BYD’s new EV, starting at less than $10,000, is stoking fear across the industry
Leading EV maker BYD shook the industry after unveiling the new Seagull (Dolphin Mini), with starting prices as low as $9,700 (69,800 yuan). Although BYD’s new EV, which earned the nickname “Lamborghini mini,” is not sold in the US, American automakers are taking notes.
BYD’s new Seagull EV shocks the industry
BYD launched the new Seagull EV Honor Edition (Dolphin Mini overseas) earlier this month with a “shocking price” starting at around $9,700 (69,800 yuan).
Powered by BYD’s Blade batteries, the new EV is available in 30.08 kWh and 38.88 kWh versions. The former is good for up to 190 miles (305 km) CLTC range, while the latter provides up to 252 mi (405 km). It can also charge from 30% to 80% in 30 mins.
The inside doesn’t look like a cheap EV with a 10.1″ rotating center screen and otherwise minimalist design.
With DiLink’s intelligent network, users can interact and play videos. According to local reports, the Seagull has earned the nickname “Lamborghini mini,” as former Lamborghini designer Wolfgang Egger led the design.
Perhaps more importantly, BYD reportedly earns a profit on the Lamborghini mini, which has American automakers worried.
According to Terry Woychowski, former GM executive and current president of automotive at Caresoft Global, BYD’s new Seagull could be a “clarion call for the rest of the industry.”
In a new CNBC report, Woychowski called the low-cost electric car “a significant event” as American automakers look to keep up.
American automakers look to affordable EVs to compete
Caresoft, an engineering consulting firm, inspects (digitally and physically) every part of a vehicle to determine how its clients can improve efficiency.
After studying the new BYD Seagull, the firm found it simple and efficiently designed, built, and executed. However, Caresoft was met with better-than-expected quality and reliability.
“What they did do is done very well,” Woychowski explained. “It’s efficiently done.” For under $10,000, it’s a steal.
Although BYD has no plans to enter the US passenger EV market, if the Seagull arrived in America, it would likely still be tens of thousands of dollars cheaper than the average electric car.
BYD launched the Seagull EV in South America as the Dolphin Mini. In Brazil, the EV has a starting price of around $20,000 (99,800 BRL).
Meanwhile, American automakers are preparing for the inevitable. “What we’ve seen over time is automotive manufacturers eventually enter all the markets that matter,” Marin Gjaja, chief operating officer for Ford Model E, said in a recent interview with CNBC.
Ford is shifting plans to focus on smaller, more affordable EVs, including a compact electric pickup and SUV. According to sources, the first model is expected to launch in 2026, with a starting price of around $25,000.
Rival GM plans to introduce its next-gen Chevy Bolt EV, based on its Ultium platform, next year. According to CFO Paul Jacobson, the new Bolt EV will save billions as its first Ultium-based model to use LFP batteries. Ford also plans to use LFP batteries for its next-gen models to cut costs.
Electrek’s Take
American automakers are already losing market share. The “Big Three,” including Ford, GM, and Chrysler (owned by Stellantis now), have seen their share of the US market crater from 75% in 1984 to around 40% in 2023.
Ford’s CEO Jim Farley warned at a Wolfe Research conference last month that if automakers fail to keep up with Chinese automakers, like BYD, “then 20% to 30% of your revenue is at risk.”
Farley also called BYD’s new Seagull EV “pretty damn good,” as he warned the industry. Ford’s leader added, “As the CEO of a company that had trouble competing with the Japanese and the South Koreans, we have to fix this problem.”
The American automaker is developing a low-cost EV platform led by Alan Clarke, who previously oversaw engineering on Tesla’s Model Y.
Amid the shift to smaller EVs, Ford is reportedly putting off plans to launch a larger three-row electric SUV. Farley said building larger EVs, like the F-150 Lightning, is too costly.
Meanwhile, BYD launched a “liberation battle,” as it calls it, against gas-powered vehicles. The Chinese automaker has launched a series of low-cost EVs, including an updated version of its best-selling Dolphin.
BYD has a major advantage as it builds nearly all the components for its vehicles. For example, except for the windows and tires, everything is made in-house for the BYD Dolphin.
Reports suggest that BYD’s next-gen EV platform could slash costs even further, putting more pressure on American automakers to act.
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Mammoth Solar, a 1.3 gigawatt (GW) solar farm in northern Indiana, is now powering into its biggest construction phase yet, cementing its place as one of the largest solar projects in the US.
The solar farm is set to increase Indiana’s solar capacity by more than 20% once it’s fully online. And with construction ramping up this month, developer Doral Renewables has given Bechtel Full Notice to Proceed on the design, engineering, and construction of three major phases of the project: Mammoth South, Mammoth Central I, and Mammoth Central II. Together, these phases will generate 900 MW of clean energy.
That’s enough electricity to power around 200,000 homes with clean energy, helping Indiana shift away from fossil fuels while boosting the local economy.
Construction is already underway, and over the next two years, Bechtel will install around 2 million solar panels, with about half of them made in the US. The company is also handling all engineering, procurement, and construction work, using its digital project management tools and autonomous tech to keep everything on track.
At the peak of the buildout, Mammoth Solar is expected to create over 1,200 jobs, with at least 15% of those set aside for apprenticeships.
Bechtel says its success will hinge on strong collaboration with local trades and vendors. The company is working closely with craft professionals and is committed to being a reliable community partner throughout construction.
Once the solar farm is complete in 2027, Doral Renewables plans to roll out agrivoltaics across the site. That means livestock grazing and crop cultivation will happen right alongside energy production, giving farmers in the area a way to keep working their land while supporting clean energy development.
