BYD plans to build Dolphin Surf in Hungary in 2025

BYD is showcasing its European commitment and progress at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich with the public debut of the only partially electric Seal 6 DM-i Touring, and also displaying the Dolphin Surf, which was awarded a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating and has been confirmed as the first BYD passenger car to be made in Europe. The Chinese carmaking giant has also announced a new BYD Certified Pre-owned scheme.

BYD is reaffirming its plans to start production of its electric cars in Europe this year. The ramp-up at the end of 2025 is not new, as BYD’s European boss Stella Li already confirmed last December – even though there were rumours of a delay this summer (later denied). Production is supposed to start with two old acquaintances: ‘The first two cars we will produce will be the Dolphin and the Atto 3,’ Li said in an interview.

But at the IAA, BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li now confirmed that the Dolphin Surf will be manufactured at BYD’s new production plant in Hungary – the small electric car sold in China as the BYD Seagull. The plant in Szeged is on schedule and is expected to start production at the end of 2025, according to BYD. The Dolphin Surf ‘will lead the BYD vehicles built in Europe for Europe,’ the company said.

‘Europe is a tremendously important market for us, so it’s natural to confirm here, at the region’s largest auto show of 2025, that our iconic Dolphin Surf will be the first car that we manufacture in Hungary,’ Li said in a press statement. ‘We’ve been consistent with our commitment to this project and we’re really excited to start selling cars produced in Europe. The Euro NCAP safety rating is another terrific achievement for DOLPHIN SURF – our World Urban Car of the Year now has the top endorsement in Europe on safety. This is a perfect example of how our technology-led approach delivers meaningful, tangible benefits for customers.’

BYD did not present a new electric car at the IAA itself, but it did bring a plug-in hybrid to Munich in the form of the Seal 6 DM-i Touring. BYD initially introduced the partially electric car as a bridging technology in Europe, but with the introduction of special EU tariffs on electric cars manufactured in China, the company has significantly increased its imports of plug-in hybrids, as PHEVs are not subject to the special tariffs. The special import duty is also likely to have played a role in the model planning for the Hungarian plant: BYD hopes that the Dolphin Surf will boost sales figures, but the special tariffs have a greater impact on price-sensitive small cars.

The Seal 6 DM-i Touring estate car is 4.84 metres long, 1.88 metres wide and 1.51 metres high. The model is available in two PHEV variants: in the Boost version, the blade battery has a capacity of 10.08 kWh and a maximum system output of 135 kilowatts. The Comfort Lite and Comfort versions have a higher system output (156 kW) and a larger battery (19 kWh), enabling a range of just over 100 kilometres in pure electric mode. There is also a difference in the charging system: the smaller battery can be charged with a maximum of 3.3 kW AC, while the larger one can be charged with 6.6 kW AC or 26 kW DC. This means that the battery can be charged from 30 to 80 per cent in 23 minutes. However, the vehicle-to-charge function with a maximum of 3.3 kW is standard for both batteries.

The combined range with the 1.5-litre petrol engine is the same in all cases at 1,350 kilometres. With a boot capacity of between 500 and 1,535 litres, the estate car is also designed to be highly practical.

In terms of purely electric cars, Stella Li also confirmed that BYD’s ‘flash charging’ technology is coming to Europe – the megawatt charging for electric cars that was unveiled in China in April. Between 200 and 300 stations are planned by the second quarter of 2026 – BYD intends to use this special fast-charging technology primarily for its premium brand Denza. The Denza Z9 GT and D9 MPV models are also on display at the IAA Open Space at Odeonsplatz and Königsplatz – and will also be used there for ‘the first European demonstrations of 1000 kW flash charging,’ according to BYD.

BYD is also already thinking about the growing used car market and has introduced a ‘BYD Certified Pre-Owned’ programme. Used cars marketed with this label are to undergo a 179-point inspection and have ‘a guaranteed battery condition of at least 90 points,’ according to the manufacturer. In addition, there are ‘comprehensive services such as warranty, breakdown assistance and data services.’

byd.com, bydauto.be

This article was first published by Florian Trieß for electrive’s German edition, electrive.net