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BYD cars is still relatively unknown in the U.S. But, in China, Mexico, Columbia, and across Europe, BYD is making waves. The Chinese electric car company’s new Dolphin model is expected to take on several of Europe’s most popular compact EVs on their home turf this fall. Though BYD hasn’t announced any dealerships in the US, the Chinese brand is certainly setting its sites on global sales and the U.S. market seems to be in its crosshairs.

Could the Dolphin be BYD’s world car to take on cars like the Chevy Bolt and Kia Niro EV?

What is the BYD Dophin electric car?

The Dolphin is the smallest car by BYD and it’s about the size of a Kia Niro EV or VW ID.3. This front-wheel drive subcompact has 201 horsepower and a claimed range of 265 miles. In Europe, the car comes with a heat pump that can get the batteries up to operating temperature to preserve their life. Inside, it looks fairly spartan without many luxuries, but then this is designed to be one of the cheapest EV cars you can buy, not a Mercedes competitor.

According to the U.K.’s Car magazine, the little car is spacious inside. While the magazine says it won’t win any races and its soft suspension is well-suited to rough pavement, not high-speed shenanigans. It’s also cheap. The Dolphin will sell for about $33,000 in Europe. While that’s expensive, it will undercut competitors by several thousand dollars. The ID.3, for example, sells for about $42,000.

Is the BYD Dolphin available in the U.S.A?

The new BYD Dolphin in white on a country road
The BYD Dolphin compact electric car | BYD

So far, the BYD Dolphin is not available in the U.S. However, BYD is quickly expanding. The company recently announced seven new dealers in Mexico, as well as sales in Colombia and of course across Europe. Considering it sells cars in 50 countries, could the U.S. be far behind?

However, those who do know BYD in the U.S. will know it from its electric forklifts and specialty commercial trucks and electric city busses. BYD’s busses comply with the Buy America program because they’re assembled in Lancaster, California, and contain 75% U.S. content, according to the company.

It also makes electric monorail trains that will start operating in Sao Paulo, Brazil, soon. Overall, the company says it’s sold 2.9 million passenger vehicles since 1995. At the recent Shanghai Auto Show, it showcased several new cars, including the Yangwang U9 sports car and Yangwang U8 SUV. Famously, Warren Buffet invested in the company a few years ago.

What other cars does BYD make?

The BYD Han electric car in blue driving on a city street
The BYD Han is the company’s luxury electric sedan | BYD

BYD is an acronym for Build Your Dreams. Europe will also get BYD’s Han sedan, which has some styling elements cribbed from Porsche and Hyundai, and has a 370-mile range. The Han is a luxury car with all-wheel drive and impressive performance.

BYD uses its own platform called the Blade Battery. The Blade makes up the floor of BYD’s electric cars, much like GM’s Ultium platform. It’s wide and thin allowing it to be placed low in the car.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.