BYD Launches The Highly Anticipated Dolphin Surf In South Africa, Opening Electric Vehicles To The Mass Market

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Three years ago, I wrote an article titled “South Africa Needs Cheaper Electric Cars ASAP!” following a study that showed over 70% of South Africans would be interested in switching to electric if they had the option to buy an electric vehicle that costs less than R500,000 ($30,000).

South Africans have been starved of affordable electric vehicles due to a number of reasons. High import duties and taxes — petrol and diesel vehicles imported from the EU into South Africa have a customs duty of 18%, while for electric vehicles it is 25%. There are also the Ad Valorem Customs Excise Duties and VAT. The South African government should at least reduce the import duties to match the 18% for ICE vehicles. In fact, they could learn from several governments on the African continent that have reduced and even removed import duties for BEVs completely to encourage adoption. Countries that have reduced or removed import duties on BEVs include Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mauritius, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, among several others. Most of the vehicles on the South African market at the time were mostly the more premium versions, priced well over R1 million rand, presenting a high barrier for most consumers.

The high import duties and taxes are still in place, which is a real shame, however, there is some good news! BYD Auto South Africa is set to make waves in the local electric vehicle market with the launch of its bold and compact hatchback, the Dolphin Surf. Known as the Seagull in its home market, China, the Dolphin Mini, and also the ATTO 1 in some markets, the Dolphin Surf has landed in South Africa at a very attractive starting point. With a launch price under R400,000, the Dolphin Surf represents a game-changing step toward making eco-conscious driving accessible to more South Africans than ever before.

BYD says the launch of the Dolphin Surf marks a pivotal moment for the local EV landscape, as it addresses the key barriers of price and accessibility that have previously limited market growth. With its combination of a competitive price point, practical design, and advanced features, the BYD Dolphin Surf promises to bring a new wave of drivers into the electric vehicle segment.

Two models are available in South Africa, the Comfort and the Dynamic. Here is a summary of the specs of both models.

Both models have a permanent magnet synchronous motor with peak motor power of 55kW and 135Nm of torque. Both models have a maximum speed of 130km/h. The Comfort accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 14.2 seconds, while the Dynamic achieves that in 15.5 seconds.

BYD says the Dolphin Surf is designed as the ultimate urban car — compact, stylish, and perfectly suited for navigating busy city streets with ease. Measuring 3,925mm in length, the vehicle offers practical and spacious interiors, making it a compelling option for a wide range of buyers, from young professionals to families and entrepreneurs. Under the hood, the EV features BYD’s revolutionary Blade Battery, renowned globally for its safety, durability and performance. The vehicle is available with two battery options: a 30kWh unit providing up to a 220km WLTP range and a 38.8kWh unit offering up to a 295km WLTP range.

“The BYD Dolphin Surf represents our belief that sustainable mobility shouldn’t be out of reach, it should be an exciting, everyday reality for real people, in real cities, living real lives,” says Ming Xing, Brand and Marketing Manager.

“Whether you’re navigating the busy streets of Joburg, heading down to Cape Town’s seaside, or making the morning school run in Durban, the Dolphin Surf is designed for your life — quiet, smooth, and kind to the planet.”

The BYD Dolphin Surf has recently achieved the maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, setting a new benchmark in its class. BYD says as the only compact EV in its range to secure this recognition, the Dolphin Surf offers exceptional protection for both adults and children, alongside advanced safety-assist systems that ensure peace of mind on every journey. Combining safety, innovation, and accessibility, the Dolphin Surf proves that an affordable electric vehicle can deliver world-class performance without compromise.

The South African BEV market urgently needs a boost and perhaps the introduction of the BYD Dolphin Surf could just be what’s needed. Sales of BEVs look to be stagnating and we not seeing the same explosive growth we are seeing in South Africa’s PHEV market. In the first six months of 2025, just 570 BEVs were sold in South Africa. That’s about half of the total number of BEVs sold in South Africa in the whole of 2024. 515,712 vehicles were sold in South Africa in 2024 and only 1,257 BEVs were sold in 2024. That’s still very low! With only 3,212 BEVs sold since 2018, it’s clear to see that sales of BEVs have been slow in South Africa.

Let’s take a look at which BEVs topped South Africa’s BEV charts in H1 of 2025.

The Volvo EX30, which topped the BEV charts in 2024, maintained its lead, selling the most units in the first 6 months of 2025 as well. 70 units of the Volvo EX30 were sold during the first 6 months of 2025 in South Africa, followed by 54 units of the Mercedes-Benz EQE. The Volvo EX30 starts from R835,500 and the Mercedes-Benz EQE starts from R1,727,95. So the top 2 best selling BEVs in South Africa are priced from way above the R500,000 most consumers can afford. With the Dolphin Surf starting from just under R350,000, it really could inject life into the South African market if BYD can bring a lot of them into the country and really get the word out to people that there is now a more affordable BEV on the market. The V2L function is also a cool feature to have on a vehicle and could come in handy in South Africa where people like to fire up the grill and have a braai on the go. 

Images courtesy of BYD