China’s leading automaker, BYD, is aggressively expanding overseas. After launching its low-cost Seagull EV (Dolphin Mini) in Brazil, starting at around $20,000 (99,800 BRL), BYD is leading the EV sales surge in the country. However, with a new import tax looming, can the Chinese EV maker continue the momentum?
BYD leads EV offensive in Brazil as sales surge
BYD launched the Seagull EV last May. Less than a year on the market, BYD sold over 280,000 Seagull EVs last year in China, topping the popular Dolphin and Yuan Plus (or Atto 3 overseas).
Last month, BYD launched the Seagull, or Dolphin Mini (as it’s called overseas), in Brazil and Mexico. The model is available in two versions, with 186 miles (300 km) or 236 miles (380 km) NEDC range, respectively.
Despite its small size, the vehicle’s “nimble design offers ample interior space,” according to Stella Li, CEO of BYD Americas.
Inside, you will find a 10.1″ rotating infotainment screen compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. You also have access to “Hi BYD,” a voice assistant system.
It can also charge from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes using DC fast charge to get you back on the road.
BYD Dolphin Mini (Seagull) testing in Brazil (Source: BYD)
BYD said the Dolphin Mini was poised to be another “game-changer” following the Dolphin’s success.
The base version starts at $20,000 (99,800 BRL), while the longer-range model starts at $23,200 (114,800 BRL). BYD’s affordable EVs are already making an impact in Brazil.
BYD Dolphin Mini (Seagull) EV (Source: BYD)
According to data from Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services (via Reuters), passenger car imports rose by 46.4%. Chinese vehicles alone accounted for 40% as imports surged 450% over last year.
The ministry’s statistics coordinator said, “These purchases from China that are driving the increase in vehicle imports are mainly of electric and hybrid engines.”
Amid the recent import surge, Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is raising import taxes that have been at zero since 2015.
BYD Dolphin Mini (Seagull) launch in Brazil (Source: BYD)
EV imports are already subject to a 10% tax, enacted in January, which will rise to 18% in July and 35% in July 2026. Hybrids are also subject to a 15% import tax, which rises to 25% in July and 35% in 2026.
According to data from the Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association, Brazil’s electrified car sales soared 145% in the first three months of 2024 to 36,090. BYD led the charge with 14,939 units sold, GWM was second with 5,735, while Toyota placed third with 5,049.
BYD continues expanding overseas, with the Dolphin Mini landing in Chile this week.
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Ford is testing a new electrified Mustang that may not be as electric as it seems. The next-gen Mustang is apparently already in development. Here’s what we know about it so far.
Is Ford launching an electrified Mustang Hybrid?
After postponing around $12 billion in planned spending on electric vehicles in 2023, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said the company would lean more into hybrids.
Farley told investors and analysts on the company’s Q3 2023 earnings call that he’s “so thankful we have kept our foot on the gas to freshen our ICE and HEV products as we enter a changing market.”
Ford’s CFO, John Lawler, reaffirmed the company’s plans later that year, saying the company would use hybrids as a bridge to fully electric vehicles.
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“With EV adoption slower, hybrids are going to be a bigger part,” Lawler said, adding that Ford “became a little bit complacent” on hybrid tech. Last year, Ford said it would introduce a hybrid version for every gas-powered vehicle in its lineup by 2030.
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E (Source: Ford)
Ford is apparently making good on its promise with a new Mustang hybrid in development. According to a new report from Ford Authority, the Mustang hybrid, internally code-named S650E, is in development, and prototypes are already being tested.
The report claims the new Mustang has entered the Technology Prove-Out stage, suggesting it will be electrified to some degree.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally (Source: Ford)
Whether it will be a traditional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) remains unclear. Although the company has yet to confirm it, Farley said that a “partially electrified Mustang coupe” was a strong possibility, and Ford’s Performance unit is already testing hybrid powertrains.
Electrek’s Take
Will the new Mustang hybrid sit alongside the Mach-E in Ford’s lineup? Ford’s electric crossover SUV remains one of the top-selling EVs in the US, so it’s unlikely to go anywhere, but it is due for a refresh with so many new rivals entering the market.
Through August, Ford sold 34,319 Mustang Mach-Es (+6.7% YOY) in the US. The gas-powered Mustang continues to fall out of favor, with 31,015 units sold in the first eight months of 2025, 8.3% fewer than during the same period in 2024.
With Hyundai, Stellantis, Honda, and several other global OEMs planning to launch new hybrid models in the US, the Ford Mustang hybrid doesn’t come as a total surprise. We will still have to wait for the official word from Ford, but a new electrified Stang seems more than likely.
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Transocean Barents, an oil platform passes through Canakkale Strait as vessel traffic suspended in both directions in Canakkale, Turkiye on November 12, 2024.
Enishan Keskin | Anadolu | Getty Images
Shares of Transocean plunged Thursday after the offshore driller announced the sale of a large number of shares at a discount.
Transocean is planning to sell 125 million shares at a price of $3.05, significantly lower than Wednesday’s close of $3.64. It is offering 25 million shares more than it originally planned.
The Swiss company’s stock was last down 14.8% premarket. The offering is expected to close on Friday.
Transocean expects to book about $381 million from the sale. It will use the proceeds to pay off debt.
(Correction: Updates with correct share offering price.)
New York City’s new 15 mph speed limit for electric bikes is officially set to take effect next month, in what city officials claim is a move to improve street safety. But not everyone is convinced the crackdown is targeting the real threat on the roads.
The new limit, approved earlier this year, applies to e-bikes, mopeds, and other micromobility vehicles operating in city bike lanes. Riders caught exceeding 15 mph could face warnings or citations, though the exact enforcement strategy remains murky. The NYPD says it will focus on “education first,” but given the city’s track record, that could just be the calm before the ticket storm.
The rule comes amid growing concerns from some residents and officials about rising speeds among e-bike riders, especially delivery workers who often rely on throttle-equipped bikes to meet tight deadlines. But while the new speed cap is aimed at micromobility vehicles, there’s a noticeable omission: cars, trucks, and SUVs, which continue to be allowed to travel at 25 mph – and in practice, often much faster – even though they pose exponentially more risk to vulnerable road users and are responsible for orders of magnitude more deaths each year.
It’s a move that raises eyebrows and has resulted in thousands of publicly-submitted comments that the New York Department of Transportation has seemingly ignored.
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After all, the majority of traffic fatalities in New York City don’t involve e-bikes. They involve cars. And while some e-bike riders certainly ride irresponsibly, the blanket limit nearly cuts in half the more widely accepted e-bike speed limits used around the US, and doesn’t even apply to pedal bikes, which can easily exceed such speeds despite nearly identical average weights when factoring in the vehicle and rider. Not to mention, it ignores the critical role that e-bikes play in reducing traffic congestion and emissions, especially in the delivery and commuting sectors.
So while New York is slowing down its most efficient and sustainable form of urban transport, it’s letting the real heavyweights keep their speed. If the goal is safety, then it’s fair to ask: why aren’t cars being asked to go 15 mph too?
Because once again, it seems the rules are written for the powerful – not the vulnerable.
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