BYD’s affordable Seagull EV poised to arrive as the UK’s cheapest electric car
BYD’s most affordable Seagull EV, starting under $10,000 (69,800 yuan), could arrive as the UK’s cheapest electric car. Although BYD has yet to confirm plans, UK leaders see a market for the low-cost “Lamborghini Mini” EV.
BYD launched the new Seagull EV in China last month. Its starting price is ultra-affordable starting at $9,700 (69,800), which is about 5% cheaper than the previous model.
The new BYD Seagull has 30.08 kWh and 38.88 kWh Blade Battery options, good for 190 mi (305 km) and 252 mi (405 km) CLTC range, respectively. BYD launched the new Seagull in China with three trims: Active, Free, and Flying, priced between 69,800 yuan ($9,700) and 85,800 yuan ($12,000).
BYD’s base Seagull model features a 190 mi (305 km) CLTC range, a 10.1″ rotating center screen, DiLink intelligent connection, and more, all for less than $10,000.
Despite the affordable price tag, BYD’s Seagull does not feel like a “cheap” EV, according to reports.
The Seagull has earned the nickname “Lamborghini Mini,” local reports claim, as former Lamborghini designer Wolfgang Egger led the EV’s design.
Ford’s CEO Jim Farley called the low-cost EV “pretty damn good” during a conference in February, warning rivals will need to catch up. Farley highlighted that BYD can offer the EV at an ultra-low starting price while still earning a profit.
Terry Woychowski, former GM executive and president of automotive at Caresoft Global, told CNBC that BYD’s Seagull EV could be a “clarion call” for the industry.
Caresoft inspects every part of a vehicle (digitally and physically) to look for inefficiencies for its clients. After studying BYD’s Seagull, Woychowski said, “What they did do is done very well,” adding that it exceeded its quality and reliability expectations.
BYD mulls launching its cheapest Seagull EV in the UK
After launching the Seagull EV, or Dolphin Mini as it’s known overseas, in Brazil starting at $20,000 (99,800 BRL), BYD’s cheapest EV could land in the UK.
According to Autocar, BYD’s UK Marketing manager, Mark Blundell, said he was “keen to have” the Seagull launch in the region.
Blundell explained that there’s clear space for it below the Dolphin model. He added that BYD’s plan is to “make electric cars accessible to all,” and lower prices are the main focus.
“EVs shouldn’t just be for well-off people,” BYD’s UK marketing boss said as demand for affordable electric cars continues rising.
BYD aims to expand in the UK, with plans to reach 60 dealers by this summer, up from 21 currently. The expansion would extend BYD’s footprint to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
| BYD Seagull Honor Edition trim | Starting Price | Range (CLTC) |
| Active | $9,700 (69,800 yuan) |
190 mi (305 km) |
| Free | $10,500 (75,800 yuan) |
190 mi (305 km) |
| Flying | $12,000 (85,800 yuan) |
252 mi (405 km) |
If launched, BYD’s Seagull would likely be the cheapest EV in the UK. BYD sold over 300,000 fully electric vehicles globally in Q1, up 13% over last year. BYD’s low-cost Seagull was the third top selling EV.
However, it was not enough to fend off Tesla from taking back its title of global EV leader with 386,810 EVs delivered in the first three months of 2024.
Electrek’s Take
BYD’s low-cost EVs are promoting automakers to shift plans as they look to prevent falling further behind.
Ford is developing a low-cost EV platform as it looks to rival Tesla and Chinese automakers like BYD. According to reports, the first models based on the platform will be a smaller electric pickup and SUV, with starting prices around $25,000.
Ford’s CFO John Lawler said at the BofA Auto Summit last month, “The game will not be fought and won with larger vehicles.” Instead smaller, more affordable EVs will prove to be the winners in the long run.
Several automakers including GM’s Chevy, Volvo, Kia, Hyundai, and others are planning to introduce more affordable next-gen EVs.
Meanwhile, BYD declared a “liberation battle” against gas-powered vehicles with a series of low-cost EVs and PHEVs as it aims to take even more market share.
New reports suggest BYD’s next-gen platform could slash costs even further, which could put more pressure on automakers to respond.
Can legacy automakers keep up with BYD? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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The Hyundai IONIQ 6 N is finally here, and it delivers. Hyundai’s electric sports car is loaded with fun new features, a sleek design (including a massive rear wing), 641 horsepower, and much more.
