BYD launches cheapest UK EV in bid to overtake Tesla
BYD launches cheapest UK EV in bid to overtake Tesla
Written By
Reviewed By
Published on
19 June 2025
The Dolphin Surf will start at £18,650
BYD is currently Tesla’s biggest competitor
The Dolphin Surf had a maximum DC charging rate of 85kW
The price of The Dolphin Surf will start at £18,650. Source: BYD
BYD has launched The Dolphin Surf, a new electric vehicle (EV) that claims to be the cheapest available on the UK market in its latest attempt to overtake Tesla as the world’s biggest EV manufacturer.
The price of The Dolphin Surf will start at £18,650, and mixes a “sharp design, a spacious interior, punchy performance and BYD’s in-car technologies”, according to the company. The price makes it one of the UK’s cheapest EV’s on the market.
However, analysts suggest BYD could cut the price further. A near identical car sold in China by BYD under the Seagull name is priced around £6,000, although The Guardian reported that Chinese safety regulations are significantly less onerous.
BYD is currently Tesla’s biggest competitor, and is above Elon Musk’s company for hybrid cars. It also registered more pure EVs than Tesla in Europe for the first time in April.
Features of The Dolphin Surf include:
A ‘floating roof’ and full-width LED breaklights: The C-pillar boars a dot matrix design inspired by ice crystals. It helps to visually separate the roof, creating a ‘floating’ effect. Meanwhile, the rear features full-width LED breaklights.
Daytime running lights: The headlights feature clean, crisp lines, consisting of six angled light strips. The compact EV also has daytime running lights to create an overall sharp and sophisticated look.
Sporty rear spoiler: The integrated roof spoiler enhances its sporty look – adding to its aerodynamic profile, helping to improve efficiency and contributing to excellent range.
The Dolphin Surf had a maximum DC charging rate of 85kW, meaning it can charge from 10% to 80% of battery capacity in just 30 minutes.
Its dashboard also features BYD’s signature 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen, equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as a voice control via a ‘Hi BYD’ common to access many key functions without taking your hands off the wheel.
The car is powered by the Blade Battery, bringing benefits in packaging and durability, and has the world’s first mass-produced 8-in-1 electric powertrain system, which combines all essential elements into a single module. This maximises space utilisation and improves efficiThe compact EV has an official range of up to 137 miles, as well as includes intelligent cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
Written By
Tamara BirchNewsletter and sponsored content editor
Tamara is a London-based journalist and has written about environmental topics for more than four years. This includes advising small business owners on cost-effective ways, like solar panels and energy-efficient products, to help them become more sustainable.
She has used her journalist and research skills to become highly knowledgeable on sustainable initiatives, issues, and solutions to help consumers do their bit for the environment – all while reducing monthly costs.
In addition to adopting sustainable practices in her personal life, Tamara has worked in the retail B2B space to help independent retailers think about their environmental choices and how they can help improve their business. She now uses this knowledge to help consumers do the same.
Her passion for sustainability and eco-friendly solutions stems from a long obsession with nature and animals and ensuring they feel looked after. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading fantasy novels, visiting the gym, and going on long walks in new areas.
Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.
In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.
He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.
Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.
As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.
His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.
Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history and ghost stories. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.
Zaptec launches new V2G EV charger
The new Zaptec Go 2 EV charger for homes and businesses lets drivers earn money by sending electricity back to the National Grid
