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BYD is rolling out new electric models in different segments as it looks to stay on top of the EV sales market. BYD’s latest EV plans leaked, showing a new electric SUV rolling out in April to compete with Tesla’s top-selling Model Y.

BYD’s EV plans leak for 2024

After topping Tesla in the last three months of 2023 to become the top-selling EV maker globally, BYD aims to maintain its position with several new electric models rolling out.

BYD’s EV plans for its Ocean series leaked in China, showing new Seal and Dolphin models launching this year alongside a new electric SUV aimed at Tesla’s Model Y. The new “Champion Edition” Dolphin electric hatch will kick off the offensive.

BYD’s affordable Dolphin is one of its top-selling models in China and overseas. The new Champion model features design upgrades and a bigger battery, enabling up to 520 km (323 mi) CLTC range from 420 km (260 mi).

Dolphin sales reached 18,905 last month alone, up 7% compared to Jan of last year. BYD recently launched the Dolphin in overseas markets like Mexico, Japan, Europe, and Brazil.

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BYD Dolphin (Source: BYD)

Building momentum with new EV models

BYD will follow it up with its new Sea Lion 07 electric SUV. The Sea Lion 07 is a mid-size electric SUV expected to compete directly with Tesla’s Model Y.

BYD revealed the Sea Lion 07 in November at the 2023 Guangzhou International Auto Show, calling it “its first mid-size urban smart electric SUV.”

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BYD Sea Lion 07, the brand’s first “mid-sized urban smart electric SUV” (Source: BYD)

Wolfgang Egger, former Lamborghini and Audi designer, led the electric SUV’s design. You can see elements from both iconic brands combined into the sleek new electric SUV.

At 4,830 mm long, 1,925 mm wide, and 1,620 mm tall, the Sea Lion 07 is roughly the same size as the Tesla Model Y (4,760 mm long, 1,921 mm wide, and 1,624 mm tall).

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BYD Seal (Source: BYD)

BYD’s new electric SUV will be offered in three powertrains. Two will be a single motor with 170 kW or 230 kW power. The dual motor model includes a 160 kW front and 230 kW rear motor. It’s expected to start at around 200,000 to 260,000 yuan ($28,000 – $35,900), undercutting Tesla’s Model Y (266,000 – 363,900 yuan).

In June, BYD plans to launch an upgraded Seal EV. BYD’s Seal electric sedan competes with Tesla’s Model 3 and is gaining its own brand. A new BYD Seal S is set to debut in September, with little known about the EV so far.

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BYD Yangwang U7 (Source: China MIIT)

BYD is also expanding into the ultra-luxury segment with its new Yangwang U7 rolling out. The luxury electric sedan features almost 1,300 hp and 500 miles (800 km) CLTC range.

Although BYD has yet to reveal prices, the electric sedan is expected to start at around $140,000 (1,000,000 yuan).

Electrek’s Take

BYD is expanding its lineup with new EVs, which seems like every month. With new electric models in key segments like mid-size SUVs, luxury, and entry-level, BYD will likely keep the momentum going in 2024.

The Chinese EV leader sold a record 1.6 million EVs last year, up 73% from the 911,000 sold in 2022.

With new models launching in key markets globally, BYD is in a good position to fuel growth in 2024. For example, after launching in Japan just last year, BYD accounted for 20% of Japan’s EV imports in January as it looks to rival Toyota and Nissan on their home turf.

What BYD electric model are you looking forward to the most this year? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: CarNewsChina

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Quad-motor Rivian debuts, Lucid kills range anxiety, and no, EV sales aren’t down

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Quad-motor Rivian debuts, Lucid kills range anxiety, and no, EV sales aren't down

On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we don’t even mention “you know who,” focusing instead on EV news from Rivian, Lucid, Nissan, Ford, and what it takes to make a MAN in the heavy truck space. Check it out!

Sure, Nissan is pushing back production estimates on its yet-to-begin-production Nissan LEAF and Ford’s EV sales were down significantly in Q2, but there’s more to the story than the “Faux News” crowd would have you believe. Plus: some new electric success stories from Porsche and a disappointing (but still cool) dive into some new home backup battery tech.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


he 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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EVs are 73% cleaner than gas cars – even with battery production

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EVs are 73% cleaner than gas cars – even with battery production

Battery electric cars sold today in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, even when factoring in production, according to new research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). That’s a big improvement from 2021, when the gap was 59%.

Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids haven’t made much progress. The study confirms what clean transportation advocates have been saying for years: If Europe wants to seriously slash emissions from its dirtiest mode of transport – ICE passenger cars, which pump out nearly 75% of the sector’s pollution – it needs to go all-in on battery EVs.

“Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said ICCT researcher Dr. Marta Negri. Credit the continent’s rapid shift to renewables and the higher energy efficiency of EVs.

The makeup of the EU’s power grid is changing fast. By 2025, renewables are expected to generate 56% of Europe’s electricity, up from 38% in 2020. And that’s just the beginning: the share could hit 86% by 2045. Since cars bought today could still be on the road two decades from now, the growing use of clean electricity will only boost EVs’ climate benefits over time.

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Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, will stay mostly tied to fossil fuels as the cost and availability of biofuels and e-fuels are still uncertain.

Hybrids and plug-in hybrids only cut lifetime emissions by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to gas cars. That’s partly because plug-in hybrids tend to run on gas more than expected. So while hybrids aren’t useless, they’re just not good enough if we’re serious about climate goals.

Countering EV myths with hard data

There’s been a lot of noise lately about whether EVs are really that green. The ICCT study takes aim at the bad data and misleading claims floating around, like ignoring how the grid gets cleaner over time or using unrealistic gas mileage figures.

It’s true that manufacturing EVs creates more emissions upfront – about 40% more than making a gas car, mostly due to the battery. But EVs make up for it quickly: that extra emissions load is usually wiped out after about 17,000 km (10,563 miles) of driving, which most drivers hit in a year or two.

“We’ve recently seen auto industry leaders misrepresenting the emissions math on hybrids,” said Dr. Georg Bieker, senior researcher at the ICCT. “But life-cycle analysis is not a choose-your-own-adventure exercise.”

ICCT’s new analysis includes emissions from vehicle and battery production and recycling, fuel and electricity production, and fuel consumption and maintenance. It even adjusts for how the electricity mix will change in the coming years – a key detail when measuring plug-in hybrid performance.

Read more: Volkswagen’s 47% BEV sales jump includes a 24% boost in the US


The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Here’s our closest look at the Kia EV2 caught testing in the Alps [Video]

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Here's our closest look at the Kia EV2 caught testing in the Alps [Video]

The EV2 may be Kia’s smallest electric vehicle, but it has a big presence on the road. Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re inside, thanks to clever storage and flexible seating. After a prototype was spotted testing in the Alps, we are getting our closest look at the Kia EV2 so far.

Kia EV2 spotted in the Alps offers our closest look yet

Kia first unveiled the Concept EV2 during its 2025 EV Day event (see our recap of the event) in April, a preview of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV.

Despite its small size, Kia claims it will “redefine urban electric mobility” with new innovative features and more. Kia has yet to say exactly how big it will be, but given it will sit below the EV3, it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″) in length. The EV3 is 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length.

Looking at it from the side, it sits much higher than you’d expect, similar to Kia’s larger EV9. During an exclusive event at Milan Design Week in April, Kia gave a sneak peek of the interior.

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Kia said the interior is inspired by a “picnic in the city,” or in other words, a retreat from the busy city life. With a flat-floor design and flexible seating, you can quite literally have a picnic in the city.

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Kia Concept EV2 (Source: Kia)

Although we’ve seen the EV2 out in public testing a few times, a new video provides the closest look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV.

The video, courtesy of CarSpyMedia, shows an EV2 prototype testing in the Alps with European license plates. There’s also a “Testfahrt” sticker on the back, which translates to “Test Car” in German.

Kia EV2 entry-level EV caught testing in the Alps (Source: CarSpyMedia)

As the prototype drives by, you can get a good look at it from all angles. Like in past sightings, the front features stacked vertical headlights with Kia’s signature Star Map lighting. Even the rear lights appear to be identical to those of the concept.

The interior will feature Kia’s next-gen ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ instrument clusters and infotainment screens in a curved panoramic display. Depending on the model, it could also include an added 5.3″ climate control screen.

Last month, a crossover coupe-like model was spotted on a car carrier in Korea, hinting at a new variant. The new model featured a design similar to that of the Genesis GV60.

Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, also recently told Autocar that a smaller, more affordable EV was in the works to sit below the EV2. Song said the new EV, priced under €25,000 ($30,000), was “one area we are studying and developing.”

With the EV4 and EV5 launching this year, followed by the EV2 in 2026, it could be closer toward the end of the decade before we see it hit the market. Next-gen EV6 and EV9 models are also due out around then.

The Kia EV2 is set to launch in Europe and other global regions in 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not expected to make the trip to the US.

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