BYD has launched its most affordable electric car, Dolphin Surf, in the United Kingdom. Its starting price has been kept at approximately ₹19.75 lakh (around $23,600), which makes it one of the cheapest new electric cars sold in the UK.
This move by BYD is aimed at overtaking Tesla to become the world’s largest electric car manufacturer. In April 2025, BYD registered more electric car registrations than Tesla in Europe. However, Tesla remained the largest seller of EVs globally in 2024. Tesla’s sales in Europe have been affected due to Elon Musk Joined the Donald Trump administration. In April 2025, Tesla’s registrations in Europe were halved compared to a year earlier.
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BYD is using the same Blade battery in this model that is also offered in its premium models. It uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode, which is cheaper than nickel, cobalt, and manganese (NMC) based batteries. More than 80% of EVs sold in China in 2024 used LFP batteries.
The Dolphin Surf has a range of up to 137 miles (about 220 km). It includes features like a rotating touchscreen, intelligent cruise control, and automatic emergency braking, which are usually seen in expensive cars.
BYD sells a similar model of this car in China under the name Seagull, which costs around ₹6.35 lakh (about $7,600). Experts believe that BYD can reduce the price of the Dolphin Surf further, but due to the difference in safety standards between China and the UK, this is not entirely possible.
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The UK currently does not impose any import duty on Chinese EVs, while the European Union has imposed a 17.4% tariff on BYD. In March 2025, 30% of all Chinese electric cars sold in Europe were sold in the UK alone.
The Dolphin Surf will compete with affordable electric cars such as the Dacia Spring (around ₹15.85 lakh or $18,900), Citroën ë-C3 (around ₹19.35 lakh or $23,100), and Renault 5 (around ₹24.30 lakh or $29,000). BYD is selling through its dealership network in the UK, and other Chinese brands such as Xpeng, Leapmotor, and Jaecoo are also looking to increase their market share.
BYD’s main battery rival, CATL, is also investing heavily in LFP technology. Both companies are working towards offering full charging in minutes in the future.
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Source(s): The Guardian, BYD UK (Image used in this article is the property of its respective copyright owner.)
