Chinese automaker BYD has reduced the starting price of its entry-level Seagull electric vehicle to 56,800 yuan ($7,800), deepening price cuts across its Ocean Series models as competition in the domestic electric vehicle (EV) market intensifies.
The discounted price applies to the non-Smart Driving Vitality Edition, which previously retailed for 69,800 yuan ($9,500). The promotion marks BYD’s latest effort to maintain its lead in the world’s largest EV market, where automakers are aggressively slashing prices to attract cost-conscious buyers.
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Launched last year, the Seagull EV is marketed as a symbol of cost efficiency. BYD previously stated that the model opened “a new era of electricity being lower than oil.” The compact hatchback is available in three trims — Vitality, Freedom, and Flying — with two battery options offering 305 km and 405 km CLTC range, respectively.
Compact in size, the Seagull measures 3,780 mm in length, placing it below the dimensions of the former Chevrolet Bolt and aligning more closely with models like the Fiat 500e.
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The price cut coincides with strong sales momentum for BYD. The company sold 377,420 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in March alone, pushing its year-to-date total past the one million mark. This includes 416,388 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 569,710 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), marking annual increases of 39% and 76%, respectively.
Overseas sales also contributed to the growth, with BYD delivering over 206,000 vehicles outside China in 2025, more than double the figure from a year earlier. The Seagull, marketed as the Dolphin Mini in markets like Mexico and Brazil, is set to arrive in Europe later this year under the name Dolphin Surf, with starting prices expected below £20,000 ($26,000).
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“It may not be the cheapest EV, but it will be the best value,” BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li told Autocar regarding the Seagull’s European debut.