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BYD has brought its plug-in hybrid tech to Volkswagen Polo-sized city cars with the Dolphin G, developed with Europe in mind – and a possibility for Australia.
BYD has revealed its smallest-ever plug-in hybrid for global markets, the Dolphin G, as its rival to the Toyota Yaris, MG 3, and other conventional hybrid city cars.
The Dolphin G is a brand-new vehicle, rather than a plug-in hybrid version of the regular electric Dolphin, with a bespoke body that is shorter nose to tail than its sibling, but still longer than the entry-level Atto 1 EV.
It is sold only as a plug-in hybrid, though BYD has not ruled out the possibility of an electric version to eventually replace the regular Dolphin, which is in the second half of its life cycle in China, and has seen few updates since it launched in Europe and Australia in 2023.
Australian plans are yet to be confirmed for the Dolphin G. European deliveries are due to commence by the end of August 2026.
Every right-hand-drive BYD sold in the UK – where the Dolphin G is also expected to be made available – has come to Australia, so there is a fair chance the new plug-in hybrid will follow suit.
The Dolphin G is claimed to be the first BYD to be developed "specifically for overseas markets including Europe" – a statement that seemingly ignores the Shark 6 ute, which is not sold in China.
At 4160mm long and 1825mm wide, the Dolphin G is similar in width to a Volkswagen Golf or Toyota Corolla, but shorter in overall length, straddling the gap between them and the smaller VW Polo or Toyota Yaris.
It is powered by BYD's plug-in hybrid technology with a small petrol engine and single front-mounted electric motor, good for more than 1000km of claimed hybrid driving range in European WLTP lab testing.
No details of the Dolphin G's engine, power output, battery capacity or electric driving range have been confirmed.
Only a handful of exterior images have been released thus far, showing smoother and more contemporary styling than the current Dolphin, without losing its upright, Honda Jazz-style profile.
More details of the 2026 BYD Dolphin G are due when orders open in Europe in the "coming weeks", according to BYD.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
