Chinese manufacturer BYD has confirmed UK pricing for its new small car ahead of deliveries starting at the tail end of this year. 

The new BYD Dolphin starts from £25,490 in the UK, and €29,990 in mainland Europe. That makes it one of the cheapest electric cars on sale today, undercutting the likes of the MG 4 EV by around £500.

The Dolphin is available with a choice of four trim levels: Active, Boost, Comfort and Design. 

Active and Boost trims are available with a 44.9kWh battery. Active cars offer 93bhp and around 211 miles of range, while Boost ups performance to 178bhp but drops range to 188 miles. 

Comfort and range-topping Design cars gain a larger, 60.4kWh battery with 265 miles of range and a more powerful, 201bhp electric motor supported by 228lb ft of torque. With this motor, the car can complete 0-62mph in around 7.0sec. 

In its highest specification, the BYD Dolphin can charge at up to speeds of 88kW, which takes the battery from 0-80% in around 29 minutes. Meanwhile, there are four driving modes: Sport, Normal, Economy and Snow. 

Standard equipment includes a rotating, 12.3in touchscreen, a heat pump and a suite of safety technology such as emergency braking, traffic alerts, lane assist and adaptive cruise control. Also included is a 360deg camera. 

Range-topping Comfort cars gain a panoramic sunroof, a vehicle-to-load power strip, rear privacy glass and wireless phone charging. Prices for this model start from £30,990. 

There will be a wide range of exterior finishes to choose from, including optional dual-tone paint and a panoramic glass roof, in keeping with the brand’s efforts to pitch itself as a semi-premium offering on a par with the likes of Kia and Hyundai.

At 4290mm long, the new BYD Dolphin sits in between the Peugeot e-208 and Volkswagen ID 3 in size. It is based on the same e-Platform 3.0 as the BYD Atto 3 family hatchback with which the brand launched its UK offensive earlier this year.