The BYD Dolphin Surf has just secured a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Launched across Europe in spring and already crowned World Urban Car of the Year, this compact electric vehicle now shines even brighter with standout performance across all four main safety evaluation categories. From protecting adult and child occupants to shielding vulnerable road users and offering advanced safety assist technologies, the Dolphin Surf raises the bar for affordable EV safety.
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Adult and Child Occupant Protection
Euro NCAP’s test results show the Dolphin Surf delivers impressive protection for both adult and child passengers. In the side-barrier and side-pole impact tests, it earned maximum points and delivered an 82% overall score for adult occupant protection. For child occupant safety, the Dolphin Surf achieved an even stronger 86%. These results reflect how BYD’s comprehensive engineering approach ensures exceptionally safe travel, even in its most accessible model.
Vulnerable Road User and Safety-Assist Performance
The Dolphin Surf’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system performed notably well in responses to cyclists and motorists, contributing to a 76% rating in the Vulnerable Road Users category. In the critical Safety Assist section, the vehicle scored 77%, with special praise for its vehicle-to-vehicle AEB, lane-departure support, and driver-monitoring technologies.
What This Means for the Compact EV Segment
Securing a five-star Euro NCAP rating is a hard-earned feat for any vehicle—and one particularly challenging for small electric cars. The Dolphin Surf’s achievement highlights not only its own safety credentials but the broader evolution of small EV design, proving that compact, affordable cars need not compromise on protection. The contrast becomes even clearer when compared with the recently tested BMW 1 Series, a premium hatchback that managed only four stars in the same Euro NCAP programme.
BYD Dolphin Surf: the Brand’s Smallest EV
The Dolphin Surf (also known as BYD Seagull), produced since 2023 as the brand’s smallest electric model. Built on BYD’s super-safe e-Platform 3.0 and equipped with the signature Blade Battery (LFP chemistry), it’s designed for practicality, safety, and affordability.
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It’s offered in three trims with two battery sizes: 30 kWh and 43.2 kWh. The 30 kWh Active delivers up to 220 km (WLTP), while the larger pack in Boost and Comfort extends the range up to 322 km. Power ranges from about 88 PS to 156 PS depending on trim, and the 0-100 km/h sprint time falls between 9.1 and 12.1 seconds.
