Our Rating
The overall rating is based on review by our experts
PERFORMANCE
1 / 10
BATTERY
3 / 10
BODY
3 / 10
COMFORT
3 / 10
DISPLAYS
5 / 10
SAFETY
5 / 10
PROS
- Very affordable, and the Philippine price includes a home wall charger.
- Six airbags and a long warranty (the 8-year battery cover is in the Philippines).
- Compact size suits city driving, with the longer-range EV400 reaching about 405 km (CLTC).
CONS
- Slow acceleration, with 0–100 km/h taking about 14–15 seconds.
- Small 230 L boot and only 120 mm ground clearance (Philippine figure).
The BYD Seagull EV400 is BYD’s entry-level electric city car, a four-seat, front-wheel-drive hatchback with a single 55 kW motor. It is built on e-Platform 3.0 with an LFP Blade battery and sits below the Dolphin in the Ocean series. I couldn’t find an official BYD trim called “EV400”. The name matches the long-range version rated at about 405 km (CLTC), so this post treats it as that variant. In Europe the same car is sold as the Dolphin Surf.
The base Seagull has a 30 kWh pack rated at 305 km on the CLTC cycle. The 405 km “Flying” trim has a 38 kWh pack. One database lists 38.88 kWh, probably the nominal figure, and usable capacity is not confirmed. CLTC is China’s test cycle and gives higher numbers than WLTP, so 405 km can’t be compared directly with European ratings. The Dolphin Surf’s 43.2 kWh pack is rated at roughly 310 to 322 km WLTP. AC charging is 6.6 kW from a household plug. DC charging is 30 or 40 kW depending on trim, and BYD claims 30 to 80% in about 30 minutes. An independent test of the 38 kWh car recorded a 40 kW peak and 43 minutes for 10 to 80%. The two charge windows differ, so the figures don’t contradict each other.
In China the Seagull range costs 66,800 to 82,800 yuan (about USD 9,870 to 12,230 in June 2026), and the 405 km trims are at the top, around USD 11,200 to 12,230. In Europe the Dolphin Surf starts near €19,990, with higher trims around €22,990 and €24,990. The car suits commuters and second-car households with short daily distances and home charging, and it is a poor fit for frequent motorway trips. Within BYD it sits below the Dolphin and the Atto 3. Its main rivals are the Wuling Bingo and the Hyundai Inster. In China the Bingo has a 333 km range and a 50 kW motor, which makes it the closest direct comparison. In Europe the Inster Standard Range, listed at 300 km WLTP, is the nearer match to the Dolphin Surf.
BYD Seagull EV400 Images