New BYD Dolphin Mini is bigger, more powerful and brings a more attractive look

The second generation of the BYD Dolphin Mini has already been revealed. Brazil’s best-selling electric car — sold as Seagull in China and Dolphin Mini in Brazil — had photos and technical data registered with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and we already know that it will arrive bigger, more powerful and faster than the current version.

The car’s growth is what stands out: the new body measures 4.20 m in length, against 3.78 m for the Dolphin Mini sold today in Brazil — a jump of about 42 cm. The wheelbase rose from 2.50 m to 2.65 m, and the width went from 1.71 m to 1.81 m. The height, of 1.57 m, was practically the same as that of the national model (1.58 m). With the new measurements, the Dolphin Mini is no longer a subcompact and is closer to the Dolphin, the family’s bigger brother.

Under the bodywork, the power almost doubled: the electric motor jumped from 75 hp to 129 hp, and the top speed rose from 130 km/h to 150 km/h. The batteries are of the Blade type (LFP), supplied by FinDreams, a subsidiary of BYD itself. The capacity and autonomy of the new generation are not yet included in the Chinese documents; for comparison, the Brazilian version uses a 38 kWh battery and has 280 km of autonomy by Inmetro.

The homologation images show a front with narrow polygonal headlights, recessed door handles and darkened columns that give a floating roof effect. At the rear, the trapezoidal taillights are connected by a bar that centers the logo. Among the options are 16″ wheels with 205/60 R16 tires.

According to the Chinese specialized press, the launch in the country should take place by September of this year. The move is a response to the advance of rivals such as the Geely EX2 (Xingyuan), which has surpassed the Seagull in sales in China.

Arrival in Brazil, however, tends to take a little longer. The current generation debuted here in February 2024 and only started to be assembled in Camaçari (BA), under the SKD regime, the following year — an investment that the brand must want to take advantage of before changing generations.

At the same time, BYD is increasingly focusing on the rest of the world instead of China, where it has felt the effects of competition — and this has been bringing news abroad more quickly. In any case, AutoPapo expects the 2nd generation of the BYD Dolphin Mini to land next year. BYD has not yet confirmed plans for the domestic market.