BYD Dolphin Surf

BYD is making a splash in Europe—literally—with the launch of the Dolphin Surf, its smallest and most affordable electric car on the continent. The Dolphin Surf is positioned as a "future-oriented high-tech small car", designed for urban driving without breaking the bank.

This pint-sized electric hatchback joins a growing segment of affordable EVs, competing with the likes of the Hyundai Inster, Citroën e-C3, Opel Frontera Electric, and Renault 5. While BYD is late to the compact EV party, it’s entering with confidence—and some compelling features.

Dimensions and Design

At just 3.99 metres long, the Dolphin Surf fits perfectly into the city car category. It's 1.72 metres wide and 1.59 metres high, with a 2.50-metre wheelbase, giving it a solid stance and surprisingly roomy interior for its size.

Built on BYD’s e-Platform 3.0—the same all-electric architecture that underpins larger models like the Dolphin and Seal—the Surf is purpose-built for electric mobility.

Interior room is decent for a compact hatch. The boot offers 308 litres of space, which expands to 1,037 litres when you fold the rear seats down—more than enough for a weekend trip or a big grocery haul. Despite being a budget-friendly EV, the BYD Dolphin Surf comes well-equipped from the start.

Standard safety kit includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, high-beam assist, reversing camera and parking sensors, multiple airbags and tyre pressure monitoring.

Battery Options, Range & Performance

There are three versions of the BYD Dolphin Surf to choose from.

If your commute is mostly around town, the manufacturer claims the Comfort model offers a remarkable 507 km range in the WLTP city cycle, making it a perfect pick for urban living.

Charging

Every version comes with an 11 kW AC onboard charger, meaning you’ll get decent charging speeds at home or work. Fast-charging via DC varies: the 30 kWh battery can be charged with up to 65 kW, and the 43.2 kWh battery with a peak of 85 kW. There's also a vehicle-to-load (V2L) feature, so you can power small appliances or charge a laptop directly from the car using up to 3.3 kW of power.

Warranty Coverage

All Dolphin Surf models are backed by a 6-year or 150,000 km vehicle warranty, while the battery is covered for 8 years or 200,000 km—one of the best in its class.

The price of the BYD Dolphin Surf in Europe