Articles by Tim Nicholson

The BYD Seagull could be Australia’s cheapest electric car, but there’s no guarantee the little EV will make it Down Under.BYD is actively working on a business case for the Seagull, there are a number of things standing in its way.CarsGuide drove the Seagull in China recently and it is a fun, funky and surprisingly spacious little electric hatch with loads of personality.BYD Australia Senior Manager Product Planning and Pricing Sajid Hasan said the company is deep into a business case for the tiny EV.“We’re just working through the final stages of the business case, so we want to make sure that if we launch this product, that we can have it set at a price that is competitive and meets the customer's expectations,” he told CarsGuide.There are a few factors complicating the business case. One is the fact that it would have to be priced lower than its stablemate, the BYD Dolphin small electric hatch, which is already one of the most affordable EVs in Australia.The Dolphin Essential now starts at $29,990 before on-road costs and given the Seagull is smaller, it would have to kick off somewhere between $25,000 and $30,000.The other consideration is the fact that there are technically two different versions of the car. There is the Chinese domestic market Seagull and there is a right-hand-drive market version called the Dolphin Surf.The Dolphin Surf looks exactly like the Seagull, but there are key differences to underpinnings. It measures about 200mm longer than the Seagull and has more safety gear.The Chinese Seagull comes with a 55kW electric motor and a choice of a 30.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery or 38.9kWh ‘Blade’ battery for a driving range of 305km and 405km respectively on China’s lenient CLTC protocol.A Dolphin Surf ups power to 65kW or 116kW and the top grades have a 43kWh battery. The driving range is up to 322km on the more realistic WLTP protocol.Hasan cautioned that it’s unwise to assume the price of the Chinese-market Seagull (equivalent of US$12,000) would transfer across to Australia unchanged, given “we wouldn't be getting the left-hand-drive domestic-market” version here.At today’s exchange rate, a UK-spec Dolphin Surf starts from £18,650, which converts to AUD$39,000. It’s unlikely the price would be anywhere near that if it gets the green light for Australia.He said the micro/light passenger car segment is a challenge for BYD as it is dominated by affordable internal combustion engine cars like the Kia Picanto and MG3 that start from around $20,000.Other factors complicate keeping a car like this super affordable in Australia, Hasan said.“Dealer delivery fees can be quite expensive for some brands and BYD doesn't charge any dealer delivery. So the difference between our recommended retail price to our driveway price is pretty much the bare minimum when… compared to many other brands.”Keep an eye on CarsGuide.com.au for updates on the BYD Seagull/Dolphin Surf’s Australian fate.

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