Cheaper than a Dacia Spring, the BYD Seagull is arriving!

BYD took the Beijing Auto Show as an opportunity to confirm through its President the arrival of the Seagull in Europe.

The success of BYD and other Chinese manufacturers in Europe relies on two criteria: range and price. While prices took a hit following the loss of the Green Bonus, very generous discounts have since compensated. The trade war has therefore shifted to the territory of autonomy because the reliability, safety, and quality of electric models have now reached the standards of their internal combustion engine counterparts. When offering an affordable, quite attractive car with long range, you’re closing in on winning the game.

BYD has so far stayed away from the price war in which Tesla and MG, to name a few, are engaged. The Chinese automaker even seems to make no effort at all, offering its Seal, Seal U, and Atto 3 at just the right price, with no aggressive marketing. But that was before the launch of the Seagull.

The essentials and even more for less than 10,000 euros

BYD sells this small electric car in China for the equivalent of 9,000 euros. This price is not only ultra-competitive but downright crazy because we’re not talking about a Citroën AMI or a Renault Twizy. This 3.7-meter-long model with four seats and a large hatchback offers specifications that are on par with a Clio E-Tech or an e-208.

The Seagull will therefore arrive in Europe in 2025, but we must immediately dampen your hopes. It will never be sold for less than €10,000 on the Old Continent. Freight costs and various taxes will push up its price, but starting from 9,000 euros, there’s no problem staying under the 20,000 euro mark, perhaps even less than 15,000.

And for this price, you’ll get batteries ranging from 48 kW to 57 kW, providing a range between 350 and 500 km. By way of comparison, the Spring offers 240 km, and the upcoming Citroën ë-C3 with 320 km. Unlike the Spring and ë-C3, the entry-level BYD features a large, rotatable digital screen in the center of the dashboard—BYD’s signature.

If you think this is just another Chinese import to brush off, know that the Seagull accounts for 9% of Chinese electric vehicle sales. It is no longer just a best-seller; it’s the model to own, and customer feedback has been quite excellent!