BYD, one of the leading electric car makers in China and the world, has revealed the official pictures of its upcoming compact electric hatchback, the BYD Seagull. The Seagull is part of BYD's Ocean Series, including the Seal sedan and the Dolphin hatchback. The Seagull is expected to go on sale in China in April 2023, with a starting price of only 80,000 CNY (about $11,600).
The BYD Seagull is designed to be a stylish and practical urban electric car that can appeal to many customers. It measures 3.78 meters long, 1.71 meters wide, and 1.54 meters high, with a wheelbase of 2.5 meters. It has a sporty appearance with LED headlights, a large trapezoidal air intake, and a spoiler on the boot lid. The interior has not been revealed yet, but it is likely to feature a digital instrument panel and a large touchscreen for infotainment purposes.
The BYD Seagull is based on BYD's e-Platform 3.0, which integrates advanced technologies such as intelligent connectivity, autonomous driving, and bi-directional charging. The Seagull will also be the first car to use BYD's blade battery, which offers superior safety and durability compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. The blade battery can withstand high temperatures and prevent thermal runaway, which can cause fires or explosions in other batteries.
The BYD Seagull will offer two choices of battery sizes: a smaller 30 kWh unit and a larger 38 kWh unit. The smaller battery will provide a range of 265 km (165 miles), according to the Chinese driving cycle CLTC, while the larger battery will increase the range to 408 km (254 miles). There are also rumors that BYD will offer a third option with a sodium-ion battery, which is cheaper and more abundant than lithium-ion.
The BYD Seagull will also offer two choices of electric motors: a 55 kW (75 hp) unit and a 70 kW (95 hp) unit. The smaller motor will power the front wheels, while the larger motor will power all four wheels. The Seagull will have a top speed of 130 km/h (81 mph) and an acceleration of 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in about 10 seconds.