BYD Dolphin Surf (2025) First Drive Review of SA's cheapest EV!

Most South Africans are tired of crazy petrol fuel prices, but EVs are too expensive, plus there's the schlepp of charging. But what if EVs became more affordable, and you realised that charging at home would mean paying only 50c per km for daily driving; would you then consider one?  

BYD's Dolphin Surf has now appeared on the local scene after bagging the World Urban Car Award, so we had to find out if this new EV 'cheapie' would be worth our while.

What is the Dolphin Surf, exactly?

The BYD Dolphin Surf is BYD's entry-level electric hatchback, and officially South Africa's most affordable EV at R339,900 for the Comfort and R389,900 for the Dynamic in 2025. Think of it as the Polo Vivo of electric cars: small, practical, and designed to get you from A to B without requiring a second mortgage. When Chad visited China with BYD, he also had a chance to drive it under a different name, the BYD Atto 1.

It comes in two flavours: Comfort and Dynamic. Both pack a 55 kW front-wheel-drive motor but differ in battery size and a few creature comforts highlighted in black at the bottom of this article.

BYD takes on urban life in the new Dolphin Surf EV; this is the Dynamic model.

Key specs at a glance

Under the bonnet (or where the bonnet used to matter), you'll find a permanent magnet synchronous motor delivering 55 kW to the front wheels. It's not exactly neck-snapping power, but it's perfectly adequate for South African traffic conditions.

The Comfort trim gets a 30.08 kWh battery pack with a WLTP range of 230 km, while the Dynamic steps up to 38.88 kWh and 295 km of range. (The WLTP testing under real-life conditions is more modern and accurate than the outdated NEDC way, so we would rather trust the WLTP figure.)

Maiden's Cove was the perfect backdrop for photographing the handsome Dolphin Surf, aka Seagull, in other markets.

Both use BYD's Blade Battery technology, but more on that in a bit.

Charging happens at 6.6 kW AC for both models, while DC fast charging tops at 30 kW for the Comfort and 40 kW for the Dynamic. The 0-100 km/h sprint takes 14.2 seconds in the Comfort and 15.5 seconds in the ironically named Dynamic, so don't expect to embarrass any sports coupés at the robot. Still, it's about as nippy as a Kia Picanto 1.2 manual, but you don't have to stir the gearbox to keep the engine on the boil and fatigue your quadriceps.

Related: BYD makes a splash at Festival of Motoring

Charging is relatively quick, and the Dolphin Surf is able to use DC public charging stations.

Dimensions and running gear

At 3,925 mm long, 1,720 mm wide, and 1,590 mm tall, the Dolphin Surf is perfectly sized for overpopulated spaces, making it the ideal car for Cape Town, the world's most Instagrammable city. The Dolphin Surf's 2,500 mm wheelbase means decent interior space despite the small footprint, while the 4.95-metre turning radius makes it a champion in crowded basement parking lots.

Sitting in the back seat en route to the launch site, I thought the high-back sports seats up front created a significant barrier between front and rear passengers, but it's a minor niggle.

Related: VW Polo GTI vs BYD Dolphin Cost Comparison

The cabin has everything you need, including physical buttons below the touchscreen.

My chauffeur, who was 1.8 metres tall and picked me up from the hotel in the Dolphin Surf, mentioned that the driver's seat was at its rearmost setting, and sitting behind him meant tight legroom for me (I'm 1.73 m). Instead, I scooched over and sat behind the empty front passenger seat, which was moved forward a bit more, and I had plenty of room. 

Those are my sneakers behind the front passenger seat.

The suspension setup is straightforward: MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam rear. Both models roll on 185/55 R16 alloy wheels with ventilated front discs and rear disc brakes.

Related: BYD - 3 exciting new models coming to SA

Cabin tech and comfort

Only the Dynamic model was available on launch.

The adjustable 10.1-inch touchscreen that handles Apple CarPlay and Android Auto duties is wireless and USB-connected. The 7-inch digital instrument cluster keeps things simple and clear, while steering wheel controls mean you don't have to take your hands off the wheel to adjust volume. There is a modicum of practical storage binnacles for smaller items, and the wireless charger is perfectly positioned and very effective.

We reckon the cabin is upmarket enough for the price.

You can also say "hello, BYD" to wake up the online assistant, who will try to take care of your requests, but there are physical buttons for things like air conditioning. 

Nothing is cheap-feeling about the dual-toned, faux-leather-covered cabin; it's a contemporary, quality interior. If I had to nitpick, putting your seatbelt on in the second row is tricky due to its deep positioning. 

On the more exciting side, the Dolphin Surf is Karaoke-ready, and belting out your favourite tunes in the car while you wait for it to charge is great fun.

