The BYD Dolphin Surf has emerged as the best-selling EV in South Africa in March 2026. Here’s how many units were sold…
The BYD Dolphin Surf hit the South African market in September 2025, and with a starting price of R341,900 it’s been the most affordable EV in the country—until recently. The Geely E2, which arrived locally in April 2026, is now the most affordable EV in SA. Thanks to its friendly price tag, the Dolphin Surf has proved popular for BYD’s local arm, with 239 new units leaving showrooms in March 2026, making it the best-selling EV in SA for the month. Those 239 Dolphin Surf sales accounted for 40.5% of BYD SA’s total March 2026 sales. The rest of BYD’s March 2026 figures in SA came from the Atto 3, Dolphin, Sealion 5, Sealion 6, Sealion 7, Seal, and the Shark 6 bakkie—an model we road-tested in 2025—making up the remaining 350 BYD vehicles sold locally in March 2026.
As a reminder, the BYD Dolphin Surf is powered by a single electric motor. In Comfort spec it uses a 30.1 kWh battery, while Dynamic pits a 38.9 kWh pack behind the scenes. Both variants produce 55 kW and 135 N.m of torque. BYD claims ranges of up to 232 km for Comfort and up to 295 km for Dynamic. Both versions support a maximum DC fast-charging rate of 40 kW.
The Dolphin Surf measures 3,925 mm in length, 1,720 mm in width, and 1,590 mm in height. Its wheelbase is 2,500 mm, and ground clearance sits at 120 mm.
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