The new BYD Seagull can charge in 9 minutes. A prototype has revealed this so far.
BYD is preparing the second generation of the Seagull, and photos of the prototype suggest the use of a Flash Charging system. The car is said to be able to charge from 10% to 97% in 9 minutes, likely using the Blade 2.0 battery. An official launch in China is still scheduled for 2026.
Up to 300 kW in the urban BYD
The new Seagull was photographed next to a model of a Flash Charging station, probably during preparations for a promotional shoot. Materials on set indicate charging from 10% to 70% in 5 minutes and from 10% to 97% in 9 minutes. At -30 degrees Celsius, the charging time is only 3 minutes longer.
This is still a leak, not an official specification. Flash Charging requires LFP Blade Battery 2.0 cells, and it is unknown whether both versions of the battery announced will have them. Chinese reports suggest this feature may only be available in the more expensive model with a 39.2 kWh battery.
The battery packs are said to have capacities of 30 or 39.2 kWh. The claimed ranges are 320 and 420 km respectively according to CLTC, which corresponds to approximately 259 and 340 km under WLTP standards.
With a 39.2 kWh battery, charging from 10% to 70% in 5 minutes implies an average power of around 282 kW. The initial peak can exceed 300 kW before the power starts to decline as temperature and charge level increase. This is about 7C, meaning seven times the battery’s capacity.
Most urban electric cars these days have power outputs below 100 kW. The current Seagull, in its basic versions with a range of 305 km, even has an air-cooled battery, which limits charging and may accelerate battery wear in hot climates. The new generation of BYD is likely to abandon such cost-saving measures.
The larger Seagull stops being small
This vehicle is sometimes called the Great Seagull. Depending on the market, the existing model is also available as the Dolphin Mini, Dolphin Surf, or Atto 1, and it remains positioned below the BYD Dolphin.
Specifications
New BYD Seagull
Length
4205 mm
Width
1810 mm
Height
1570 mm
Wheelbase
2650 mm
Seats
5
Engine power
95 kW
Top speed
150 km/h
Battery
30 or 39.2 kWh LFP
CLTC range
320 or 420 km
Estimated WLTP range
259 or 340 km
The front engine produces 95 kW, which is 40 kW more than the most powerful current version in China. The number of seats has increased from four to five, and the top speed is 150 km/h.
Prototypes have also been seen with a LiDAR on the roof. This indicates the DiPilot 300 system, known in China as God’s Eye B. In the current Seagull, such a setup costs an additional 12,000 yuan, around $1,800.
The current model costs between 69,900 and 85,900 yuan, or $10,400 to $12,800. The successor is expected to be more expensive but could become the first BYD model with Flash Charging priced below 100,000 yuan, around $15,000.
BYD opened its 10,000th Flash Charging station at the end of August and plans to reach 20,000 stations by the end of 2026. Without such a network, 300 kW will remain an impressive figure in the brochure.
Seagull can show that a small battery doesn’t necessarily mean a long wait, but first BYD needs to confirm Flash Charging in the production version. Would you prefer 340 km WLTP and 9 minutes of charging or a larger battery at the cost of price?
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