BYD is preparing a new plug-in hybrid hatchback for the European market to tackle cars like the VW Polo, Opel Corsa, and Peugeot 208.
BYD is preparing to launch a new plug-in hybrid model called the Dolphin G, to sell alongside the existing Dolphin EV.
The new car will slot into Europe’s B-segment, making it a similar size to vehicles like the Renault Clio, Suzuki Swift and Volkswagen Polo.
The Dolphin G is set for its European introduction in 2026.
While the electric Dolphin already sells in Europe, BYD’s move to introduce a PHEV version appears to be a workaround to avoid the 35 per cent tariff applied to Chinese EVs, but not levied against hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
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Full details of the BYD Dolphin G are yet to be announced, but the new hatchback is expected to be BYD’s first region-specific model for Europe.
BYD president Stella Li did not offer key details about the Dolphin G, but described it as the first BYD model specifically designed for the European market, rather than adapted from an existing Chinese-market model.
“There is not any market in China,” for small, plug-in hybrid hatchbacks like the Dolphin G, Li said.
The Dolphin G is expected to borrow heavily from the Atto 2 DM-i plug-in hybrid compact SUV.
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The Atto 2 PHEV is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and single electric motor, and either a 7.8kWh or 18.3kWh battery, providing a maximum electric output of 156kW with a combined 193kW peak output, and an electric-only driving range of as much as 90km with the larger battery.
It’s possible that the lower overall height and improved aerodynamic profile of the Dolphin G could result in an improved electric driving range.
BYD will begin European production of the Atto 1 (sold there as the Dolphin Surf) and Atto 2 during 2026, and the Dolphin G will likely join those models soon after.
BYD’s current range of Australian market vehicles is entirely sourced from China, and the tariff structure in Europe, along with Hungarian production, means that the Dolphin G could be an unlikely starter for the Australian market.
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