BYD exported 20,000 Dolphins in July. The PHEV Dolphin G DM-i is driving this result.
The BYD Dolphin family reached 20,000 units exported in July, of which around 12,000 were the new Dolphin G DM-i. It is this plug-in hybrid, unveiled in Europe in May and put on sale in June, that has become the main driver of growth for this line outside China today.
BYD has long relied on battery-powered vehicles to drive its exports. Now it seems the company is also introducing plug-in hybrids, as not every market wants fully electric vehicles right away. And the numbers show this is not just a gimmick for presentations.
The Dolphin G DM-i had higher sales volume than the electric Dolphin
In July, the Dolphin G DM-i contributed around 12,000 exported units, representing a month-on-month increase of about 33.3 percent. The conventional, all-electric Dolphin added 8,560 units.
Since the beginning of the year, exports of the entire Dolphin lineup have already exceeded 100,000 units. For a single model series, that’s quite impressive. Especially considering it belongs to a segment where Europe has relied on models like the Golf, Clio, and other conventional gasoline-powered vehicles for years.
This is a PHEV hatchback designed for foreign markets
The Dolphin G DM-i is BYD’s first model equipped with the DM-i plug-in hybrid system, developed specifically for foreign markets, primarily in Europe. It features a hatchback body style with dimensions of 4,160 mm in length, 1,825 mm in width, and 1,575 mm in height, along with a wheelbase of 2,610 mm.
Compared to the Chinese electric version of the Dolphin, the export-oriented DM-i model is shorter but wider. This shows that BYD didn’t simply copy it over; instead, they adapted the vehicle to suit different markets and powertrains.
Specifications
BYD Dolphin G DM-i
Powertrain
PHEV, DM-i, FWD
Internal combustion engine
1.5 liter turbocharged
System power
129 kW or 156 kW
Battery
7.42 kWh or 18.3 kWh
WLTP electric range
around 40 km or 105 km
Total range
over 1,000 km
Fuel consumption after battery depletion
3.8 l/100 km
Length / width / height
4,160 / 1,825 / 1,575 mm
Wheelbase
2,610 mm
Price in Poland
starting from 105,500 PLN
Prices in Europe are reasonable, but not everywhere the same
In France and Italy, the car starts at 23,990 euros. In Spain, the price is 25,200 euros, and in Germany it’s already 28,990 euros. In the UK, the starting price is 23,990 pounds. And in Poland, it’s 105,500 PLN.
This shows two things. First, BYD is targeting the mainstream market, not a niche. Second, the label “cheap Chinese car” is increasingly no longer fitting, as prices in Germany have now reached a normal European level for a compact PHEV.
BYD Expands with Various Powertrains, Not Just Electric Ones
The electric Dolphin entered foreign markets earlier, in 2023, and has been sold in countries such as Thailand, Brazil, Australia, and Europe. This is especially evident in Brazil, where deliveries of the model exceeded 6,000 units in July, and it made it into that country’s top 10 best-selling cars of the month.
BYD sold a total of 411,072 passenger cars in July. Outside China, that number was 179,841 vehicles, representing a year-on-year increase of 124.3 percent. From January to July, BYD’s overseas sales of passenger cars reached around 970,000 units.
The mix of powertrains is also interesting. In July, BYD sold 233,105 BEVs and 177,967 PHEVs, meaning battery vehicles led over plug-in hybrids for the third month in a row. However, the gap since the start of the year is minimal: 1,100,584 BEVs compared to 1,087,863 PHEVs.
BYD clearly believes that outside of China, it’s not possible to win everything with only electric vehicles. The performance of the Dolphin G DM-i shows it was right. The question is whether European customers will buy such a setup as a transitional option or simply as a more convenient alternative to BEVs.