BYD Dolphin Surf Dynamic

The BYD Dolphin Surf Dynamic is the top trim of BYD’s smallest EV, and BYD’s cheapest car in South Africa. It has one motor driving the front wheels and is 3,925 mm long and 1,720 mm wide, about the size of a Mini Cooper. Other markets call it the Seagull or Atto 1. It arrived in South Africa in September 2025 as the country’s cheapest new EV.

The Dynamic has a 38.88 kWh Blade battery rated at up to 295 km on the WLTP cycle. Its motor makes 55 kW and 135 Nm, and 0–100 km/h takes 15.5 seconds. It charges on AC at up to 6.6 kW. On DC the peak is 40 kW, which BYD says gets the battery from 30% to 80% in about 30 minutes. I couldn’t find a usable capacity figure, so 38.88 kWh is the gross number. The cheaper Comfort trim tops out at 30 kW DC.

BYD launched the Dynamic at R389,900, and a March 2026 roundup still listed it at about R390,000. The Comfort has since been quoted at R341,900, so check the current Dynamic price with a dealer. The UK has no Dynamic trim. The closest match is the Boost, which has a 43.2 kWh battery and starts at £21,950. That is a different spec, so don’t read it as a direct conversion. The car suits city commuters and first-time EV buyers who drive short distances and can charge at home. It sits under two other BYDs here: the Dolphin from R539,900 and the Atto 3, which launched at R768,000 and has since been listed from R699,900. Rivals from other brands include the GWM Ora 03, from R686,950, and the Dayun S5, which the Surf undercut by R60,000 at launch. The S5 is the closest price match, at roughly R400,000. I didn’t retrieve its battery, range or charging figures, so verify those before publishing a spec comparison.

BYD Dolphin Surf Dynamic Images

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