BYD Dolphin G DM-i: the plug-in hybrid that will shake up the city car segment

BYD is not easing off. After the success of the Seal U DM-i, the arrival of the Seal 6 DM-i and the recent debut of the Atto 2 DM-i, the Chinese brand is now preparing another direct blow to the European market: the new BYD Dolphin G DM-i, a plug-in hybrid city car that will arrive in Spain in June and promises more than 1,000 km of combined total range.

But the really interesting part is not just that this is another PHEV from BYD, but that the Dolphin G DM-i positions itself as the only plug-in hybrid city car in the B segment, with a length of 4.16 metres. In other words, a car of clearly urban size, but with a technology until now reserved almost always for larger models.

A city car with DM-i technology and over 1,000 km of range

The approach is very similar to the one BYD has already applied successfully in other DM-i models: a car that is driven most of the time like an electric vehicle, with instant response and smooth operation, reduces dependence on a plug thanks to the combustion engine and very efficient hybrid management. The brand has not yet disclosed the technical data for the Dolphin G DM-i, but it does confirm that it will offer a “significant electric range” and that it will exceed 1,000 km of combined WLTP range with the battery charged and the tank full.

The brand also highlights that this is the first model developed specifically for international markets, including Europe, which explains both its size and its practical approach. It is not a product adapted after the fact: it was conceived with markets such as Spain in mind… and to hit other brands right where it hurts, which in this segment only offer, at least for now, HEV hybrid vehicles, not plug-ins. Of course, for this move to work out well for BYD, the key will lie less in the electric range the Dolphin G DM-i can offer for everyday use and more in the price. And many are already rubbing their hands at the thought that BYD could put a PHEV on the market at HEV pricing.

It should be cheaper than the Atto 2 DM-i

Indeed, this is one of the keys. Because the price has not yet been announced, but based on positioning it seems logical that the Dolphin G DM-i will sit below the Atto 2 DM-i, which in Spain is already offered from €20,940 with financing, in the Active trim, and from €24,940 in the Boost. Let us recall that the Atto 2 DM-i claims up to 90 km of electric range and up to 1,000 km of total range, so the Dolphin G DM-i will be in a similar electric range bracket.

And if the Dolphin G DM-i comes in below the Atto 2 DM-i’s price, BYD will have put on the market a product that is very hard to match: a Zero emissions label, everyday electric use, plenty of range for travelling and city-car pricing with good equipment. Exactly the kind of car that can do a lot of damage both to conventional hybrids and to the small petrol cars still surviving in the B segment. And if you are thinking, for example, of the Toyota Yaris, you have hit the nail on the head.

Launch in June and deliveries before the end of the month

The commercial launch of the BYD Dolphin G DM-i in Spain is scheduled for June, with the first deliveries announced for the end of that same month, so prices, equipment and full specifications will be revealed shortly. With this new model, BYD’s PHEV offensive continues, covering practically every important step of the PHEV market: city car, urban SUV, saloon, estate and family SUV. And surely this is not where it ends.