Chinese vehicle manufacturer BYD has unveiled the new Dolphin Surf in South Africa, a new electric car that is now the country’s most affordable. Often compared to Tesla, BYD has recently been outselling its American counterpart in some global markets, a testament to its growing influence.
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The Dolphin Surf is available in two derivatives, both of which come with an early adopter rebate of R10,000. This rebate includes a free “extras” kit with a 7kW home wall charger, portable charger, vehicle-to-load (V2L) socket, and a point-to-point cable
- The Dolphin Surf Comfort starts at R339,900.
- The Dolphin Surf Extended Range is priced at R389,900.
The Comfort model features a 30 kWh blade battery with a 232 km WLTP range, delivering 55 kW of power through the front wheels. It has a maximum DC charging rate of 30 kW.
For an extra R50,000, the Extended Range model provides a larger 38.8 kWh blade battery and a more substantial 292 km WLTP range. It also supports a higher DC charging capacity of 40 kW and, notably, offers up to 15 kW of wireless charging, a feature that future-proofs the vehicle as the technology becomes more widespread
Both models come equipped with electric front seats and two interior screens. The V2L feature is rated at 3 kW, which is enough to power a home during an outage or charge a home battery system.
During a test drive on a short city circuit, the Dolphin Surf demonstrated good build quality and nippy performance, which is typical for an EV. Rear seat space is impressive for its segment, and while the boot space is compromised, it is sufficient for daily use. With a quoted top speed of 130 km/h, the car is well-suited for its primary purpose as a commuter vehicle.
