Your Definitive Guide to the new BYD Dolphin Surf Electric Car Lease

The new BYD Dolphin Surf Car Lease - Your Definitive Guide

The launch of yet another fantastic BYD EV yesterday in the form of a lovable, and affordable, Dolphin Surf  is clear indication that the UK’s automotive market is going to develop and grow in accordance with the ZEV Mandate (28% for 2025).

There is no shortage of quality and practical BEVs for both personal and business leasing customers to enjoy. Before we preview the joys of the BYD Dolphin, it is also worth touching on another aspect of our market which could have some significant changes on how running costs on electric cars manage a customer’s experience. While the cost of electricity vs fuel is an often debated aspect, it is probably worth exploring why this is so significant and important.

Every pure EV will operate on electricity, without the use of any petrol or diesel interjection (like a PHEV), so the underlying cost of this is particularly important. Where many new or novice EV customers do get caught out is that they don’t appreciate the connection between the cost of charging in conjunction with the real world range and therefore the Whole of Life position of the vehicle.

While charging is often done at home, which is 27 pence per kWh on a domestic tariff or around 8 pence per kWh on a supported tariff, there are instances where the public network is utilised. When you charge at home not only is the unit cost of energy cheaper but VAT is charged at 5% instead of the usual 20%.

Taking the Dolphin Surf as an example, this would cost around £12 for a full charge (0 - 100%) on the 43kWh model and around £3.50 for a supported overnight tariff from the electricity supplier. This provides a 3 - 7 pence per mile running cost on fuel, which is more than 50% cheaper than a petrol or diesel alternative. However, this is not the same for public charging.

When you need to charge in the UK’s public network, AC (slower) or DC (rapid), the charge point operator will show you the underlying kWh unit price.

Alternatively, our charge point location partners  Zap Map   can assist you with the preview calculation for charging. However, what is well-known is that the VAT charged on the public charging is actually 20%. This is why many charging experiences, especially for the expedient 150kW DC ultra-rapid points, are so expensive.

Some customers are paying north of 80 pence per kWh, which in the BYD Dolphin Surf example equates to a £35 full charging experience and a 22 pence per mile cost. This is far from cheap. On 13 June 2025, the House of Commons are taking a second reading of the proposed bill “Exemption from Value Added Tax (Public Electric Vehicle Charging Points) Bill.”

Accessible to read on the  UK.Gov website  this could really enhance the public charging experience for UK drivers. In its current form  the UK Government proposals are to completely remove VAT from the charging sessions i.e. a 20% discount. While early into the process, as you will see below, this is exactly the intent which the UK electric car market needs to see from our political powers.

The exemption of VAT from public charging process

Potential BYD hatchback customers will welcome that news, as they look to engage with “a compact electric car that’s built for the big city”. The new EV will be aiming to bring a cheaper car with spacious interior, clinical design and punchy performance. Some of the key aspects include the “floating roof” with LED lights, daytime running lights, sporty rear spoiler, 10.1” instrument display, driving assistant, clever storage solutions and the e-Platform 3.0 super safe Blade battery configuration. You can configure your new Dolphin Surf via the BYD website, with the options to include:

•  Active - from £18,650 this is based on the 32kWh battery and includes 10.1” rotatable touchscreen, vegan leather, privacy glass, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, 15” alloys, multifunction steering wheel, climate control, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, rear parking sensors, lane departure assist, forward collision warning, emergency lane keeping, 1 smart key, keyless entry and exit and V2L function;
• Boost - from £21,950 this upgrades the car to 43.2 kWh battery and adds rain sensing wipers, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, 16” alloys and illuminated mirror; and     
•  Comfort -  from £23,950 this adds 360 degree camera, LED headlights, wireless smartphone charging, electrically foldable doors mirrors, exterior mirror footlights, heated seats and 2 smart keys.

The colour options include lime green, apricity white, ice blue and polar night black. All vehicle are based on the black interior.

In terms of performance, the BYD Dolphin Surf will offer:

•  Active -  with a usable battery of 30 kWh this RWD offers 65 kW (88hp), top speeds of 93mph and 0 - 62 times of 11 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 100 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 140 miles (on a full charge) - 120 miles combined . The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 3 hours and 15 min with the 65 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 29 minutes. The hatchback has confirmed Bidirectional charging with the V2L via an exterior Type 2 3.3kW AC connector. It has a 308L cargo volume and offers no towing capacity The heat pump is standard;

•  Boost  - with a usable battery of 43 kWh this RWD offers 65 kW (88hp), top speeds of 93mph and 0 - 62 times of 12 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 140 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 195 miles (on a full charge) - 170 miles combined . The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 4 hours and 45 min with the 85 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 32 minutes. The hatchback has confirmed Bidirectional charging with the V2L via an exterior Type 2 3.3kW AC connector. It has a 308L cargo volume and offers no towing capacity The heat pump is standard; and
• Comfort  - with a usable battery of 43 kWh this RWD offers 115 kW (156hp), top speeds of 93mph and 0 - 62 times of 9.1 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 140 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 1950 miles (on a full charge) - 170 miles combined . The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 4 hours and 45 min with the 85 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 32 minutes. The hatchback has confirmed Bidirectional charging with the V2L via an exterior Type 2 3.3kW AC connector. It has a 308L cargo volume and offers no towing capacity The heat pump is standard.

Ready to go electric with BYD Dolphin Surf?

Just head to our dedicated BYD deals section  or just get in touch with our team on 01942 910 001 or by emailing us at [email protected]