BYD has officially unveiled the 2026 Seagull, sold internationally as the Dolphin Mini or Dolphin Surf, and the numbers deserve your attention.

The updated compact EVs price starts from 69,900 yuan, which is around $10,300, in China, and tops out at 85,900 yuan, which is around $12,600. It debuted at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show before going on sale this week (via CarsNewsChina).

2026 BYD Seagull got launched w/ px from 69.9 to 97.9k RMB. The top 2 px versions come w/ Lidar + DiPilot-300 DiLink-150 to have the sensor compute for latest smart car tech.

This package adds 12k RMB on top of the standard DiPilot-100 config. Still comes in 305/405 km pic.twitter.com/fEQQ9jOcdU

tphuang (@tphuang) May 11, 2026

　　What do buyers actually get for their money?

The standout upgrade this year is the optional Gods Eye B intelligence driving package, called the DiPilot 300 system, which adds a LiDAR sensor to the subcompact city car, increasing its price to between $13,400 and $14,400.

Recommended Videos The system provides city-level navigation on autopilot, along with traffic light recognition and roundabout handling. Thats semi-autonomous driving capability at a price bracket where most car buyers in the US are still choosing between a used Toyota and a three-year-old Chevy.

The longer range BYD variant packs a 38.88 kWh battery pack that delivers up to 252 miles of CLTC-certified range. Base variants, on the other hand, use a 30.08 kWh battery pack that provides up to 190 miles of claimed range.

　　BYDs subcompact city car packs in enough punch

Given that its designed to be driven around in the city, the new BYD EV features a 55 kW motor that can generate 135 Nm of torque, numbers that might not sound great at first, but complement the cars purpose.

To me, the Seagulls 2026 update isnt just a product refresh. By pushing LiDAR into the sub-$15,000 bracket, BYD is essentially normalizing advanced driver assistance at a price point where its hard to even imagine the feature.