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Here’s our first look at BYD’s new low-cost, 1,000 km-range PHEV in real life [Images]

BYD’s new PHEV is set to go on sale any day now as the brand’s first car specifically built for overseas markets, including Europe. With its debut just around the corner, the new plug-in hatch was recently spotted in public, giving us our first real look at the interior.

Meet BYD’s 1,000-km range PHEV, the Dolphin G

After unveiling the Dolphin G DM-i last week, BYD said the compact hatchback was its first car built exclusively for global markets, such as Europe and the UK.

With a flood of new low-cost domestic vehicles launching in China, fueling the already brutal price war, BYD is setting its sights on overseas markets to drive growth this year.

At just 4,160 mm long, BYD’s plug-in hatch is about the size of the Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris, two of Europe’s best-selling vehicles. Since the B-segment is “one of the most important,” according to BYD’s executive vice president, Stella Li, the Dolphin G is expected to be a cornerstone of the company’s overseas push.

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Using its “game-changing” Super Hybrid (DM-i) PHEV system, the Dolphin G offers an impressive combined WLTP driving range of over 1,000 km (621 miles).

While no other details were revealed, BYD said the Dolphin G DM-i would go on sale in Europe in June, with deliveries set to begin by the end of Summer.

Ahead of its official launch, a camouflaged prototype was caught in public, revealing the interior design for the first time.

As you can see in the new spy images from ThinkerCar, the prototype has the same compact hatchback design as the official photos BYD released last week.

Since BYD didn’t provide any interior photos, the images reveal the cabin setup for the first time. The Dolphin G DM-i features BYD’s new minimalistic interior design with a central floating infotainment screen and a smaller driver cluster display.

The steering wheel has a new three-spoke design with physical buttons for music and other functions.

While some of it is still covered, it looks about the same as the Dolphin Surf, an all-electric sibling to the Dolphin G PHEV.

BYD will reveal prices and final specs soon, but the plug-in hatch is expected to use the same PHEV system as the Atto 2 DM-i, including a 1.5-liter engine and a 194 hp (145 kW) front-mounted electric motor.

Like the Atto 2 DM-i, the Dolphin G will likely be offered with two LFP battery packs, 7.8 kWh and 18 kWh, providing a combined WLTP driving range of over 1,000 km (621 miles).

BYD said the compact hatch will offer “meaningful pure-electric range,” but didn’t offer any specifics. The Atto 2 DM-i, with the 18 kWh battery, provides a pure-electric WLTP city driving range of up to 93 miles and a combined WLTP range of 55 miles.

We will learn prices and more details soon, but according to Autocar, the Dolphin G DM-i is expected to start at around £20,000 ($27,000). It will go on sale as the UK’s smallest PHEV.

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Avatar for Peter Johnson Peter Johnson

Peter Johnson is covering the auto industry’s step-by-step transformation to electric vehicles. He is an experienced investor, financial writer, and EV enthusiast. His enthusiasm for electric vehicles, primarily Tesla, is a significant reason he pursued a career in investments. If he isn’t telling you about his latest 10K findings, you can find him enjoying the outdoors or exercising