BYD Dolphin G DM-i targets European superminis with a plug-in hybrid hatchback – will it work in Malaysia?

Somehow BYD has managed to design all of its electric car platforms to be able to be converted to a plug-in hybrid easily and the results are a multitude of new versions of its EVs that it is able to launch to react to market conditions where needed.

This is the BYD Dophin G DM-i, which looks like an EV that we used to know (it has had its place in the line-up filled by the Atto 2) but is instead powered by BYD’s Super Hybrid with DM technology.

The Dolphin G DM-i can work like an EV with an electric motor working the front wheels, but when required to tackle longer mileage trips, the petrol engine can contribute, allowing it a range of over 1,000 km on a full charge and a full tank of petrol.

This model is the first that BYD has developed specifically for overseas markets including Europe. Its dimensions of 4,160 mm length by 1,825 mm width places it squarely into the heartland of European superminis, the B-segment.

It will go on sale in European market in the next few weeks, with full tech specs and trim levels to be announced later. We expect the DM-i system to be similar to that in the Atto 2 DM-i, which uses a 1.5 litre normally aspirated petrol engine for the ICE portion.

Would such a car work in the Malaysian market? The most affordable hybrid is currently the Chery Tiggo Cross Hybrid at RM99,800, but it has no plug-in capability. The next level up is the Proton eMas 7 PHEV which retails at RM109,800. That’s a really tight price range for a Dolphin plug-in hybrid to squeeze into.

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