Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD will soon sell its smallest vehicle in the UK, and while meaning it’ll be in-built right-hand drive for the primary time, it’s unlikely we’ll see it in Australia any time soon.
Often known as the Seagull in China, the mini EV hatch will probably be marketed because the Dolphin Surf within the UK. It has already been sold because the Dolphin Mini in markets like Mexico and Brazil since early 2024.
UK outlet Autocar expects the Dolphin Surf could cost lower than £20,000 (A$40,913) when it goes on sale later in 2025, which suggests it could undercut local small EVs just like the Fiat Grande Panda and Citroen e-C3 in that market.
Nevertheless, it likely won’t beat the market’s current least expensive EV – the Dacia Spring, priced from £15,000 (A$30,676).
Within the UK, the larger Dolphin is priced from £26,195 (~A$54,000).
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In Australia, the most affordable Dolphin Essential costs $29,990 before on-roads, making it our market’s least expensive EV.
The managing director of BYD’s local distributor EVDirect, Luke Todd, recently told CarExpert the corporate wouldn’t be going lower, meaning the Seagull is probably going still off the cards.
“I feel the value of $29,990 is the sharpest the present technology and the present environment allows us to do,” he said.
Despite acknowledging he “would like to see a product under $25,000”, Mr Todd said it was necessary all BYD models sold in Australia got here with the backing of a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
“People ask ‘when is the Seagull coming?’, and the truth is it’s not built to find a way to attain the Australian five-star [safety] rating at once,” he said.
The Chinese-market Seagull previously had no energetic safety technology available, while some versions even lacked front-side airbags.
To treatment that, BYD recently revealed an update for the Seagull in China which could end in a potentially greater safety rating.
Together with revised front and rear styling, the Seagull Intelligent Driving Edition receives a set of BYD’s latest advanced driver assistance tech often known as God’s Eye C, with features like adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and rear cross-traffic assist.
The Seagull in China costs between 69,800 yuan and 85,800 yuan, or around A$15,000 to A$18,600.
The Dolphin range, meanwhile, opens at 99,800 yuan, or around A$21,700, though the bottom model there lacks most of the features fitted to the entry-level Australian-market Essential.
The Seagull is BYD’s smallest automobile and measures just 3780mm long, 1715mm wide and 1540mm tall on a 2500mm wheelbase, making it 185mm longer than a Kia Picanto on a 100mm longer wheelbase. The Seagull also has a kerb weight of between 1160kg and 1240kg.
It incorporates a 55kW/135Nm electric motor and either a 30.08kWh LFP battery that supports 30kW DC charging, or a 38.88kWh LFP BYD Blade battery that supports 40kW DC charging, with CLTC range figures of 305km and 405km respectively.
In comparison with the Dolphin, the Seagull is roughly 500mm shorter and 200mm narrower, while weighing around 400kg less. The Hyundai Inster measures up similarly to the Seagull but continues to be roughly 80mm larger in most key dimensions.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
