BYD’s cheapest EV is getting bigger and fancier

This one is not about home energy upgrades, but here is what happened. BYD, the Chinese automaker, is redesigning its cheapest electric car, the Seagull, sold overseas as the Dolphin Surf or Dolphin Mini. In China the current version starts around $10,000, far below anything available in the US, where the cheapest EV, the 2026 Hyundai Venue, runs just over $20,000.

The new version, nicknamed the "Great Seagull," will be noticeably bigger and more upscale. Regulatory filings show it will grow by about 425 millimeters in length and get a more powerful electric motor, up from 55 kW to 95 kW. Leaked interior images show a larger touchscreen, ambient lighting, massage seats, and more rear legroom, along with a roomier trunk. BYD says it will go on sale in China by the end of 2026, with the higher-end versions possibly getting faster-charging battery technology.

None of this is confirmed for sale in the US or elsewhere yet. If BYD does bring the redesigned car overseas, likely under the Dolphin Surf name in Europe, it would probably cost more than today's version, an estimated $35,000 versus about $26,500 now. For American homeowners weighing an EV purchase alongside other upgrades like solar panels or a home charger, this is mostly a signal of where low-cost EV design is headed globally, not a car you can currently buy here.