Chinese EV leader BYD is launching its cheapest electric car, the Seagull, in South America. The BYD Seagull will go by the Dolphin Mini overseas and will start at $20,100 (99,800 BRL).
BYD brings its cheapest EV to South America for $20K
After launching the Seagull last May, the entry-level electric hatch is already BYD’s top-selling model.
BYD sold over 280,000 Seagull EVs last year in China, topping the popular Dolphin and Yuan Plus (Atto 3 overseas).
The Seagull is an all-electric hatchback available in two options in China. The base model, with a 30.08 kWh battery, provides up to 190 miles (305 km) CLTC range, while the upper trim includes a 38.88 kWh battery for 251 miles (405 km) CLTC range.
At 3,780 mm (149″) long, 1,715 mm (68″) wide, and 1,540 mm (61″) tall, BYD’s Seagull is even smaller than the Chevy Bolt EV (170″ L x 70″ W x 64″ H).
BYD revealed both versions of the Seagull in Uruguay, called the Dolphin Mini EV300 and Mini EV400.
BYD Seagull (Source: BYD)
The former has up to 300 km (186 miles) NEDC range, starting at $21,990, while the latter has 400 km (248 miles) NEDC range for $23,990.
BYD Uraguay’s website still shows it as the Seagull, but the images show “BYD Dolphin Mini” on the vehicle’s front plate.
BYD Seagull (Source: BYD)
According to InsideevsBR, the BYD Dolphin Mini is expected to launch by the end of February. Dealers are already setting starting prices at 99,800 BRL ($20,100) for the base trim and 114,800 BRL ($23,200) for the longer-range version.
The Dolphin Mini (Seagull) will be positioned below the Dolphin, Brazil’s current best-selling EV. It will be the cheapest BYD EV in South America so far.
BYD’s Dolphin Mini also includes features like adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and automatic emergency braking, which its rivals lack.
BYD Seagull (Source: BYD)
The automaker has yet to reveal if it will launch the Dolphin Mini in other overseas markets, like Europe.
Electrek’s Take
BYD is rapidly expanding overseas, with all-electric models like the Atto 3 (Yuan Plus), Dolphin, and Seal taking market share.
After launching just last year in Japan, BYD already accounts for 20% of the country’s EV imports. The first half of last year was the first time in two years that Japan’s import sales were up as EV makers began to gain ground on domestic automakers like Toyota, which dominate the market.
BYD is also expected to launch in South Korea with an upcoming meeting with government officials.
If everything goes to plan, BYD will launch EVs in the country within the first half of the year, rivaling Korea’s Hyundai and Kia.
(From left) CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick moderates an IoT panel with Cenk Alper, CEO of Sabanci Holding, Christina Shim, chief sustainability officer of IBM, and Mitesh Patel, interim CEO and COO of SunCable International, at CONVERGE LIVE on March 13, 2025.
Renewable energy companies can shorten the long approval process needed for their projects by communicating better with stakeholders, according to experts.
Christina Shim, IBM’s chief sustainability officer, said sponsors need to focus on the business value — in addition to the environmental benefits — when discussing their projects.
“That being said … there are some triggering words now, depending on where you sit around the world, and I think the more that you can quantify business value for what you’re doing and tie it to, again, the business operations and business decision making, it’s only going to be more and more important,” Shim said Thursday.
“As long as the outcomes are the same, you just need to make sure that you’re communicating in an appropriate way with the right stakeholders.”
She compared it to how one might talk to a CFO, versus an investor, versus someone in procurement. “You kind of have to talk about things a little bit differently.”
Mitesh Patel, interim CEO and COO at SunCable International, agrees that adjusting communication for the right audience is crucial.
“For politicians, the voters are their constituency, not your project or not your company. You have to help them translate what benefits your project will bring to the constituents,” said Patel, whose company is developing a project to deliver solar energy from Australia to Singapore via undersea cables.
The comments by Shim and Patel, who were speaking to CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick on a panel in Singapore, come as renewable energy projects often take many years to get off the ground.
A report from the Global Infrastructure hub, which is part of the World Bank’s Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility, noted the complex nature of preparation needed before an infrastructure project gets underway. It put the average project preparation time at 6 years but said it can take up to 14 years if the project is not planned properly.
Cenk Alper, CEO of Sabanci Holding, a Turkish conglomerate, said the biggest obstacle to getting renewable energy projects off the ground is often regulatory.
“The biggest problem is still government — the permits. Because from licensing to making a project ready, the total time is longer than the construction time,” he said.
The situation in Europe is worse, he added, citing a project where connecting to the grid took two years.
Alper said Western countries need to streamline the approval process for renewable energy projects, noting China has embarked on more projects in the last five years than the rest of the world combined.