The rear seat is roomier than it looks, but taller adults may need more space.

Safety and driver aids

The BYD Dolphin Surf scored a five-star EuroNCAP rating and was tested this year. You won't find adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assistance, but this is a good thing; omitting features like this effectively helps to keep the price affordable for 'normal' people.

Five stars from NCAP and a 2025 World Urban Car Award. 

BYD battery tech, explained

Here's where BYD flexes its considerable battery muscles. Both trims use the company's Blade Battery technology, which employs LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) chemistry. It is said to be incredibly robust, long-lasting, and cobalt and nickel-free. 

The Blade Battery's party trick is its safety credentials. It can be punctured without catching fire, which BYD loves demonstrating at motor shows. Plus, it offers excellent cycle life, meaning it should last well beyond your car's warranty period. It is integrated within the car's platform, making it even more rigid and safe.

Both models also feature V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) capability, which allows you to power your camping gear, laptop, or even a small electric braai setup directly from the car. Unfortunately, V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) isn't listed for the South African market.

This is the 3.0 e-Platform that the Dolphin Surf rides on.

Charging and costs in SA

The included 7kW wall-box handles home charging duties, though the car's onboard charger limits the actual rate to 6.6kW. 

Charging Times:

• AC Home Charging (6.6 kW effective): The Comfort takes 4.6 hours for a full charge, while the Dynamic needs 5.9 hours. For the more practical 10-80% top-up, expect 3.2 hours (Comfort) and 4.1 hours (Dynamic).
• DC Fast Charging: The Comfort charges from 10-80% in 42 minutes (30 kW), while the Dynamic is slightly quicker at 41 minutes (40 kW).

Charging Costs:
The numbers that really matter for your wallet:

• Comfort (30.08 kWh): R105 for a full home charge vs R226 at public chargers
• Dynamic (38.88 kWh): R136 for a full home charge vs R292 at public chargers

That's based on average municipal electricity costs of plus/minus R3.50/kWh vs around R7.50/kWh at public charging stations. 

The real-world range will ultimately depend on your driving style, terrain, and how much you use the air conditioning, but looking at the range indicator, BYD was on the money with its estimated range. It will be a different story when hitting the highway for a multi-province road trip, so watch this space.

The Dolphin Surf in Dynamic guise should easily give you around 280 km plus of range in town.

How it drives

The Dolphin Surf feels exactly like what it is: a sensible electric runabout. The 55 kW motor provides adequate performance for city driving, but our route didn't include a romp on the highway; it was more than sprightly enough for zooting and zipping through town. As with all electric cars, there's immediate power when you put your foot down.

The general level of refinement is impressive. The cabin is pleasantly quiet as you toodle about, and the steering is light and accurate enough for urban use. Sitting in deadlocked traffic and knowing you are not wasting precious fuel is quite liberating.

City dwellers may just find themselves at a BYD dealership soon.

Rivals and value

Its closest rivals, the Dayun Yuehu S5, GWM Ora 03, and BYD's own larger Dolphin, all command higher asking prices (although you can get a one-year-old Dolphin with under 11 000 km for R400k here)

That R50,000 difference between the Comfort and Dynamic models gets you 63 km of extra range, faster DC charging, wireless phone charging, and better safety equipment. The Dynamic represents a better value for most buyers unless budget is the absolute priority.

The rear-end also looks stylish and modern.

The early adoption sweetener

BYD isn't just throwing you the keys and wishing you luck. Early adopters get a comprehensive package that makes the deal even more attractive:

What's included:

• A 7kW wall-box (though the car's onboard charger maxes out at 6.6kW)
• V2L socket for powering external devices
• Point-to-point charging cable
• R999/month comprehensive insurance through ABSA
• R10,000 cash incentive, but only if financing via ABSA BANK

If you go the ABSA route, this package then effectively drops the pricing to R329,900 for the Comfort and R379,900 for the Dynamic.

Parking the Dolphin Surf can be done with your eyes closed.

Verdict

The BYD Dolphin Surf makes electric motoring accessible in South Africa without requiring you to sell one of your organs. It's priced like a well-equipped ICE hatchback while delivering an electric drive's refinement and running cost benefits.

The Dynamic at an effective R379,900 (with the R10k incentive factored in) offers the sweet spot of range, features, and value for city dwellers with predictable driving patterns and home charging capability. 

Neither variant will convert petrolheads to the electric cause, but it might convince practical-minded people that EVs make financial sense. 

The Dolphin Surf isn't perfect, but it's honest, reasonably affordable, and does exactly what it promises. Sometimes, that's worth more than fancy badges and supercar acceleration.

Hopefully we'll see more of these on our roads quite soon.

BYD Dolphin specification sheet