The BYD Seagull, already popular in its home market in China, has been beefed up for its entrance into Europe.
Improvements include an upgraded battery and powertrain, as well as bigger bumpers, according to InsideEVs.
The boosted features have also come with a new name, the Dolphin Surf. But it's the price for the "fully featured" electric vehicle that might be most surprising, at just $22,600.
It's an exciting splash for China's best-selling EV, which is now built to tackle longer ranges, the report continued. For reference, Edmunds listed the popular Tesla Model Y at a starting price of $44,990. The Seagull can be bought in China for around $8,000, Electrek reported.
"Now, it's Europe's turn to get in on the BYD Seagull fun," InsideEVs' Kevin Williams wrote.
BYD and Tesla have an annual spar for the world's best-selling EV crown. CNN reported that the Chinese company surpassed Elon Musk's brand in sales in 2024.
What's more, the International Energy Agency expects a quarter of all vehicles sold worldwide in 2025 to be battery-powered, rising to 40% by 2030. So there's ample market share for the taking.
Unfortunately, American drivers won't be able to buy a BYD, as 100% tariffs are among market deterrents, according to CNN.
In Europe, Williams described the Surf as having a "Lamborghini-in-the-city esque styling." It's about 8 inches longer, with up to 156 horsepower, depending on the package. Split, foldable rear seats are among the changes.
It can charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes, providing a 200-mile range on a full battery, as InsideEVs shared.
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Good driving range 🔋 "Its physical dimensions are right on the money for most European cities," Williams wrote. "It also looks to be quicker and better equipped than some of the smaller European EVs."
The switch to EVs is important to limit heat-trapping tailpipe exhaust, which is harmful to human airways and can be a cancer risk, according to multiple U.S. government reports.
Each EV that replaces a gas-burning ride prevents thousands of pounds of fumes annually. That's true even in states where dirty fuels provide most of the electricity to charge them, the U.S. Department of Energy noted.
And while tens of millions of tons of costly metals and other materials — often harvested by invasive mining — are needed to make EV batteries, Sustainability by Numbers reported that it still falls well short of the 16.5 billion tons of nonrenewables pulled from Earth each year.
You can charge your EV with clean power by adding a solar panel system at home. EnergySage is a free, online service that can help you land still-available tax breaks and find the right installer.
The company can help you save up to $10,000 on the cost of installation while adding an energy source that can reduce or nix your utility bill.
Meanwhile, Palmetto's LightReach program provides a lease option for the tech that doesn't require money down but still unlocks lower electricity rates.
For their part, EVs stateside qualify for up to $7,500 in rebates, too. You can also expect to save around $1,500 in gas/maintenance costs when switching.
As for BYD, Williams noted that the company's expansion will provide increasing competition for other brands.
"Will traditional Western [manufacturers] have what it takes to fend off BYD's quest for world EV domination on their home turf?" he asked. "I guess we'll find out soon."
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