Volkswagen ID.4 production at Chattanooga, TN (Source: VW)
A new study from the REPEAT Project led by Princeton University’s ZERO Lab warns that the repeal of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits could decimate the growing EV manufacturing sector.
The report “Potential Impacts of Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Repeal on US Vehicle Market and Manufacturing” clearly outlines the risks. The Princeton study states that repealing the IRA federal tax credits and the EPA’s clean vehicle regulations would sharply reduce EV demand.
Specifically, EV sales could drop around 30% by 2027 and nearly 40% by 2030 compared to sticking with the policies implemented by the Biden administration. That means the share of EVs among new cars sold would shrink dramatically – from about 18% to 13% by 2026 and from 40% to just 24% by 2030.
“While no one has a perfect crystal ball, this is our best attempt to survey available quantitative forecasts and develop an outlook on US EV sales,” explained the study’s project leader, Jesse D. Jenkins, assistant professor at Princeton’s Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and Andlinger Center for Energy & Environment in an email. “The report is also the only analysis I’m aware of to date that draws the connection to US manufacturing as well.”
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Here’s why this matters: The report points out that repealing these policies wouldn’t just slow down EV adoption – it could seriously derail the US manufacturing renaissance now underway. Up to 100% of planned expansions for EV assembly plants could be canceled or shuttered. Battery manufacturing would also take a huge hit, with between 29% and 72% of battery cell production capacity becoming redundant by 2025. That means factories under construction or those just coming online would be at risk.
To put that into perspective, an Environmental Defense Fund report released in January found that $197.6 billion worth of investments in EV and battery manufacturing have been announced at 208 facilities around the US, with two-thirds announced since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022.
It’s probably a good time to point out that, in order to qualify for IRA federal tax credits, EVs must be domestically assembled, use battery components that have been substantially domestically produced, and use critical minerals produced, processed, or recycled in North America or free trade agreement countries.
Why, then, is the Trump administration torpedoing an industry that’s achieving the very thing it says it wants to achieve, which is to boost domestic manufacturing and jobs?
And let’s not forget the broader EV supply chain – materials, parts, and component suppliers across the country would also suffer, though these effects haven’t even been fully quantified yet.
Bottom line: Repealing the tax credits and regulations wouldn’t just slow down EV sales – it would threaten the jobs, investments, and communities counting on America’s EV manufacturing boom.
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The Optiq, Cadillac’s most affordable EV, just got a price cut. Despite being on the market for less than two months, GM cut lease prices by nearly $100 a month. Here’s how you can snag the deal.
GM cuts lease prices on Cadillac’s most affordable EV
Compared to Cadillac’s other electric vehicles, like the Escalade IQL, which starts at over $130,000, and the Vistiq, which has a price tag of over $77,000, the Optiq already looks like a steal at about $55,000.
Cadillac’s electric SUV arrived in January with lease prices starting at $489 per month. Although this was already its cheapest SUV (gas or EV), GM is making it even more affordable this month.
The 2025 Cadillac Lyriq is now listed at just $399 for 24 months with $4,929 due at signing. In less than two months, the OPTIQ’s lease prices have fallen by $90, or almost 20%. The deal is for the 2025 Cadillac Optiq AWD Luxury 1 with an MSRP of $54,390.
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Cadillac’s lease deal runs through March 31. However, there are a few limitations you should know about. The deal includes a $2,000 loyalty or conquest offer.
Cadillac Optiq EV lease deal (Source: Cadillac)
The fine print states you must be a lessee of a 2020 model year or newer non-GM vehicle for at least 30 days. According to online car research firm CarsDirect, this extends to 2011 and newer electric vehicles from a competitor brands such as Tesla, Rivian, Porsche, BMW, Ford, and Honda, among several others.
At 190″ long, 75″ wide, and 65″ tall, the Cadillac Optiq is about the same size as the Tesla Model Y (187″ long x 76″ wide x 64″ tall).
Powered by an 85 kWh battery pack, the electric SUV has a driving range of up to 302 miles. With 150 kW DC fast charging, the Optiq can gain up to 79 miles of range in about 10 minutes.
2025 Cadillac Optiq trim
Starting Price (including destination)
Driving Range (EPA-estimated)
Luxury 1
$54,390
302 miles
Luxury 2
$56,590
302 miles
Sport 1
$54,990
302 miles
Sport 2
$57,090
302 miles
2025 Cadillac Optiq price and range by trim
Inside, the Optiq features a massive 33″ infotainment and “segment-leading” cargo (57 cubic feet) and second-row space.
GM has been introducing new deals on new EV models all year. Chevy’s new Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs are all available with 0% APR with leases starting as low as $299 per month.
Ready to take advantage of the savings? We can help you get started. Check out our links below to find deals on GM’s most popular EVs in your area.
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