BYD just dropped the second-generation Seagull in China, and it’s no longer the tiny, cramped city commuter we used to know. The automaker has stretched its ultra-affordable EV into a full-fledged, five-seat subcompact hatchback. It’s longer, wider, and significantly faster. Yet, despite the massive footprint upgrade and a serious injection of cabin tech, BYD kept the price tag shockingly low: the base model starts at just RMB 65,900—roughly PhP 622,992.
BYD added 425 mm to the car’s total length, bringing it to 4,205 mm, and stretched the wheelbase out to 2,650 mm. It’s now roughly the same size as its bigger sibling, the Dolphin. This extra real estate means passengers actually get decent legroom, and there is even enough space up front for a 94-liter frunk. Visually, the design has grown up, too. The sharp “Marine Aesthetics” theme returns, but it’s polished with sleek trident-style running lights, flush semi-hidden door handles, and a floating roofline.
BYD ditched the old front-wheel-drive setup for a more engaging rear-wheel-drive platform, rounding it out with an independent multi-link rear suspension for a smoother ride. Power gets a massive bump, too. A new 95 kW motor pushes out 127 horsepower—a huge step up from the previous generation’s meager 55 kW—bumping the top speed to 150 km/h. Buyers can choose between a 30 kWh or 39.2 kWh version of BYD’s signature LFP Blade Battery, yielding a realistic CLTC driving range of 320 km or 420 km. If you opt for the higher-end trims, a new ultra-fast flash charging system can juice the battery from 10% to 70% in just five minutes.
Inside, the cabin gets a modern tech overhaul with ventilated seats and a cleaner dash layout. If you’re willing to pay a bit extra, top-tier trims even offer an optional roof-mounted LiDAR system tied to BYD’s DiPilot 300 driver-assist suite. With its aggressive pricing and serious hardware upgrades, this second-gen Seagull isn’t just a minor refresh—it’s a warning shot to the rest of the budget EV market.
