The BYD (EV) Thread

Surf's up: Six months in BYD’s £18k Citroen C3 rival

From impressive real-world range to built-in karaoke - here is everything we learned

Since the brand arrived in the UK in 2023 with the Atto 3, BYD has enjoyed exponential growth. It sold more cars here in the first quarter of 2025 than in the whole of last year.

In September it sold 11,271 cars in the UK, which was more than Renault and essentially matching Peugeot and Skoda - and made this the company's largest market outside China.

BYD has named many of its cars after marine life, including the Seal saloon and the Seal 6 estate, plus the Seal U and Sealion 7 SUVs. It is in fact an impressively varied line-up, and BYD is banking on the success of the latest addition to our fleet: the electric Dolphin Surf supermini.

Already one of the brand's biggest sellers in China, the Dolphin Surf is also among the country's most popular EVs, although elsewhere in the world it's known as the Seagull (the name was changed because us Brits aren't the biggest fans of those chip-stealing rats with wings).

Naming aside, that popularity is largely down to some attractive pricing. Even though the Dolphin Surf doesn't qualify for the UK government's Electric Car Grant, it's still one of the country's cheapest EVs.

Prices start at an enticing £18,650, which gets you a claimed 137 miles of range from a small, 30kWh battery and 87bhp from a front-mounted electric motor. Our car, in mid-range Boost trim, is priced from £21,950 and comes with a 43.2kWh battery that's good for a more useful 200-mile range, and it's mated to a 154bhp motor, so there's some more firepower too.

www.autocar.co.uk

I spent six months in China’s best-selling EV – and it has a built-in karaoke mode | Autocar

From impressive real-world range to built-in karaoke - here is everything we learned
www.autocar.co.uk www.autocar.co.uk

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5 most affordable EVs in South Africa (2026)

Thanks to an influx of Chinese brands, South Africa’s new-vehicle market features several more affordable EVs than in years gone by. Here are the 5 cheapest examples…

Back in 2023, the most affordable fully electric vehicle (EV) on South Africa’s new-car market was priced at nearly R800 000. Today, the cheapest battery-powered model available in Mzansi costs well under half that figure.

Mirroring a phenomenon we’ve already seen in the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) space, Chinese brands have started something of a price war in the local EV market, which means SA buyers now have several far more affordable options than in years gone by.

Note we’ve not been able to include the Dayun S5 here as its distributor, Enviro Automotive, doesn’t currently list a retail price on its website.

Right, let’s take a closer look at the 5 cheapest EVs (prices correct in April 2026)…

1. Geely E2 Aspire – from R339 900

2. BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort – from R341 900

3. Dongfeng Box E1 330 – from R459 000

4. Dongfeng 06 E1 – from R499 000

5. BYD Dolphin Dynamic Standard Range – from R539 900


Q: How has the entry-level price for electric vehicles changed in South Africa since 2023?

A: The shift has been dramatic. In 2023, the cheapest EV in Mzansi cost nearly R800 000. As of April 2026, thanks to a “price war” led by Chinese manufacturers, the barrier to entry has dropped by more than half, with the Geely E2 Aspire now leading the market at just R339 900.

Q: What are the differences between the two most affordable models, the Geely E2 and the BYD Dolphin Surf?

A: While only R2 000 separates them in price, they offer different setups. The Geely E2 (R339 900) is a larger hatchback (4 135 mm) with a rear-wheel-drive configuration producing 85 kW. The BYD Dolphin Surf (R341 900) is more compact (3 925 mm) and uses a front-wheel-drive motor producing 55 kW. The Geely also offers a slightly higher claimed range of 325 km compared to the BYD’s 300 km.
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