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Thursday / 6 February 2025
HomeNewsAffordable new electric hatchback coming to South Africa

Affordable new electric hatchback coming to South Africa

South Africa is set to receive an affordable new electric car this year, courtesy of BYD.

The Chinese automaker recently filed a new trademark for the name “BYD Seagull” on the 7th of January 2025.

This is the name used by the brand’s entry-level hatchback in its home market, but the model is also known by another name – the Dolphin Mini.

A separate trademark application for the Dolphin Mini was filed at the start of 2024, and this will likely be the name that the electric vehicle (EV) will be associated with once it goes on sale in South Africa in 2025.

Either way, the fact that BYD trademarked both names in South Africa indicates a very strong probability that the hatchback will be driving around on local roads before the calendar clicks over to 2026.

A game changer in affordability

As its name implies, the Dolphin Mini slots below the Dolphin in BYD’s lineup, making it the new entry point to the brand.

In China, the Mini goes for as little as 90,000 yuan (R230,000), and it is estimated that the EV will retail for around R350,000 by the time it goes on sale in South Africa, according to MyBroadband.

This would make it by far the cheapest EV in the country, undercutting the Dolphin by a considerable R189,900.

There is another entry-level EV in South Africa in the form of the R399,900 Dayun Yuehu S5, but its small motor means it is capped at a top speed of 100km/h – less than the maximum speed of 120km/h permitted on our freeways.

The Dolphin Mini does not have this handicap, as it features a front-mounted electric motor good for 55kW and 135Nm, giving it power comparable to similarly-sized A-segment hatchbacks with combustion engines like the Hyundai Grand i10, Kia Picanto, or VW Polo Vivo.

At launch, the BYD is expected to be sold in two variants – the GL and GS – which determine its battery size and features list.

The GL is fitted with a 30.1kWh cell, giving it a driving range of 305km according to the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) standard.

The Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test (WLTP) gives the Mini a more conservative estimate of 250km, but this should still be more than enough for the majority of trips citizens make on a daily basis.

As for the GS, it has a larger 38.9kWh battery which allows for a more substantial WLTP range of 322km.

The small car can support both a 6.6kW AC charger and a 40kW DC fast charger, which can top up the larger battery in anywhere from 5.6 hours to just 30 minutes.

The manufacturer has yet to disclose the finalized spec sheet for its new model, but overseas the Seagull can be found with items like LED headlights, a rotating 10.1-inch infotainment screen, a 7.0-inch digital driver display, leather upholstery, a wireless charger, automatic air conditioning, cruise control, and a rearview camera.

One other feature that the BYD offers is vehicle-to-load charging, which lets owners use the car as a power source to run various household appliances – a useful tool in a country with load-shedding.

More information on the BYD Dolphin Mini, including its launch date, should be revealed in the near future.

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