BYD Seagull

• BYD Seagull heads to Indonesia as Atto 1; compact EV to be sold in two variants, RM57k-61k estimated

  In BYD, Cars, International News / By Mick Chan / 16 July 2025 11:56 am / 5 comments

  

  The BYD Seagull will be known as the Atto 1 when it goes on sale in Indonesia, according to a post on the BYD Indonesia Facebook group.

  Known as the Dolphin Mini in international markets, the Seagull instead takes the Dolphin Surf name in the United Kingdom and Europe. Indonesia is the latest right-hand-drive market set to receive the Seagull, after the compact EV’s arrival in Thailand in March last year, and it was reportedly planned for the Australian market as well.

  Unveiled in April 2023, the BYD Seagull measures 3,780 mm long, 1,715 mm wide and 1,540 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,500 mm and is thus positioned under the Dolphin, which is 3,895 mm long, 1,735 mm wide and 1,515 mm tall with an identical wheelbase.

  According to Indonesian news outlet Kompas, the Seagull will go on sale in the republic in two variants, with pricing indicated to be between 218 million rupiah (RM56,871) and 233 million rupiah (RM60,784).

  

  Based on China-market technical specifications, the Seagull/Atto 1 gets a single electric motor producing 74 hp or 94 hp, supplied by either a 30 kWh or 38 kWh battery with CLTC-rated ranges of 305 km and 405 km respectively.

  While the aforementioned plan for the Seagull to go on sale in Australia has yet to materialise, the reported arrival of the Seagull in Indonesia – where it appears to be badged Atto 1 – affirms the carmaker’s plans for the compact EV to be sold in right-hand-drive markets.

  There has previously also been consideration for the Seagull to be brought to Malaysia as a budget entry below the Dolphin, though the current RM100k floor price for electric vehicles sold in Malaysia would position it side-by-side with the larger Dolphin, at least until next year.

  BYD Seagull at 2024 Bangkok International Motor Show

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  BYD Seagull/Dolphin Mini official images

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

   

  5 comments | Leave a comment?

   

• BYD Dolphin Surf launched in Europe – slightly-longer Seagull, up to 322 km WLTP and 156 PS, RM108k-135k

  In BYD, Cars, International News / By Jonathan James Tan / 22 May 2025 2:13 pm / 3 comments

  

  You may know it as the Seagull or the Dolphin Mini, but it’s called the Dolphin Surf in Europe, where BYD has launched 22,390 euro (RM108k) Active, 25,390 euro (RM123k) Boost and 27,890 euro (RM135k) Comfort variants, Car News China reports. Early bird prices are 19,990 (RM97k), 23,380 (RM113k) and 25,880 euros (RM125k) respectively until end-June.

  Interestingly, it’s actually notably bigger than the Chinese-market Seagull – wheelbase is the same 2,500 mm, but length, width and height are respectively 3,990 mm (+210 mm over Seagull, due to very-slightly-redesigned front and rear bumpers), 1,720 mm (+5 mm over Seagull) and 1,590 mm (+50 mm over Seagull).

  The base Active has a 30 kWh battery that yields a 220 km WLTP range; both Boost and Comfort have a 43.2 kWh battery, but their ranges differ because the Boost shares the Active’s 88 PS motor (giving it the furthest range of the lot at 322 km WLTP), while the top-spec Comfort gets a 156 PS motor (so it settles for 310 km WLTP). All are front-wheel drive, sit on the e-Platform 3.0 and max out at 150 km/h.

  

  

  

  These compare favourably to the Chinese-market Seagull (which is a lot cheaper, currently starting at around RMB60k, or RM35k), which has 75-95 PS motors, 30-38 kWh batteries and 305-405 km CLTC ranges. Also, the Seagull only charges at a max 6.6 kW AC and 40 kW DC, while the Dolphin Surf can swallow 11 kW AC, 65 kW DC (smaller battery) and 80 kW DC (bigger battery) – the latter gets you from 30-80% in 22 minutes.

