The Chinese manufacturer BYD has a lethal weapon that could well kill the European competition for cars priced under €20,000.
The two main deterrents to purchasing an electric car are range and price. We would almost be tempted to say the only ones because then comes reliability, safety and quality which are no longer really there as electric models have today reached the standards of their internal combustion engine counterparts.
BYD is the world's leading producer of batteries for electric cars. Its models are therefore very well placed in terms of autonomy and the Chinese manufacturer's main focus should logically be the price. Well that’s not entirely the case. For its superior models such as its Seal and Han sedans, and its Atto 3 and Tang SUVs, one might even think that the brand is making absolutely no effort to go to war against Tesla and the Europeans. No promotions, no discounts, you pay for what you buy. As automakers race to close the gap between what they can profitably produce and what customers can afford to pay, BYD remains calm. However, it seems that the Chinese manufacturer is on the verge of winning this price race on its smallest model, the Seagull.
BYD is moving slowly
BYD's recent decision to sell this small electric car in China for the equivalent of €8,900 surprised everyone. This price is not only ultra aggressive, but totally crazy for a 3.7 meter car with 4 seats and 5 doors of such standing. We are not talking here about a Citroën AMI or a Renault Twizzy but about a very pretty and well-equipped small car.
The upcoming arrival of the Seagull in Europe is no longer in doubt. Unfortunately we have to dampen your hopes, it will never be sold for less than €10,000 on the old continent. Transport costs and various taxes will inflate its price, but starting at €8,900, no problem staying below €20,000, perhaps even less than €15,000.
And for this price, you will have batteries ranging from 48 kW to 57 kW. This translates to a claimed range of between 420 and 510 km. For comparison, Dacia's Spring promises only 240 km and the next Citroën ë-C3 reaches 320 km in the WLTP cycle. Standard equipment includes six airbags, electronic stability control and an electric parking brake. Unlike the Spring and ë-C3, the entry-level BYD has a large digital screen in the center of the dashboard.
A queen car in China
If you think that this is just another Chinese product, not to be more vulgar, you should know that the Seagull, with 300,000 units sold in China since its launch last April, represents 9% of Chinese sales of electric vehicles. And the customer feedback is pretty excellent!
We let you imagine the nightmares that must be plaguing the nights and days of European leaders at the moment. The only thing clearing up for them is that BYD is producing its Seagull in China on a just-in-time basis and is having difficulty meeting demand. Enough to take a little breath before the assault.