BYD Dolphin Surf cost to own in the UK — the true 5-year total
The BYD Dolphin Surf starts at £21,950. Over 5 years, owning one (EV) costs about £28,239 in the UK as of August 6, 2026 — £471/month, £0.47/mile — including depreciation, charging (with the ~12% charging loss most calculators ignore), maintenance, insurance, financing and VED. That's £461 more than a comparable Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo over the same 5 years.
BYD Dolphin Surf incentives & grants
UK Electric Car Grant: up to £3,750 off the price of an eligible new EV (RRP ≤ £37,000, applied by the dealer). Shown for reference; not included in the totals above. Source: GOV.UK Electric Car Grant.
BYD Dolphin Surf · UK · 5-year estimate£28,239 total · £471/mo · £0.47/mi
Where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · BYD Dolphin Surf | Petrol · Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | £13,609 (48%) | £11,132 (40%) |
| Charging / fuel | £5,786 (20%) | £7,699 (28%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~£694) | — |
| Maintenance | £1,500 (5%) | £2,250 (8%) |
| Insurance | £2,780 (10%) | £2,455 (9%) |
| Financing interest | £3,564 (13%) | £3,242 (12%) |
| Registration & fees | £1,000 (4%) | £1,000 (4%) |
| Total cost of ownership | £28,239 | £27,778 |
BYD Dolphin Surf specs & assumptions
- Starting price (RRP)
- £21,950manufacturer
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 25 kWh/100miWLTP
- Range
- 200 miWLTP
- UK electricity
- 26.11p/kWhOfgem
- Annual miles (assumed)
- 12,000UK average
Road tax (VED) for EVs 2026
VED on the BYD Dolphin Surf is £200/yr — the flat standard rate EVs now pay — and it is included in every total on this page. Source: GOV.UK vehicle tax rates.
Cost to charge the BYD Dolphin Surf at home
The BYD Dolphin Surf runs about £7.42 per 100 mi at home — versus about £17.42 for a typical 40 mpg petrol car. Home charging only (the ~12% AC charging loss is included); public DC fast-charging is billed per session by each network — often 2–3× the home rate — and isn't in these figures.
- Per 100 mi at home
- £7.4225 kWh/100mi + 12% charging loss × £0.26/kWh
- A typical 40 mpg petrol car
- £17.42/100miat £1.53/litre — for comparison
Compare the BYD Dolphin Surf against any car, your mileage & your scenario
What the numbers say
The BYD Dolphin Surf costs about £28,239 to own over 5 years in the UK — £471/month, £0.47/mi at 12,000 mi/yr — and depreciation is the biggest line: £13,609, 48% of the total (as of August 6, 2026).
- Call it a tie: £461 apart over 5 years is inside the noise of estimates like these — choose on fit and charging access, not on cost.
- The BYD Dolphin Surf pulls ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo if you drive more than about 14,000 mi/yr.
- Where the BYD Dolphin Surf's £28,239 actually goes: depreciation £13,609 (48%), charging £5,786 (20%), financing interest £3,564 (13%), insurance £2,780 (10%), maintenance £1,500 (5%), registration & fees £1,000 (4%).
- Per mile, that is £0.23 of depreciation and £0.10 of charging, with £0.15 for everything else — £0.47/mile all-in.
- Charging vs the fleet: at £5,786 over 5 years the BYD Dolphin Surf sits within £116 of the £5,670 median for the 27 EVs we price — nothing unusual either way.
What we assume for maintenance
Assumed £300/yr for an EV at 12,000 mi/yr — about £1,500 of the 5-year total above. On this market's assumptions an EV runs about £150/yr less in maintenance than a petrol car (£300 vs £450). See the methodology for sources; adjustable in the calculator.