BYD opens UK order books for the Dolphin Surf

The new BYD Dolphin Surf is now on sale in the UK with prices starting from £18,650. The electric compact car is available in three trim variants, with deliveries starting now, but potentially limited by availability.

Image: Peter Schwierz

BYD only officially presented the Dolphin Surf just last month, but the affordable Chinese compact EV is already making waves: We took it out for a spin in a drive test just a week after the launch, and found it packed quite a bit of comfort, especially considering its price class. The first major customer order has also already been placed, with German car subscription provider Finn ordering a fleet of 5,000 of the cars.

For the UK launch, BYD has now announced that the car will launch in three variants, starting with the entry-level ‘Active’, which delivers a modest range of 137 miles. This is based on a small 30 kWh LFP blade battery, which may not deliver much range, but can be charged from 10-80 per cent in about half an hour on a 65 kW connection. It can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 11.1 seconds. The base price for this model stands at the above-mentioned £18,650.

The next variant up the ladder starts at £21,950 and is called the ‘Boost’ trim. This model features a larger battery with 43.2 kWh, allowing for a range of up to 200 miles. It can also charge at a higher capacity up to 85 kW. Due to using the same motor as the base variant, the acceleration time increases to 12.1 seconds. It also features more technical improvements, such as rain-sensing wiüers and an electrically adjustable driver’s seat.

Finally, the range is topped by the ‘Comfort’ trim, starting at £23,950. This variant combines the larger battery with a 114 kW electric motor, achieving up to 193 miles of range, with an acceleration value from 0-62 mph at 9.1 seconds. It also features even more technical improvements, such as a wireless charging pad, a 360-degree camera system and heated front seats.

All models are available in lime green, but customers can opt for other colours, including Polar Night Black, Apricity White or Ice Blue at an additional charge of £650.

byd.com, theguardian.com

4 Comments

about „BYD opens UK order books for the Dolphin Surf“
Paul N.
17.06.2025 um 07:21
PCP is ridiculously expensive with 3.9% interest. The Dolphin is a better deal at 0% and just £10 a month more.
Steve
17.06.2025 um 08:53
I was so excited about this. We took it for a test drive and got ready for the numbers. When presented the dolphin was on zero percent APR and the surf on 3.9 for PCP making it the same monthly price. Absolutely bizarre.
Movky
18.06.2025 um 08:08
Comfort has worse range than boost but it's more expensive. Bizzare.
Rein
21.06.2025 um 17:17
They have the same battery but the top model has more power and better acceleration. As with all BEVs t hi s addional power comes at The expense of efficiency and therefore range.

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