Confirmed arrival in Europe at €20,000 for the BYD Seagull

The Chinese manufacturer BYD has a deadly weapon that European automakers are really eager to avoid seeing on their shores!

BYD quickly understood that the two main deterrents to buying an electric car are range and price. One might even be tempted to say they are the only ones because reliability, safety, and quality have become almost equal, as electric models now meet the standards of their internal combustion engine counterparts.

BYD is a global leader in batteries for electric vehicles. Its models are therefore very competitive in terms of range, and the Chinese manufacturer’s main focus should logically be on price. But that is not entirely the case. For higher-end models such as the Seal and Han sedans, and the Atto 3 and Tang SUVs, one might even think that the brand is making no effort to compete against Tesla and European rivals. No promotions, no discounts — you pay for what you get. While automakers are striving to bridge the gap between what they can produce profitably and what customers can afford, BYD displays unwavering confidence. Yet, it seems that the Chinese manufacturer is about to win this price race with its smallest model, the Seagull.

BYD Advances Stealthily

The recent decision by BYD to sell this small electric car in China for the equivalent of €8,900 surprised everyone. This price is not only highly aggressive but also utterly astonishing for a 3.7-meter, four-seater, five-door car of such standing. We are not talking about a Citroën AMI or a Renault Twizy but a very nice and well-equipped small vehicle.

The upcoming arrival of the Seagull in Europe is no longer in doubt. Unfortunately, we must dampen your hopes — it will never be sold for less than €10,000 in the Old Continent. Transport costs and various taxes will inflate its price, but starting from €8,900, there is no problem staying around €20,000. This price was confirmed by BYD executives to Bloomberg this week.

And for that price, you will get batteries ranging from 30 kW to 38 kW. This translates to a claimed range of between 300 and 400 km. For comparison, the Dacia Spring promises only 240 km, and the upcoming Citroën ë-C3 reaches 320 km in WLTP cycle. Standard equipment includes six airbags, electronic stability control, and an electric parking brake. Unlike the Spring and ë-C3, the BYD comes with a high-end feature — a large digital display in the center of the dashboard as standard.

A Queen Car in China

If you think this is just another Chinese copycat, let it be clear that the Seagull, with nearly 400,000 units sold in China since its launch a year ago, accounts for 10% of the country’s electric vehicle sales. And customer feedback has been very positive!

We leave it to you to imagine the nightmares that must be haunting the nights and days of European executives right now. The only bright spot for them is that BYD produces the Seagull in China using a just-in-time supply chain and is struggling to meet demand. It gives them a small respite, but they will need to get serious again quickly because this car could soon be produced in BYD’s upcoming factory in Hungary!

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