After a comprehensive experience with the BYD Seagull, I was truly amazed by its overall performance. The BYD Seagull was introduced in April 2023 and created quite a buzz due to its pricing between $10,000 and $12,000.
There was a lot of curiosity surrounding its dynamic driving capabilities and energy consumption, especially considering the size of this model,
with people eager to know if it could provide a high-quality driving experience.
Firstly, I’d like to share some basic information about this vehicle. The BYD Seagull has a length of 3.78 meters and,
while it doesn’t boast a large exterior, its 2500 millimeters wheelbase stands out in the pure electric vehicle market.
A commonly mentioned metric for electric cars is the wheelbase-to-length ratio, where a higher value is better.
The BYD Seagull boasts an impressive wheelbase ratio of 66.1%, which is among the top in the industry.
This design not only provides the Seagull with a versatile exterior but also ensures a spacious and comfortable interior,
guaranteeing a pleasant riding experience.
Secondly, in terms of the Seagull’s dynamic driving capabilities, the overall chassis tuning left a lasting impression.
Led by the Hans team, the tuning excelled in the car’s body stiffness and resilience. The suspension system, using a combination of MacPherson in the front and torsion beam in the rear,
allows the vehicle to exhibit excellent road feedback at different speeds, whether cruising through city streets at lower speeds or hitting 100 to 120 kilometers per hour on the highway. This level of tuning is undeniably excellent.
The third point relates to the Seagull’s NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) performance. This is a point I emphasize when recommending electric cars.
Testing NVH shouldn’t be limited to lower speeds around dealership areas, claiming a car has excellent NVH performance at speeds below 60 kilometers per hour.
Especially for electric vehicles, one must conduct tests on highways at speeds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour to genuinely experience silence and tranquility. This is what truly qualifies as an engineering feat,
as achieved by the BYD Seagull with its very satisfying performance on the highway, whether from the cabin experience or observations on the screen.
Moving on to the fourth point, the various driving modes offered by the BYD Seagull. There’s a dial allowing for selection between Economy mode, Standard mode, and Sport mode. While testing the Economy and Standard modes with the throttle fully engaged, the speed was limited to around 102 to 103 kilometers per hour. However, in Sport mode, the vehicle could consistently accelerate to 130 kilometers per hour, providing a powerful driving sensation. The Seagull’s flexibility overall dynamic performance and NVH feedback in high-speed driving are impressive.
Additionally, the BYD Seagull offers a Snow mode, providing more adaptable vehicle feedback tuning and computational methods for extreme road conditions,
assisting drivers in facing various challenging scenarios, especially under extreme conditions.
Lastly, let’s return to the primary focus – the energy consumption test. In the second test, I paid closer attention to the information provided. From an initial altitude of around 60 meters to a turning point of 620 meters,
the elevation continuously increased by approximately 600 meters.
I closely monitored instantaneous energy consumption, observing it at 12 to 13 on flat roads.
However, during ascents and acceleration for overtaking, energy consumption could reach levels above 20.
On the return journey, mostly downhill, I was astounded by the energy consumption, hovering around values less than 5,
occasionally going negative, with values in the negative tens or twenties while braking.
In the energy management interface, the battery energy flow display showed that on the return journey, due to the descent, the battery continuously operated in an energy recovery state.
This indicates that the battery’s energy consumption remained unaffected.
What does this imply? The BYD Seagull truly excels in energy management by considering detailed usage scenarios and displaying exceptional energy management and recovery effectiveness.
Furthermore, throughout the journey, I kept the vehicle’s energy feedback intensity set at a higher level. Each time we lifted off the throttle, the car did not induce body swaying,
providing a sensation akin to a fuel-powered car. This ensured a highly comfortable driving experience for the driver.
With such an all-around outstanding performance, the BYD Seagull has left a truly impressive mark.