  Step inside and you’ll see the familiar 10.1-inch rotatable touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and ‘Hi BYD’) on a very swoopy dashboard. The boot holds 316 litres; fold the back seats for 1,037 litres. ADAS too, of course.

  The Dolphin Surf has five seats, but Electrek reports that a four-seat version is coming in June to fight the Renault 5 and upcoming Volkswagen ID.2 with a 25k-euro (RM121k) starting price. We expect that to be a slightly more premium product.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  
  

   

  3 comments | Leave a comment?

   

• BYD Seagull to be called Dolphin Surf in UK, Europe

  In BYD, Cars, International News / By Jonathan James Tan / 20 March 2025 2:20 pm / 3 comments

  

  It’s known as the Dolphin Mini in international markets, but for the UK and Europe, the BYD Seagull will adopt the Dolphin Surf name when it launches in Blighty this year, Autocar reports. Our wild guess – to avoid stepping on the toes of a certain iconic British brand?

  BYD EVP Stella Li told the publication that the little EV might “not be the cheapest” on sale, but it would “be the best value”. A sub-£20k (RM115k) price tag is expected.

  The Myvi-sized tyke’s length, width, height and wheelbase are respectively 3,780, 1,715, 1,540 and 2,500 mm. China gets a single electric motor producing either 74 or 94 hp, and either a 30 or 38 kWh battery that yields CLTC ranges of 305 or 405 km respectively.

  Autocar reports that the Dolphin Surf will be launched after the Sealion 7, which was launched in Malaysia in November 2024.

  

  

  UK country manager Bono Ge told the publication that BYD would go from 62 dealers now to 120 by year-end, towards a long-term 150-170 target to rub shoulders with the likes of Ford and Vauxhall.

  What’s perhaps more impressive is that the carmaker is set to surpass its 2024 UK sales of 8,700 units by the end of this month, according to Ge.

  If Britain is among the key markets that will help BYD realise its ambition of becoming the world’s biggest carmaker, 100,000 units in annual sales is surely the target – that would earn it a top five spot, Autocar writes. Some way to go then, but we know better than to underestimate them.

  The Chinese giant recently unveiled its Super e-Platform – running at 1000V, the new platform can also take up to 1,000A of current, which allows for up to 1,000 kW (or 1MW) of charging power. Full lowdown here.

  BYD Seagull/Dolphin Mini official images

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  BYD Seagull at 2024 Bangkok International Motor Show

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

   

  3 comments | Leave a comment?

   

• BYD sells a record 4.27 million cars in 2024 – 40% more PHEVs sold than EVs, are the tables turning?

  In BYD, Cars, International News / By Jonathan James Tan / 2 January 2025 5:39 pm / 16 comments

  

  By selling 514,809 units across the planet last month, BYD has wrapped up 2024 with worldwide sales of 4,272,145 units (+41.3% over 2023’s 3,024,417 units). It’s a new annual sales record for the Chinese carmaker and the first time it’s broken four million, Car News China reports.

  Here’s the breakdown: 1,764,992 passenger battery-electric vehicles (EV), 2,485,378 passenger plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and 21,775 commercial vehicles. That’s 41.5% EV/58.5% PHEV in 2024 (720k more PHEVs than EVs), compared with 52.1% EV/47.9% PHEV in 2023 (125k more EVs than PHEVs).

  You can see the tables have turned quite spectacularly – a consequence of Western tariffs on Chinese EVs, or changing consumer preferences at home? Against 2023, BYD’s EV sales increased 12% from 1.6 million units, while its PHEVs went up an incredible 72.8% from 1.4 million units.

  

  

  What about exports? December saw 57,154 BYDs find homes outside China, propelling its 2024 total to 417,204 units. That’s nearly 72% more than the 242,766 units it exported in 2023; itself an insane 334% jump over 2022.