Meet the Hyundai IONIQ 6 N
After teasing the new model for the first time last month, Hyundai created quite a buzz. Now, we are finally getting our first look at the upgraded high-performance EV.
Hyundai unveiled the new IONIQ 6 N at the famed Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday in West Sussex, England. The upgraded model follows Hyundai’s first high-performance EV, the IONIQ 5 N.
At the event, the company boasted that its new electric sports car marks “a pivotal milestone in Hyundai N’s electrification journey,” adding “Hyundai N is once again redefining the boundaries of high-performance electrification with the debut of the IONIQ 6 N.”
The IONIQ 6 N delivers an impressive 641 horsepower (478 kW) and 77 Nm of torque, enabling a 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) sprint in just 3.2 seconds. Its top speed is about 160 mph (257 km/h).
That’s when using Hyundai’s Launch Control, one of the many performance features the new EV offers. Like its other N models, the IONIQ 6 is based on three pillars: Corner Rascal, Racetrack Capability, and, of course, an Everyday Sportscar.
Powered by two electric motors, a 223 hp (166 kW) at the front and another 378 hp (282 kW) motor at the rear, for a combined 600 hp (448 kW).
Redefining the EV driving experience
The upgraded IONIQ 6 “redefines the EV driving experience,” according to Hyundai, thanks to its advanced in-house vehicle control software.
Central to this is Hyundai’s N Active Sound + system, which mimics the feel and sound of a traditional engine. An added N e-Shift simulates shifting gears.
And that’s just the start. Other performance features, such as N Drift Optimizer, N Grin Boost, and N Torque Distribution, give you even more control over the vehicle while delivering increased power.
The IONIQ 6 N is powered by an 84 kWh battery, providing a WLTP range of up to 291 miles (469 km). However, EPA figures will be revealed closer to launch. Given the IONIQ 5 N has an EPA-estimated range of up to 221 miles, you can expect it to be slightly higher when it arrives.
With a 350 kW DC fast charger, Hyundai’s new performance EV can recharge from 10% to 80% in about 18 minutes.
With a length of 4,935 mm, a width of 1,940 mm, and a height of 1,495 mm, the IONIQ 6 N is about the size of the Porsche Taycan.
Hyundai will showcase the new high-performance EV during the hillclimb event alongside other models like the IONIQ 5 N, IONIQ 6 N Drift Spec, and IONIQ 6 N with N Performance parts. Hyundai promises each vehicle brings unique capabilities to the event, “guaranteeing a dynamic and thrilling on-track experience for all attendees.” Check back soon for more info.
What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric sports car? Would you buy one over the Porsche Taycan? Let us know in the comments.
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Elon Musk said that Tesla owners will “soon” have access to Grok, a large language developed by Musk’s xAI startup, days after the AI started calling itself ‘MechaHitler’.
Yesterday, xAI launched Grok 4, the latest version of its large language model.
The new model is benchmarking very well, but that’s generally the case with the latest model to come out. It edges the latest models from Google and OpenAI on intelligence by a few points, but it falls behind on speed:
At the launch event, Musk announced that Grok will “soon” be integrated into Tesla vehicles.
This is something that the CEO has been discussing since founding xAI, which has been controversial because Musk has also positioned Tesla to compete in the AI space. He even stepped down from his role at OpenAI due to a “conflict of interest with Tesla.”
The announcement of the imminent integration of Grok into Tesla vehicles comes just days after the language model went haywire on X and started praising Hitler, referring to itself as ‘MechaHitler’, and made several antisemitic comments.
xAI acknowledge the issue and put Grok on timeout while they fixed it:
We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts. Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X. xAI is training only truth-seeking and thanks to the millions of users on X, we are able to quickly identify and update the model where training could be improved.
The “bug” came just a few weeks after Musk stated that he was displeased with Grok supporting left-wing narratives, even though it didn’t say anything inncurate, and that he would update Grok to “fix” it.
Now, the large language model (LLM) is expected to power the new voice assistant inside Tesla vehicles.
LLMs are becoming quite common in cars, especially premium vehicles. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and a few others have all integrated Chat-GPT in some models.
Many Chinese automakers have also developed their own and deployed them in cars, even entry-level ones.
Tesla is playing catch up on that front.
