2023 BYD Seagull

Information

The BYD Seagull (Chinese: 比亚迪海鸥; pinyin: Bǐyǎdí Hǎi’ōu) is a battery electric city car manufactured by BYD Auto since 2023. Positioned below the Dolphin within BYD’s line-up, it is currently the smallest vehicle among BYD vehicles, occupying the A00-class in Chinese segmentation (equivalent to European A-segment). It is part of the ‘Ocean series’ product line and marketed through ‘Ocean Network’ dealerships and stores. The car was made available in Brazil and Latin American markets in 2024 as the BYD Dolphin Mini.

Overview
The Seagull was introduced on 27 April 2023 in China. Unlike its 3-door rivals in the sub-100,000 yuan electric car segment, the Seagull features a 4-seater, 5-door configuration in a hatchback body style with a length of only 3,780 mm (148.8 in). According to Chinese publications, it is targeted towards younger customers seeking simpler means of transportation.

The exterior design of the Seagull combines numerous sharp lines, angular shaped headlights and a sloping roofline with rear lamps connected by a light bar. Interior space utilization is prioritized by increasing the wheelbase to length ratio at 66 percent, higher than the BYD Dolphin at 64 percent, along with the use of the thinner blade battery. In line with other BYD ‘Ocean’ series models, the dashboard design has a ‘wing’ design depicting a seagull’s wing with a two-tone design, and equipped with a rotatable 10.1-inch touch-screen infotainment system along with a 5-inch digital instrument cluster.

The Seagull is equipped with six airbags, rear disc brakes, electronic parking brake, and electronic stability programme. Its body in white contains 61% of high-strength steel, and uses hot-forming with a tensile strength of over 1,500 MPa in key parts.

Following its world premiere at Auto Shanghai in the second half of April 2023, BYD started delivering the Seagull in China. Upon its release, BYD received 10,000 orders for the Seagull in 24 hours. On 29 November 2023, the 200,000th Seagull rolled off the assembly line, only seven months after its introduction.

Specifications
In China, there are currently three trims offered, a base model called the “Vitality Edition” (活力版), a higher specification “Freedom Edition” (自由版), and a top-specification variant called the “Flying Edition” (飞翔版). All three models are powered by a single 55 kW (74 hp) synchronous motor with a top speed of 130 km/h (81 mph) and a claimed 0–50 km/h acceleration of 4.9 seconds, with an 0-100 km/h of 13 seconds.

Both the “Vitality” and “Freedom” models are built with a 30 kWh (110 MJ) LFP blade battery, enabling a cruise range of 305 km (190 mi) (CLTC); the “Flying” model sports a larger 38 kWh (140 MJ) battery pack and a range of approximately 405 km (252 mi) (CLTC). The battery can be recharged via an household AC power plug at 6.6 kW, or via a DC fast charger at 30 or 40 kW (depending on the model), during which it reportedly can be charged from 30% to 80% capacity in 30 minutes.

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