BYD’s unveiling of the Seagull battery electric city car in Shanghai last week may have signalled a turning point in the EV revolution.Why is this the case?
Because the BYD Seagull is a true electric car for individuals who require a vehicle that can transport them to and from work, load groceries, travel to the beach on a bright day, and generally perform the tasks of a passenger car while emitting no pollution. Until recently, almost all electric vehicles were either luxury models or miniature quadricycles.
The Seagull is unique. It’s a four-door hatchback that’s somewhat bigger than a Fiat 500 and slightly shorter than a MINI Cooper. But the most astonishing news is that its starting price in China is under $11,000, which makes it less expensive than a gas-powered Honda Fit. That makes it one of the first EVs that doesn’t have to apologize for its sticker price.
The Seagull is part of the Ocean series, which also includes the Dolphin and the Seal, and is built on BYD‘s e-platform 3.0. The front wheels are driven by a single electric motor with 75 horsepower (55 kW) and 135 Nm of torque.
It has a peak speed of 130 km/h and takes 4.9 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 50 km/h. The Seagull is available with either a 30.08 kWh or a 38.88 kWh BYD Blade battery pack.
The vehicle with the smaller battery has a range of 305 km (190 miles), whereas the vehicle with the larger battery has a range of 405 km (251 miles). Using a fast charger, both battery packs can be recharged from 30% to 80% SOC in 30 minutes.
Looking back, historians might say that the launch of BYD Seagull was the moment in time when the world of transportation transitioned from reliance on the infernal combustion engine to acceptance of battery electric vehicles as the new normal 🙂
Reference- BYD PR, Inside EVs, Autoblog, HT Auto, Rushlane, Test Drive