Tesla's biggest Chinese rival unveiled a ridiculously cheap electric car — see $11,000 BYD Seagull

Tim LevinApr 28, 2023, 20:52 IST

The BYD Seagull.BYD

Chinese electric-car maker BYD launched the Seagull, a ridiculously cheap hatchback.
It costs roughly $11,000 to start and offers up to 251 miles of range, according to BYD.

This sleek little hatchback is one of the best deals on the electric-car market. But don't get your hopes up too much — you can't buy one in America.

The BYD Seagull.Aly Song/Reuters

The bargain-bin Seagull comes from BYD, a Chinese carmaker that's swiftly taking over the country's competitive EV market and making lots of trouble for Tesla and Elon Musk.

The BYD Seagull.VCG via Getty Images

The bargain-bin Seagull comes from BYD, a Chinese carmaker that's swiftly taking over the country's competitive EV market and making lots of trouble for Tesla and Elon Musk.

It recently went on sale with a starting price of 73,800 yuan, or roughly $10,600. Pricing goes all the way up to around 89,800 yuan (around $13,000),

The BYD Seagull.VCG via Getty Images

It's an astonishingly low price point in the global EV market. In China, the Tesla Model 3 costs the equivalent of $33,000. But the country is known for its cheap, tiny EVs.

The BYD Seagull.VCG via Getty Images

It's an astonishingly low price point in the global EV market. In China, the Tesla Model 3 costs the equivalent of $33,000. But the country is known for its cheap, tiny EVs.

The cheapest Seagull delivers 305 kilometers (190 miles) of range, BYD says.

The BYD Seagull.VCG via Getty Images

A more expensive version with a slightly larger battery pack returns an impressive 405 kilometers (251 miles), according to BYD. Both models can charge from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes.

The BYD Seagull.VCG via Getty Images

A more expensive version with a slightly larger battery pack returns an impressive 405 kilometers (251 miles), according to BYD. Both models can charge from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes.

BYD doesn't quote a 0-60-mph time but says the Seagull can hit 31 mph in 4.9 seconds.

The BYD Seagull.BYD

So how big — or small — is the Seagull? At 148.8 inches long, it's a little shorter than a Mini Cooper and a little longer than a Fiat 500.

The BYD Seagull.Fang Zhe/Xinhua via Getty Images

Inside, it offers up a rotating, 10.1-inch touchscreen and four airbags.

The BYD Seagull.VCG via Getty Images

BYD hasn't said whether it'll sell the Seagull outside of China, but it already exports other EVs to Europe and South America.

The BYD Seagull.Aly Song/Reuters

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Tesla's biggest Chinese rival unveiled a ridiculously cheap electric car &mdash; see $11,000 BYD Seagull

This sleek little hatchback is one of the best deals on the electric-car market. But don't get your hopes up too much — you can't buy one in America.

The bargain-bin Seagull comes from BYD, a Chinese carmaker that's swiftly taking over the country's competitive EV market and making lots of trouble for Tesla and Elon Musk.

It recently went on sale with a starting price of 73,800 yuan, or roughly $10,600. Pricing goes all the way up to around 89,800 yuan (around $13,000),

It's an astonishingly low price point in the global EV market. In China, the Tesla Model 3 costs the equivalent of $33,000. But the country is known for its cheap, tiny EVs.

The cheapest Seagull delivers 305 kilometers (190 miles) of range, BYD says.

A more expensive version with a slightly larger battery pack returns an impressive 405 kilometers (251 miles), according to BYD. Both models can charge from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes.

BYD doesn't quote a 0-60-mph time but says the Seagull can hit 31 mph in 4.9 seconds.

So how big — or small — is the Seagull? At 148.8 inches long, it's a little shorter than a Mini Cooper and a little longer than a Fiat 500.

Inside, it offers up a rotating, 10.1-inch touchscreen and four airbags.

BYD hasn't said whether it'll sell the Seagull outside of China, but it already exports other EVs to Europe and South America.

Tesla's biggest Chinese rival unveiled a ridiculously cheap electric car — see $11,000 BYD Seagull