BYD will launch its first supermini for Europe in 2026, with plug-in hybrid drive, Autocar UK revealed.
Plug-in hybrid drive is an area encouraged by the Chinese government in the local market, and Chinese manufacturers have used it as a way to bypass the taxes imposed by the European Union on electric cars produced in China—taxes from which plug-in hybrids are exempt. These vehicles, equipped with both a gasoline engine and an electric motor with a battery that allows them to travel tens of kilometers on electricity alone, are sufficient for the daily driving needs of most drivers.
The Dolphin G will join the electric mini Dolphin Surf, which starts at NIS 115,000 in Israel, and the electric compact Dolphin (from NIS 150,000), serving as a range-anxiety-free alternative to the smaller electric Dolphin. Initial estimates suggest a price range of NIS 120,000–130,000, similar to gasoline superminis such as the SEAT Ibiza and the MG3 hybrid, and significantly cheaper than the Toyota Yaris hybrid at NIS 141,000.
The new model is expected to share a platform and powertrain with the Atto 2, and its base version is equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that, together with the electric motor, produces 167 hp. With a 7.8 kWh battery, the electric range is 40 km. The top version has an 18 kWh battery and 90 km range, but this may be too large and expensive for a supermini. In any case, a smaller, lower, and lighter car can achieve better performance.
Production will take place at BYD’s new factory in Hungary, which produced the Dolphin Surf. Stella Li, BYD’s Vice President, told Autocar that the model will not be marketed in China and is developed exclusively for Europe, where there is a large supermini market: "There is no demand in China for a small plug-in hatchback."
Sales of plug-in hybrid models in Israel jumped in 2025 to over 30,000 cars, almost 12% market share, almost all Chinese models. The best-selling model in the country in 2025, the JAC 7, was mainly sold in this version. The recent launch of cheaper plug-in hybrid models by BYD in the past months, such as the Se Lion 5 and Atto 2, alongside the Omoda 7 and 9, is expected to further increase their market share this year. European manufacturers have plug-in hybrid models, but they are much more expensive than Chinese ones and are imported to Israel only in luxury versions from the continent.
The Dolphin G will arrive in Israel in the second half of 2026.