Read more: Solar adds more new capacity to the US grid in 2024 than any energy source in 20 years
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BYD is about to launch an even smaller EV, but this one’s a little different. It’s BYD’s first kei car. You know, those tiny vehicles that dominate Japan’s city streets? BYD’s mini EV was just spotted out in public, giving us our first real look at the upcoming kei car.
BYD’s first mini EV was spotted in public
Last week, rumors surfaced that BYD was developing its first kei car, which would compete with top-selling models from Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, and other Japanese brands.
Kei cars, or “K-Car,” as they are sometimes called, are a class of ultra-compact vehicles that cannot be longer than 3.4 meters (134″). To put that into perspective, BYD’s smallest EV currently, the Seagull (called the Dolphin Mini overseas), is 3,780 mm (148.8″) long.
The mini vehicles are ideal in Japan because they are so small, making it easy to get around tight city streets. They are also more affordable and efficient than larger vehicles.
BYD’s mini EV was spotted for the first time during a road test this week by IT Home (via CarNewsChina), revealing a familiar look. It has that boxy, compact look of a typical kei car with sliding side doors.
According to reports, BYD is developing a new platform for the model. It will reportedly include a 20 kWh battery, good for 180 km (112 miles) WLTC range. By using its in-house Blade LFP batteries, BYD is expected to have a cost advantage.
BYD’s upcoming mini EV is expected to start at around 2.5 million yen, or about $18,000. That’s about the same as the Nissan Sakura (2.59 million yen), Japan’s best-selling EV last year.
既出ですがBYDの日本向けEV軽自動車と言われているフロントとリアからのスパイショット。 pic.twitter.com/CcV5pihpWc
— 主夫まぬか (@syufumanuka) May 16, 2025
Last year, around 1.55 million kei cars were sold in Japan, accounting for roughly 40% of new vehicle sales. Honda’s N-Box was the top-selling kei car (EV or gas) for the third straight year.
As Nikkei reported, some are already calling BYD’s electric kei car “a huge threat.” A Suzuki dealer said, “Young people do not have a negative view of BYD. It would be a huge threat if the company launches cheap models in Japan.”
BYD already sells several electric cars in Japan, including the Atto 3 SUV, Dolphin, and Seal. Last month, the company launched the new Sealion 7 midsize electric SUV, starting at 4.95 million yen ($34,500).
Although Japan isn’t really an EV hot spot, with sales falling 33% in 2024 to just under 60,000 units, BYD sees an opportunity.
By making virtually every car component in-house, including batteries, BYD can offer EVs at such low prices while still making a profit. BYD’s cheapest and best-selling electric car, the Seagull, starts at under $10,000 (69,800 yuan) in China.
With new smart driving and charging tech rolling out, BYD’s electric cars are getting smarter and even more efficient.
Can BYD’s mini EV compete with Japanese brands? At the right price, it may have a chance. Check back soon for more on the upcoming kei car. We’ll keep you up to date with the latest.
Source: Sina, CarNewsChina
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Ford’s electric pickup truck is back at the top. The F-150 Lightning is once again the best-selling electric pickup in the US after overtaking the Tesla Cybertruck in the first quarter.
Ford’s F-150 Lightning is the best-selling electric pickup
After launching in 2023, Tesla’s Cybertruck quickly outpaced the Lightning to become America’s top-selling EV pickup last year.
Since Tesla doesn’t break down regional sales, registration data gives us our best estimate. The latest registration data from S&P Global Mobility (via Automotive News) shows that the F-150 Lightning retook the title in March and the first quarter of 2025.
Ford’s electric pickup notched 2,598 registrations in March, topping the Tesla Cybertruck with 2,170. In the first quarter, the F-150 Lightning remained ahead with 7,913 registrations, compared to the Cybertruck’s 7,126.
Although the Cybertruck was the fifth top-selling EV in the US last year, it didn’t even crack the top ten in March. It placed ninth through the first three months of 2025, behind the Volkswagen ID.4.
While Tesla and Ford remained the leaders in the electric pickup market, several new models are gaining momentum. According to the most recent numbers from Cox Automotive, GM sold 2,383 Chevy Silverado EVs and 1,249 GMC Sierra EV models in Q1. Meanwhile, Rivian sold 1,727 R1Ts during the quarter.
Earlier today, Electrek reported that new models, including the Honda Prologue and Chevy Blazer EV, helped drive EV registrations up 20% in the US in March.
Although the Lightning reclaimed the crown from Tesla, Ford’s electric pickup isn’t exactly flying off the lot. Ford reported Lightning sales fell 16% to just 1,740 units in April. Through April 2025, Ford has sold 8,927 electric trucks, down 9% from the 9,833 it handed over last year.
Electrek’s Take
To be fair, Tesla is still ahead by a wide margin in the US. The S&P numbers show Tesla had over 51,000 registrations in March, up 1% after two months of lower YOY growth.
GM’s Chevy surpassed Ford to become the second-best-selling EV brand with nearly 8,500 registrations, an increase of 274% from last year. Ford dropped to third with 7,361 registrations.
Although it’s just one quarter, it’s starting to show how Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political antics are likely impacting sales. After the Cybertruck’s initial hype, it appears many buyers are opting for traditional pickups, like the F-150 Lighting.
Meanwhile, Ram is delaying its first electric pickup, the 1500 REV, again. Ram is pushing production back until summer 2027, saying it’s “extending the quality validation period.” The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ramcharger will also be delayed until the first quarter of 2026.
After pulling the Ramcharger ahead of the fully electric version last year, Stellantis blamed weak demand for EV pickups in the US.
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