New BYD Dolphin Mini will have a speedometer in the multimedia — and that can be very displeasing

The interior of the next generation of the BYD Dolphin Mini appeared in images leaked in China, and the most radical change is not in what was added, but in what disappeared: the brand’s entry-level hatch loses the conventional instrument panel. All driving information is now displayed on the central screen.

The photos were published by the 3YC User Report website and reproduced by the CarNewsChina portal. It is the first registration of the cabin of the model, sold in China under the name Seagull and known as Dolphin Surf and Atto 1 in other markets. BYD has not officially confirmed any details of the renewal.

Two-level center console

The main visible novelty is the redesigned center console, now on two levels and with an inclined design. The solution frees up height in the lower span, useful space for bulky objects — the kind of detail that usually weighs in everyday urban use. Above it is the multimedia screen, and the panel preserves a row of physical buttons under the central air vents.

The steering wheel has also been revised, with angular buttons, and the seats have red trim on the sides of the supports, in contrast to the navy blue theme that BYD uses in the Ocean line. There is no information about any resolution update or processing of the multimedia center.

Bigger, heavier, and nearly twice the power

The dimensions and mechanics had already been revealed in July, in records of the MIIT, the Chinese ministry of industry — mandatory documentation before launch. The car now measures 4.21 m long, 1.81 m wide and 1.57 m high, with a wheelbase of 2.65 m, 15 cm longer than the current one. The curb weight is between 1,180 kg and 1,255 kg, and all versions listed adopt 205/60 R16 tires, wider than today’s 165 and 175.

The front electric motor rises to 129 hp, an increase of 54 hp over the most powerful version sold today in China. The top speed is now 150 km/h. The LFP battery will be provided by Shaoxing FinDreams, a subsidiary of BYD itself, but MIIT has not published capacity or autonomy. The model follows a 400 V architecture and does not accept the brand’s ultra-fast charging standard.

The renovation comes at a time of loss of land. According to data from the China EV DataTracker, BYD delivered 8,879 units of the Seagull to the Chinese market in July. Already the absolute sales leader in the country, the model was surpassed by rivals such as the Geely EX2 and the Leapmotor B03X. Items such as LiDAR can be decisive in an attempt to put the hatch back in the dispute.

In Brazil, the Dolphin Mini is the best-selling electric car and the first to be assembled in the country, at the Camaçari (BA) plant. The current version has 75 hp and starts at around R$ 119 thousand.