  Cars aside, BYD is the Middle Kingdom’s number two battery supplier, with Tesla, Nio, and Toyota among its customers. The carmaker with the most R&D staff in the world installed 23.5 GWh of battery capacity in December (+32% year-on-year). In 2024, cumulative battery installations, including in EVs and stationary energy storage, hit 194.7 GWh (+29% YoY).

  Closer to home, the Chinese giant is setting up a plant in Indonesia that is expected to begin operations in 2025’s fourth quarter, creating around 8,700 jobs. The company will be 31 years old this year.

   

  16 comments | Leave a comment?

   

• BYD Seagull compact electric car unveiled in China – can this be the future ‘Myvi’ of EVs in Malaysia?

  In BYD, Cars, China / By Paul Tan / 3 April 2023 3:24 pm / 22 comments

  

  BYD has revealed official pix and initial details of its most compact electric car yet, the BYD Seagull. It slots in below the BYD Dolphin in the BYD line-up, and since the Dolphin is priced at RM104k in Thailand, we can expect the Seagull to be priced in the 5 digit range.

  How much exactly? It seems the Chinese market RRP is between 80,000 to 100,000 yuan, so that translates to between RM51k to RM64k. The Dolphin goes for as much as 136,800 (RM88k) in China, but ended up RM104k in Thailand, so could we be looking at RM60-70k for the Seagull in the ASEAN market?

  The BYD Seagull measures 3,780 mm long, 1,715 mm wide and 1,540 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,500 mm. That’s around the size of a Myvi, which measures 3,895 mm long, 1,735 mm wide and 1,515 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,500 mm. The larger Dolphin is 345 mm longer, 55 mm wider and is 30 mm taller.

  Powering the Seagull is a choice of either a 74 hp or 94 hp electric motor. It will have two battery options – 30 kWh and 38 kWh, which will allow a range of up to 305 km or 405 km respectively.

  There are rumours that at least one of these battery packs will be a new type of battery called sodium ion (instead of lithium ion) but we’ll wait for the official unveiling which is expected to be on April 18.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

   

  22 comments | Leave a comment?

   

• BYD Seagull seen before debut – EV city car in Ocean series; 75 PS; smaller than the Dolphin; from RM38k

  In BYD, Cars, International News / By Gerard Lye / 18 January 2023 10:33 am / 5 comments

  

  BYD will soon add a new city car called the Seagull to its line-up, according to details published by China’s ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT). The upcoming electric vehicle will be part of the carmaker’s Ocean series, which includes the Dolphin, Seal, Destroyer 05 and Frigate 07.

  According to CarNewsChina, the Seagull will go on sale this year and is said to be priced between 60,000 and 100,000 yuan (RM38,357 and RM63,928). The five-door hatchback carries four seats and will be the smallest Ocean vehicle, measuring in at 3,780 mm long, 1,715 mm wide and 1,540 mm tall, with a wheelbase that spans 2,500 mm. For context, the Dolphin is 345 mm longer, 55 mm wider and is 30 mm taller.

  Based on the MIIT images, the Seagull will feature angular headlamps (LEDs are optional), black plastic cladding, a roof spoiler and taillights that are designed similar to the BYD D1 small MPV. Wheel sizes range from 15 to 16 inches, and the kerb weight is listed as between 1,160 to 1,240 kg.

  

  

  Spyshots reported by the publication also reveal an interior that is lightly inspired by the Dolphin, with two displays on the dashboard, a dual-tier centre console that accommodates two cupholders and a wireless charging pad, and a three-spoke steering wheel with a protruding airbag module.

  As for the powertrain, the Seagull will use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery made by FinDreams, which is a company under BYD. The battery is said to have an unverified energy capacity of 30.7 kWh and will power an electric motor good for 75 PS (74 hp or 55 kW). Rivals in this space include the Leap T03, Chery Unbounded Pro (also known as the Chery QQ Wujie Pro) and Ora White Cat by Great Wall Motor.

   

  5 comments | Leave a comment?

   

Latest Fuel Prices