- The BYD says it achieved one Seagull million sales in just 27 months.
- The BYD Seagull is sold across the globe under several names, such as the Dolphin Mini and Dolphin Surf.
- The best-selling EV in China is actually now the Geely Xingyuan, though.
As some who follows the Chinese EV market, it’s still astounding to watch what models resonate, and which ones don’t. When BYD showed off its Seagull city car back in 2023, I wasn’t quite sure how exactly it would stand out in China’s very crowded electric car market. It looked good enough, but it was a small car facing an uphill battle in a market that loves big sedans. I figured it would be an automotive footnote, only to sell a handful of units while others pivot to new models.
Well, I was wrong. A few days ago, BYD announced that it had officially crossed the line of a full million Seagulls sold globally. It took barely two years to do this; the Seagull officially went on sale in China back in early 2023. BYD says it’s the fastest-selling model in its class, ever.
The Seagull is making inroads in a lot of markets that aren’t the United States. Of course, the Seagull gets the bulk of its sales in China, but recently BYD has started localizing and exporting the model in a lot of other markets. Namely, Latin America, Southeast Asia and now Western Europe.
Photo by: Kevin Williams/InsideEVs
In Brazil and Mexico, the car is called the Dolphin Mini. In other markets, it’s called the Seagull. For Europe, it’s called the Dolphin Surf, and has a plethora of structure and mechanical upgrades. It’s a bit longer due to its bigger bumpers, has a larger battery and more power than the dinky 75 horsepower unit in Chinese market cars.
The Seagull’s appeal globally is its price. In China, it can be had for about $8,000, undercutting practically every Western automaker, and many Chinese ones that can’t offer the same level of equipment. In export markets, the price is often closer to about $20,000, which is still a very competitive price in markets, still often undercutting most local competition. I’ve driven the Seagull before, and there’s a lot to like about the car’s surprisingly mature and refined demeanor despite its cheap price. European reviewers have also praised the car.
Photo by: Kevin Williams/InsideEVs
Interestingly enough, the Seagull technically isn’t China’s best-selling car anymore. Within the past few weeks, it’s taken a back seat to the Geely Xingyuan. Like the Seagull, the Xingyuan is a small car, but Geely’s Smart-like styling hides a bigger interior, more power, and a larger battery for not much more than the Seagull. If the Xingyuan keeps up its roughly 220,000 per month sales momentum, it too could reach the one million mark sooner than you think.
Contact the author: Kevin.Williams@InsideEVs.com