LIVONIA, Mich. — A tiny, low-priced electric car called the Seagull has American automakers and politicians trembling., sells for around $12,000 in China, but drives well and is put together with craftsmanship that rivals U.S.-made electric vehicles that cost three times as much. A shorter-range version costs under $10,000.
Earlier this year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk told industry analysts Chinese EVs are so good that without trade barriers, “they will pretty much demolish most other car companies in the world.” There's no single miracle that explains how BYD can manufacture the Seagull for so little. Instead, Woychowski said the entire car, which can go 252 miles per charge, is “an exercise in efficiency.”
BYD designs all aspects of its vehicles with cost and efficiency in mind. For instance, the Seagull has only one windshield wiper, eliminating one motor and one arm, saving on weight, cost and labor to install. “You’re going to have to come and be extremely serious about this, and you better park your paradigms at the door," Woychowski said. "Because you’re going to have to do things differently.”
BYD would have to modify its cars to meet U.S. safety standards, which are more stringent than in China. Woychowski says Caresoft hasn't done crash tests, but he estimated that would add $2,000 to the Seagull's cost.
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