Description

Presented in April 2023 at the Shanghai Motor Show, the five-door Seagull hatchback is the youngest and most compact of all BYD electric models. It is possible that the decision to bring it to the market was made based on the results of sales of the slightly larger Dolphin model - in a year and a half it was sold in the amount of 230,000 units, and by the end of 2022, 25,000 Dolphins found buyers every month. In the end, it was necessary to master the new e3.0 electric platform, on which both the Dolphin and the Yuan Plus electric crossover that appeared a little later were created.

Of course, the technical component was also adjusted. The electric motor - synchronous, with permanent magnets - is the only one used. It develops 55 kW (74 hp) and 135 Nm and drives the front wheels. But the batteries of the BYD Blade family have two capacities - 30.08 and 38.88 kWh. The mileage declared by the manufacturer until fully discharged is 305 and 405 km, respectively. However, this is according to the outdated NEDC cycle.

It's only been two years since the launch of the Dolphin and Yuan Plus, and even less in the case of the Yuan Plus, but BYD design director Wolfgang Egger has radically rethought his view of what a small hatchback should look like. Seagull is brighter, more aggressive and, if you like, more geometric than its predecessors. Noteworthy is the “adult” wheel diameter – 15 or 16 inches.

Even in the minimum configuration, Seagull has two screens: a 5-inch one for instrument clusters and a 10.1-inch one for multimedia. In general, the electric car is well equipped. Already in the “base” there are front airbags and curtains, power accessories, voice control, Bluetooth and navigation, a stabilization system and hill-start assistance, a rear-view camera and tire pressure sensors, keyless entry and cruise control. Seagull in its minimum configuration is capable of self-parking. In fact, its equipment can only be improved by side airbags, adaptive cruise control and intelligent high beams. But what’s interesting is that the model lacks the currently fashionable drive assistants - automatic braking, lane departure warning, road sign recognition, and collision avoidance.