
Like many of its new vehicles, the second-generation Seagull now has a roof-mounted LiDAR. As such, it’s expected to offer an upgraded ADAS system with BYD’s God’s Eye B intelligent driving system.
We will learn more details soon, with an official launch expected by the end of 2026. While not yet confirmed, the new Seagull is expected to offer BYD’s latest Blade Batteries 2.0 and Flash Charging tech on more premium trims.
After its launch in China, BYD is expected to introduce a larger version overseas, likely as a variant of the Dolphin Surf and Dolphin Mini.
Source: Autohome, BYD
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