BYD Dolphin

BYD Dolphin at a glance

Development and launch in China

BYD previewed the car as the EA1 concept at Auto Shanghai in April 2021. The production version followed about three months later and went on sale in China in August 2021. Wolfgang Egger led the design.

In China the Dolphin is a B-segment hatchback of about 4.1 metres. At first it came with a 30.72 kWh battery and a 70 kW motor, rated at 301 km on the NEDC cycle. A 44.9 kWh battery soon became the core of the range, paired with either 70 or 130 kW.

In February 2024 BYD added the Champion Edition. It brought a 60.48 kWh battery with a 150 kW motor, multi-link independent rear suspension and wireless phone charging. A facelift was presented in December 2024, with Chinese sales from March 2025. It made the car 130 mm longer, at 4,280 mm, and gave it new front and rear styling and a revised dashboard. The DiPilot 100 driver-assistance package became standard.

Europe and export markets: a longer body

The export Dolphin is about 20 cm longer than the early Chinese car, at 4,290 mm. Larger bumpers explain most of the difference, and the crash structure was redesigned with a five-star ANCAP rating as the target. Europe saw the car in April 2023, and orders opened in June. First European deliveries followed in October 2023.

At launch Europe received four trims. Active and Boost use the 44.9 kWh battery with 70 or 130 kW. Comfort and Design have the 60.48 kWh pack and 150 kW. Autocar reported a starting price of €29,990 for mainland Europe in June 2023. The British price started at £25,490.

Other markets followed quickly. Australia got the car in June 2023, Brazil and Malaysia in July, Japan in September and Mexico in September 2023. Indonesia and South Africa followed in 2024. In Japan the price was ¥3.63 million (about €24,000) in September 2023. Thailand's version gained local assembly in July 2024, with a 50.25 kWh battery and lower prices.

Batteries, motors and performance

All versions use a front-mounted permanent-magnet synchronous motor and a single-speed gearbox. The table lists the versions sold outside China, with the original 30.72 kWh version from China for reference.

The Boost torque differs between Wikipedia's two tables. The global version lists 260 Nm, while the 130 kW car built for China is given 290 Nm. Top speed is 150 or 160 km/h according to German Wikipedia, which does not split the figure by version. Kerb weights run from 1,285 to 1,658 kg.

The power-to-weight spread is wide. A 70 kW car at the lowest listed kerb weight of 1,285 kg has about 54 kW per tonne. A 150 kW car at 1,658 kg reaches about 90 kW per tonne. Our kW to PS and hp converter helps compare these outputs with petrol rivals.

Driving range and charging

The car runs on a 400-volt system. With the 44.9 kWh battery it charges at up to 7 kW on alternating current and at 60–65 kW from a DC charger. The 60.48 kWh version accepts 11 kW AC in Europe and up to 88 kW DC. Autocar quoted about 29 minutes from 0 to 80 per cent for the bigger battery. Vehicle-to-load lets the car power external devices.

On the WLTP cycle New Zealand lists 340 km for the Standard Range model and 427 km for the Extended Range. German Wikipedia gives "over 420 km" for the 60.4 kWh car. Chinese CLTC figures are higher, up to 520 km for the 60.48 kWh version, and are not comparable with WLTP. For comparison with other models, see our list of electric cars ranked by range and battery.

Design and interior

A light bar runs across the tailgate. Inside, a 12.3-inch touchscreen can turn between landscape and portrait positions. Autocar listed four driving modes: Sport, Normal, Economy and Snow.

The boot holds 345 litres. The 2,700 mm wheelbase takes up 63 % of the export car's 4,290 mm length.

Safety ratings and recall

Euro NCAP tested the left-hand-drive Dolphin in 2023 and awarded five stars. The scores were 89 % for adult occupants and 87 % for children. Protection of pedestrians and cyclists reached 85 %, and the assistance systems 79 %. ANCAP's aligned rating used almost the same numbers. In 2024 Latin NCAP tested the Dolphin Plus with seven airbags and gave it 93 % for adult occupants.

On 30 September 2024 BYD recalled 96,714 Dolphin and Yuan Plus cars in China, built between November 2022 and December 2023. A defect in the controller of the electric power steering column could cause cracks, short circuits, overheating or fire. Dealers fitted insulation pads. At the time it was BYD's largest recall.

Production and sales

The 500,000th Dolphin left the line on 22 September 2023, 25 months after the start of production. Brazil made it the best-selling electric car of 2023 there, with 6,812 registrations. Germany was a slower market: German Wikipedia counts 508 new registrations up to December 2024.

The car won Japan's EV of the Year 2023 and Carbuyer's Best Small Electric Car award in 2024. In China the 2021 pre-sale price started at RMB 96,800 (about €12,700).

Dolphin G DM-i and the wider BYD range

In late May 2026 BYD unveiled the Dolphin G DM-i, a plug-in hybrid version for Europe that is not sold in China. It has its own entry in the catalogue of BYD models. Wikipedia lists the Seagull, the Atto 2 and the Atto 3 as related models. BYD's road from battery maker to car maker is told in our history of BYD, and its early electric taxi in the BYD e6 article.

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