BYD Dolphin Surf launches in Europe

A new small electric car has just landed in Europe, and it comes with a rather attractive price tag. Chinese automaker BYD has officially launched its popular compact EV, the Seagull, in 15 European countries. For its European debut, this little electric runabout has been given a new name: the Dolphin Surf.

Back in China, where the Dolphin Surf is known as the Seagull, it is BYD's single best-selling model. In April alone, over 55,000 Seagulls found new owners.

On a side note: BYD already sells a different, larger car called the Dolphin in China, so the "Surf" addition to the European name helps tell them apart. Dolphin Surf is the tenth model BYD has introduced to the European market.

How much will this new electric option cost? BYD is rolling out the Dolphin Surf with three versions. The starting price is set at $25,510, which gets you a car capable of traveling an estimated 137 miles on a single charge (up to 193 miles in city driving). This version comes with a 30 kWh battery and an 88 hp electric motor.

For those needing a bit more distance, another version is priced at $27,730 and offers an impressive 200 miles of range in the regular WLTP cycle, and as much as 315 miles in city driving conditions. This is possible thanks to its larger 43.2 kWh battery pack, and this version is much quicker off the line thanks to its 156 hp motor - 0 to 62 mph takes a spritely 9.1 seconds.

BYD is offering a discount for early birds. Customers who decide to purchase a Dolphin Surf before the end of June will see those prices drop, with the range starting from $22,180 and going up to $27,730. A quick search across BYD's European websites revealed that the cheapest version can be had for as little as $13,070 in Spain - with the local incentives included. The most expensive Comfort version works out at $20,280 effective price, once the incentives are calculated.

The arrival of the Dolphin Surf is part of a much larger plan for BYD in Europe. According to Maria Grazia Davino, a regional managing director for BYD, the automaker plans to enter 12 new European markets this year alone. This expansion will bring BYD's total presence to over 1,000 sales locations across the continent. The company announced on May 15 that it will establish its European headquarters and a new European research and development center in Budapest, Hungary.

The Seagull was originally launched in China in April 2023 and in April of this year, the Seagull accounted for nearly 15% of BYD Group's total monthly sales, with 55,028 units sold. While BYD's "Song" family of models (which includes various SUVs under different sub-brands) saw higher combined sales at 84,088 units, the Seagull stands out as the top-selling single model. Between January and April, an impressive 172,995 Seagulls were sold - a nearly 58% increase compared to the same period last year. The car is also starting to make its mark internationally, with 8,745 units exported in April, bringing cumulative exports to over 28,000.

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