BYD's $10,000 Seagull Grows Up: Rear Drive, 5-Minute Charging And A Frunk

The tiny hatchback that once topped China’s sales charts is back for round two, and this time BYD has rethought the fundamentals rather than just freshening the styling. The second-generation Seagull — sold in Europe as the Dolphin Surf — keeps its compact footprint but stretches to 4,205 mm in length, adding 425 mm over the outgoing car and extending the wheelbase by 150 mm. That growth should finally give rear passengers the kind of space the original struggled to provide.

The mechanical overhaul is the bigger story. Where the first Seagull sent 73 horsepower to the front wheels, the new model mounts a 127 hp motor at the back, switching the car to rear-wheel drive. That change opened up room for a front trunk, and it pushed BYD to abandon the old torsion beam in favor of a multi-link independent rear suspension. Wider 205 mm tires on 16-inch wheels complete the chassis revision.

Battery options are a 30 kWh pack or a 39.2 kWh unit, both lithium iron phosphate chemistry running on an 800-volt architecture with BYD’s Flash Charging. The company claims a 10% to 70% top-up in as little as five minutes and a run to 97% in nine. CLTC range figures land at 320 km and 420 km respectively — roughly 140 and 183 miles by EPA reckoning.

Inside, seating grows from four to five, with a large central touchscreen handling infotainment and an optional lidar-based driver assistance suite available. BYD has not disclosed pricing, though the car will clearly target China’s sub-$15,000 bracket. Whether the new Seagull crosses over to Europe, where the current car is sold in modified form to meet local safety rules, remains an open question.