The BYD Dolphin Surf launched in South Africa in September last year, and with an asking price starting from R341 900, it has been the most affordable EV in SA until recently (the Geely E2, which made its local debut in this month, is currently the most affordable EV in SA).

Thanks to its palatable sticker price, the Dolphin Surf has proved popular for the Chinese automaker’s local arm, with the 239 new units leaving showroom floors making it the best-selling EV in SA in the third month of 2026.

The number of Dolphin Surf units sold accounted for 40.5% of BYD SA’s overall March sales figure. The Atto 3, Dolphin, Sealion 5, Sealion 6, Sealion 7, Seal and Shark 6 bakkie – the latter of which Car Magazine evaluated for a road test in 2025 – accounted for the remaining 350 cars sold by BYD on local shores in March.

As a reminder, the BYD Dolphin Surf is powered by a single electric motor, fed by a 30.1 kWh battery pack in Comfort spec and a 38.9 kWh item in Dynamic guise. Both models produce 55 kW and 135 N.m of torque. The company claims operating ranges of up to 232 and 295 km for the Comfort and Dynamic, respectively. Both models have a maximum DC fast-charging capacity of 40 kW.

The Dolphin Surf measures 3 925 mm in length, 1 720 mm in width, and 1 590 mm in height. The wheelbase spans 2 500 mm. The ground clearance is rated at 120 mm

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