The Dolphin and Seal, which are now available in the Chinese market, are BYD’s first models to adopt the marine design concept. According to the Chinese media, two new marine-themed cars are to follow: BYD Sea Lion and BYD Seagull. The information posted on Chinese portals reveals several details about these future BYD electric car models, and recent images have brought forth details on their size and design.
Design
In a batch of images of upcoming vehicles that it released on January 11, 2023, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) revealed the exterior of the BYD Seagull. The electric city car has a sharp and purposeful design.
The smallest of the new-generation BYD electric cars features a smooth front fascia, sweptback, wedge-shaped headlamps, and a large windshield. BYD has used a single wiper on the Seagull, which is clever cost-cutting. A compact air intake at the bottom of the front-end serves the car’s cooling needs; the vertical grilles on its flanks don’t have openings and contribute to nothing more than style.
On the sides, the right-side front wing houses the charging port. The rising beltline features a sharp kick right behind the B-pillar, which makes the rear windows noticeably small. BYD designers have attempted to add ruggedness with gray cladding on the wheel arches and the door panels and crossover-like wheels. The flush door handles seem to be cost-effective pull-type units (non-electrical).
At the rear, the Seagull features rectangular combination lamps with a full-width light strip right at their upper edges connecting them and a pronounced roof spoiler. There’s also a gloss-black trim between the rear combination lamps.
Interior
Spy pictures have revealed the interior of the BYD Seagull. Apparently, the design of the upcoming electric hatchback is similar to the Dolphin and Seal, especially the former. The steering wheel is a three-spoke, flat-bottomed unit with metallic inserts, a scroller on the right spoke, and a toggle switch on the left spoke. The instrument cluster is a compact, free-standing display.
Like the Dolphin, the Seagull has two circular AC vents in the center of the dashboard, one on each side of the touchscreen infotainment system. The touchscreen infotainment also looks similar to the Dolphin’s (12.8-inch) unit, although we don’t know if it has a swivel function. The cylindrical panel of physical controls (including the gear selector) also comes from the bigger model. Basically, BYD just took the Dolphin’s dashboard, center console, and other elements and adapted them as per the smaller dimensions of the Seagull.
The Seagull features two places to place a smartphone, one below the touchscreen infotainment system and one further below, in front of the two cupholders. If not the upper unit, at least the bottom unit should include a wireless smartphone charging pad. The electric city car features a dual tone beige & black color scheme and quilted seat covers as well.
Specifications
According to the specifications that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released on January 11, 2023, the BYD Seagull measures 3,780 mm in length, 1,715 mm in width, and 1,540 mm in height. It has a 2,500 mm wheelbase and a seating capacity of four people (incl. driver).
According to a Yiche report published on November 30, 2022, the BYD Seagull will be available with two types of batteries: sodium-ion and lithium-ion. The unique sodium-ion chemistry could deliver a range of around 300 km (186 miles), whereas the conventional lithium-ion battery could deliver a range of around 400 km (249 miles).
Sodium-ion battery packs typically do not contain scarce minerals like lithium, cobalt, copper, etc. which are subject to frequent shortages and price volatility. Prominent battery company CATL says its first-gen sodium-ion battery cells offer a high-energy density of up to 160Wh/kg, a low fast-charging time (to 80% SoC) of 15 minutes, and energy retention of more than 90% in cold weather (-20°C).
