BYD launches 2026 Seagull with LiDAR from $10,300

BYD launched the 2026 Seagull in China on May 11, bringing optional LiDAR-based driver-assistance to one of the country’s cheapest electric cars. Launch reports said the updated hatchback starts at 69,900 yuan, or about $10,300, while LiDAR-equipped versions start at 90,900 yuan. (cnevpost.com) The Seagull is the first A00-class or micro EV in China’s market to offer roof-mounted LiDAR, according to CnEVPost and Electrek. The move extends BYD’s push to put advanced driver-assistance features into lower-priced models as competition in China’s EV market intensifies. ### How cheap is the new Seagull, and where does LiDAR start? (byd.com) The 69,900-yuan starting price keeps the Seagull in the budget end of China’s EV market. CnEVPost reported the 2026 lineup ranges from 69,900 yuan to 97,900 yuan, with LiDAR-equipped trims starting at 90,900 yuan. Autoblog separately reported the base price at about $10,300. Two battery configurations anchor the range. Electrek reported the base Vitality and Freedom versions use a 30.08 kWh battery with a CLTC range of 305 km, while higher trims use a 38.88 kWh pack with a CLTC range of 405 km. Some secondary reports said a 505 km figure was shown on an auto-show vehicle, but the launch pricing reports consistently described 305 km and 405 km retail versions. (cnevpost.com) ### What exactly is BYD adding to an entry-level EV? LiDAR is the headline addition on selected trims. CnEVPost said BYD presented the 2026 Seagull as the first mini car in the Chinese EV market to support LiDAR, with the sensor mounted on the roof. (cnevpost.com) Reports said higher trims can be fitted with BYD’s “God’s Eye” driver-assistance package, also described as DiPilot 300 on LiDAR versions and DiPilot 100 or “God’s Eye C” on some non-LiDAR trims. The model also gets incremental hardware changes beyond the sensor package. CnEVPost reported the updated Seagull has increased motor power and a longer driving range than the outgoing version, while Electrek said the 2026 model is offered in six versions. (electrek.co) ### Why does this launch matter beyond one small hatchback? Chinese brands accounted for about two-thirds of global EV sales in 2024, NBC News reported, citing the International Energy Agency. That backdrop helps explain why low-cost Chinese EV launches are being watched outside China even when the models are not sold in the United States. (cnevpost.com) BYD has already used the Seagull nameplate as an export product. BYD said the model is sold internationally as the Dolphin Mini, and the company said in a June 2025 release that the Seagull/Dolphin Mini had reached 1 million units of production in 27 months. (cnevpost.com) BYD also said the model expanded into 15 European countries in May 2025. ### Is this car sold in the United States? The Seagull is not sold in the United States. NBC News said Chinese EV brands were effectively shut out of the U.S. market even as they expanded in Europe, Latin America and other regions. BYD’s U.S. site focuses on commercial vehicles and other operations rather than listing the Seagull for American retail sale. (nbcnews.com) Autoblog described the Seagull as a case where technology often associated with higher-priced vehicles is appearing in a low-cost Chinese EV first. That comparison reflects the gap between China’s domestic EV price competition and the product mix available to U.S. buyers. (byd.com) ### What comes next for the Seagull outside China? May 2025 marked the Seagull’s rollout into 15 European countries under the Dolphin Mini name, BYD said, giving the company an existing overseas channel for the model. BYD has not, in the sources reviewed, announced a U.S. retail launch for the 2026 Seagull, while the newly introduced China-market lineup starts at 69,900 yuan and runs to 97,900 yuan. (nbcnews.com) (byd.com) (autoblog.com)