Electrek’s Take
As I have previously stated, I think Musk is setting up Tesla to invest or even merge with xAI at a ridiculous valuation – making Tesla shareholders virtually pay twice for Twitter, which is now part of xAI.
This is how he will be able to gain wider control over the company’s share.
Of course, it will be widely challenged in court. In fact, shareholders have already filed a lawsuit alleging that Musk was in breach of fiduciary duties to Tesla shareholders when he started xAI.
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Pipeline Winding in Summer Mountain Landscape
Sarkophoto | Istock | Getty Images
From the first discovery in Prudhoe Bay in 1968, Alaskans have had a love-hate relationship with oil.
On one hand, it allowed Alaska to abolish its state income tax, fund most government operations and provide every Alaskan with a dividend that continues to this day. On the other hand, it has left the state at the near total mercy of the global oil market.
In recent years, that has proven to be a bad bet. And it is the major reason Alaska finishes at the bottom of the CNBC America’s Top States for Business rankings in 2025.
With the price of Alaska North Slope crude oil down by double digits from a year ago, according to the Alaska Department of Revenue, Alaska has America’s worst economy as measured by the CNBC study. Economy is the heaviest-weighted category under this year’s methodology.
Alaska’s gross domestic product growth is in the bottom ten nationally. The state’s economy grew by just 1.5% last year, compared to 2.8% nationally.
More crucially, the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget is based on a forecast of $68 per barrel for crude oil, and it is unclear if that will hold. Alaska North Slope crude traded as low as $63.49 on May 5 before rebounding above $70 in recent weeks. State forecasters are counting on oil for around 70% of the state’s revenue over the next ten years, or nearly half the state’s operating budget. And some localities are far more dependent.
“When you look at the economic engine by default,” North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak told CNBC last month, “That happens to be oil and gas by about 98% of our operating budget.”
$40 billion bet on natural gas as diversifier
For decades, Alaska has sought ways to diversify its economy, but it has had limited success. Proposals have involved alternative energy, agriculture, and the state’s tourism sector.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy speaks during a news conference at his office in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. March 22, 2022.
Yereth Rosen | Reuters
In 2023, Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, signed legislation to put Alaska into the carbon market, using the state’s vast public lands for carbon storage, and to generate carbon offset credits for high carbon emitters in other states. But the program is still in the study phase. A report to the legislature in January said the program is not expected to generate any revenue until at least 2027.
More recently, the Trump administration is backing a proposal to build a natural gas pipeline alongside the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline, allowing the U.S. to ship liquid natural gas — a byproduct of North Slope oil production — to Asia.
The idea has been around for years, but the price tag, estimated at around $40 billion, was impossible for the industry to swallow even when petroleum prices were high.
Now, however, administration officials think that trade tensions might change the economics.
“There [are] countries around the world looking to shrink their trade deficit with the United States, and of course, a very easy way to do that is to buy more American energy,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC’s Brian Sullivan in Prudhoe Bay last month.
“If you get the commercial offtakers for the gas, financing is pretty straightforward,” Wright said.
If the project gets off the ground, it could provide a huge boost to Alaska’s economy, though it would still be at the mercy of commodity prices.
Lack of tech infrastructure, high costs
Alaska’s struggling economy is a major reason for its poor competitive performance, but it is not the only one.
The state ranks No. 49 in Infrastructure. While the state’s roads and bridges are in better shape than in many states in the Lower 48, its virtual infrastructure leaves much to be desired. Fewer than 2% of Alaskans have access to affordable broadband service, according to BroadbandNow Research. The data center boom has passed Alaska by thus far, with only four in the entire state.
Alaska is a notoriously expensive place to live, especially in the many remote parts of the state.
“When you’re paying 16 bucks a gallon for milk, we’ve got to figure out how to make sure that you can afford to buy the milk so you can live here. We’ve got to make sure you can afford to buy the gas so you can hunt here,” said Patkotak.
But one aspect of life is a bargain in Alaska. At a time of soaring homeowner premiums, online insurance marketplace Insurify projects Alaska homeowners insurance premiums will average $1,543 this year, the second lowest in the nation.
Join the conversation. Didn’t see your state mentioned? You can see where it ranked overall, and in all 10 categories of competitiveness, in the full rankings of the 2025 America’s Top States for Business.
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