The Dolphin G will go on sale soon as BYD’s first car developed specifically for global markets. BYD said its “game-changing” plug-in hybrid system will offer over 1,000 km (621 miles) of combined range at an affordable price.
The Dolphin G is BYD’s first car custom-built for overseas
BYD is taking its Super Hybrid with DM technology overseas as it looks to drive growth this year. After overtaking Tesla, Kia, and others, BYD became the best-selling EV brand in the UK, Australia, and several overseas markets in the first quarter of the year.
As China’s brutal price war continues to intensify and a flood of new low-cost domestic rivals hit the market, BYD and several other Chinese brands are looking overseas to boost sales.
The Dolphin G is BYD’s first car developed specifically for overseas markets, including Europe, the company said after unveiling the compact PHEV hatchback on Tuesday.
The B-segment is “one of the most important,” according to BYD’s executive vice president, Stella Li. Powered by its “game-changing” Super Hybrid (DM-i) PHEV system, the Dolphin G DM-i achieves a combined WLTP driving range of over 1,000 km (621 miles).
“By bringing long electric range, intelligent hybrid technology and advanced digital features into an accessible compact vehicle, we are making sustainable mobility smarter, more practical and available to many more people across Europe,” Li said.
The supermini is just 4,160 mm long and 1,825 mm wide, about the size of the Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris, both of which are still equipped with a hybrid system rather than a PHEV.
BYD said the Dolphin G DM-i will go on sale in Europe in the coming weeks, with the first deliveries set to follow by the end of summer. We will learn prices and final specs closer to launch, but according to Autocar, the Dolphin G is expected to start at around £20,000 ($27,000), as the smallest PHEV in the UK.
The Dolphin G will likely use the same PHEV system as the Atto 2 DM-i, which includes a 1.5-liter engine that serves as a generator for a 194 hp (145 kW) front-mounted electric motor.
Like the Atto 2 DM-i, it’s expected to be available with two LFP battery pack options, 7.8 kWh and 18 kWh, which BYD said will offer up to over 1,000 km (621 miles) of WLTP driving range combined.
The compact PHEV will arrive as a sibling to the Dolphin Surf, BYD’s smallest and most affordable all-electric car sold in the UK, Europe, and other global markets. It’s sold in China as the Seagull, one of BYD’s best-selling vehicles.
Can BYD’s new plug-in hatch compete with the Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris in Europe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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