Big success in China, the new electric city car by the BYD brand will soon be marketed in France at an amazing price.
She culminates at the top sales in China and now wants to conquer the European market. Launched in the spring of 2023, the Seagull, the latest born from the BYD electric car giant, will be presented in its “European” version on May 21. With us, it will not bear the name of Seagull but of Dolphin Surf. But it’s not the only thing that will change. The price of the small city car measured at 3m78 will also be different. And it is not because of the particularly aggressive European taxes with regard to Chinese manufacturers because the Dolphin Surf will probably be produced in Hungary, thus escaping these penalties.
In China, the Seagull starts under 10,000 euros, a price that we no longer find for a new car in Europe, and even less for an electric! With its rather angular silhouette which takes the opposite view of the current trend, its fairly minimalist interior but noted by its amazing rotary screen, the little Byd does not have much to envy to the Dacia Spring and Leapmotor T03, its future competitors. Its autonomy, announced at 305 and 400 kilometers depending on the choice of battery (30 or 39 kWh) according to the Chinese approval cycles CLTC, the minimum square in terms of car models with which it intends to compete soon.
But before embarking on our roads, the future Dolphin Surf will have to undergo some transformations to get to European standards. And in particular to adopt security equipment that has become compulsory since last summer with the GSR2 standard, such as the signaling panel reading system or the line crossing alert. She will also have to pass the test of the crash test, more demanding here, and therefore possibly strengthen. The city car could also change dimension to get closer to the 4 meters, even if its external appearance, as interior, is not intended to be modified.
All these transformations have a cost that will be passed on to the price of the small electric. Also, Byd does not have the same positioning on its domestic market as in Europe where the brand adapts its prices to the already existing offer. So, will the Dolphin Surf be offered at an unbeatable price in France and our neighbors? Probably not.
Its price should be multiplied by two in Europe! The city car is expected in concessions around 20,000 euros. A much less attractive price at once, and even higher than those of the Dacia Spring (16,900 euros) and the Leapmotor T03 (17,900 euros). But unlike them, the Dolphin Surf could be eligible for the ecological bonus of 3,000 euros. Not enough to stand out from his rivals.