People's hatchback BYD Seagull prepares for a generational change: first photographs

The second-generation subcompact electric hatchback BYD Seagull has surfaced in the database of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: it is larger and more powerful than its predecessor, but retains the key features of its design.

The electric Seagull hatchback (its name translates from English as 'seagull') debuted in 2023 as BYD's cheapest model and instantly became a hit; by the summer of last year, its cumulative production volume had reached one million units, and to date, nearly one and a half million have been built.

At the same time, from the middle of last year, BYD's sales curve in China began to bend downwards amid intensifying competition. The decline worsened this year due to the reduction of tax incentives for purchasing NEV models (electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids), but BYD's management quickly redirected the business towards overseas markets, so BYD's global sales in June grew by 5.46% to 403,472 vehicles, while maintaining a negative trend in China.

First-generation BYD Seagull for China 1 / 4 First-generation BYD Seagull for China 2 / 4 First-generation BYD Seagull for China 3 / 4 First-generation BYD Seagull for China 4 / 4

The BYD Seagull is now a global model, with demand for it, according to CnEVPost, falling by 42.63% to 163,174 units in the first half of 2026, but this is mainly due to the collapse in China; in Brazil, for example, sales of this model (known there as the BYD Dolphin Mini) grew by 170% in January-June, reaching 35,681 units. Overall, the BYD brand is currently the fourth most popular in Brazil, behind Fiat, Volkswagen and Chevrolet.

In Europe, the BYD Seagull is sold as the BYD Dolphin Surf, and in Australia and New Zealand as the BYD Atto 1.

This year, the BYD Seagull will move to its second generation. The overall length of the Chinese version of the 'second' Seagull is 4,205 mm, the width is 1,810 mm, the height is 1,570 mm, and the wheelbase is 2,650 mm. For comparison, the overall length of the first-generation BYD Seagull in Chinese specification is 3,780 mm, the width is 1,715 mm, the height is 1,540 mm, and the wheelbase is 2,500 mm. In short, the hatchback has grown in every direction.

The power of the single electric motor on the front axle has also increased: it was 55 kW (75 hp), and is now 95 kW (129 hp), but that is in China. The European Dolphin Surf already has a version with a 115 kW (156 hp) electric motor. Other technical details will be revealed after the premiere.

Current BYD Dolphin Surf for Europe 1 / 3 Current BYD Dolphin Surf for Europe 2 / 3 Current BYD Dolphin Surf for Europe 3 / 3

We should add that BYD has postponed the launch of its new plant in Hungary until the end of 2026. The BYD Seagull/Dolphin Surf is the main candidate for localisation at this plant, but it is not yet clear which generation will be produced there — the first or the second. The capacity of BYD's Hungarian plant is 150,000 cars per year, with the possibility of increasing to 300,000 cars per year in the future. In the first five months of this year, BYD's sales in Europe, according to ACEA, grew by 145.2% to 135,307 vehicles. In Germany, the BYD Dolphin Surf currently starts at €22,990.

Meanwhile, construction of the BYD plant in Turkey has still not begun; at present, this project is frozen.