The BYD Dolphin is a new electric family car with the headline draw of affordable prices to help make EV motoring more accessible.

A five-door hatchback with crossover-style looks, new BYD Dolphin prices start from just over £26,000. It doesn’t skimp on features though, with all models having a good standard specification.

With a range of up to 265 miles, the new BYD Dolphin has good EV credentials too. And the name? It’s part of new Chinese brand BYD’s nautical-themed model range. You can also get a BYD Seal and a BYD Seagull.

The new BYD Dolphin takes on affordable electric car alternatives such as the Renault Zoe and Mazda MX-30, plus small electric cars like the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric.

The new BYD Dolphin will also face stern competition in 2024 from the new Citroen e-C3, which is to have prices starting frum under £23,000.

New 2023 BYD Dolphin price and release date

The new BYD Dolphin has good value prices that help make electric cars more attainable. The entry-level Active model, with a 44.9kWh battery, will start from £26,195 when it goes on sale in 2024.

The most popular BYD Dolphin are expected to use the larger 60.4kWh battery option. A new BYD Dolphin costs £30,195 and the range-topping new BYD Dolphin Design costs £31,695.

New BYD Dolphin ordering is now open and deliveries of Comfort and Design models are underway. The lowest-price new BYD Dolphin arrives in spring 2024.

New 2024 BYD Dolphin: exterior and interior

The new BYD Dolphin is a five-door hatchback with a tall profile that helps with interior practicality. The styling features are a mix of crossover and people carrier design cues, with unique body side creases that resemble the profile of a Dolphin (once you see it…).

The new BYD Dolphin has plenty of premium details, including chrome highlights at the front and standard alloy wheels on all models. They measure 16-inch on the entry-level new BYD Dolphin Active, and 17-inches on all other models.

The new BYD Dolphin measures 4290mm long, 1770mm wide and 1570mm tall. Length-wise, it is larger than a supermini-sized small car, but a little more compact than a family hatchback.

The new BYD Dolphin is available in a bright range of metallic colours, and the top-spec new BYD Dolphin has contrast paint as standard, with either Jet black or Urban grey upper half to complement the lower colours.

The new BYD Dolphin has a roomy interior, thanks to its tall body design. It is a full five-seater, with all models featuring standard vegan leather upholstery and electric seats. New BYD Dolphin Comfort and Design models have heated front seats too.

The new BYD Dolphin has a fun dashboard design, with interesting details and a stylish choice of different trims and materials. All new BYD Dolphin also have climate control air con with a PM 2.5 air filter.

The centrepiece of the new BYD Dolphin is a 12.8-inch touchscreen, which rotates from portrait to landscape format at the push of a button. It has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard, and is complemented by a digital driver’s display.

The range-topping new BYD Dolphin Design has a standard panoramic glass roof, rear privacy glass and wireless smartphone charging.

The new BYD Dolphin Design has standard VtoL, or vehicle-to-load, technology. This allows devices to be plugged into the car, which acts like a mobile power station. It has a discharge power capacity of 3.3kW, so it is able to recharge laptops and other devices.

The new BYD Dolphin has a useful 345-litre boot, which is just a little smaller than a Volkswagen Golf. It is practical enough for four standard 20-inch suitcases, says BYD. The rear seats fold flat, opening up 1310 litres of space.  

New 2024 BYD Dolphin: battery, range and performance

The new BYD Dolphin features a high-tech ‘Blade Battery’. This is an ultra-slim design that’s extra-safe and easily passes the car industry’s severe nail penetration test. Two capacities are offered, either 44.9kWh or 60.4kWh.

The new BYD Dolphin Active and Boost use the 44.9kWh battery. The Active, with a 95ps electric motor, has a range of up to 211 miles. The Boost has a much more powerful 176ps electric motor and a range of 193 miles.

The new BYD Dolphin Comfort and Design use the 60.4kWh battery. They have a generous 265-mile range and, thanks to a 204ps electric motor, offer 0-62mph performance in 7.0 seconds.

In terms of charging, the new BYD Dolphin with the 44.9kWh battery can DC rapid-charge at speeds of up to 60kW. The 60.4kWh battery has faster DC charging speeds of 88kW, boosting charge from 30% to 80% in 29 minutes. The larger battery is also combined with an 11kW onboard charger, so you can top up more quickly at a home wall box.

The new BYD Dolphin has a front-wheel drive setup for safe and secure handling. The UK importer has developed new tyres to help improve traction and stop wheelspin in the wet. All but the base new BYD Dolphin have sophisticated multi-link rear suspension.

In terms of safety, the new BYD Dolphin has intelligent cruise control, emergency lane-keep assist, forward collision warning and a blind spot detection system. It also has a five-star Euro NCAP safety score.

Can’t wait for a new BYD Dolphin? Time to consider a Vauxhall Corsa Electric…

The Vauxhall Corsa Electric first went on sale in 2020. Back then, it was called the Vauxhall Corsa-e. A UK best-seller, offering an electric version of the Corsa has helped popularise electric motoring. It is a practical five-door small car with a range of over 200 miles. 

Because it sold well when new, this means there's a good selection of used Vauxhall Corsa Electric on sale. 

If you're ready to buy we've got 1000s of Used Cars for Sale, while if you're looking to save money, check out our guide to the Best Car Deals.

Looking for more new car news?

The new Citroen e-C3 is another super-affordable new electric car that aims to make EV motoring more accessible. If you need something more practical, the new Skoda Kodiaq seven-seat large family SUV arrives in 2024. And if you have more money to spend, the new Tesla Model 3 has been made even more desirable for 2024. For all the latest news, check out our guide to all the best new cars of 2023.