BYD Dolphin Surf vs SEAT Mii Electric

The SEAT Mii Electric costs £4,150 more than the BYD Dolphin Surf. On the headline specs that premium buys little measurable advantage - the two are closely matched on range, charging and space. The BYD Dolphin Surf is not just cheaper - it also offers 25 kW faster peak rapid charging, 57 litres more boot space and a 1.2s quicker 0-62mph time. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the SEAT Mii Electric comes out ahead overall.

The BYD Dolphin Surf is £4,150 cheaper to buy. The SEAT Mii Electric is cheaper to charge, roughly £152 a year versus £184 for the BYD Dolphin Surf, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the BYD Dolphin Surf comes out roughly £3,990 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 87 miles for the BYD Dolphin Surf and 134 miles for the SEAT Mii Electric - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The SEAT Mii Electric goes roughly 47 miles further between charging stops. A rapid charge to 80% takes around 30 minutes in the BYD Dolphin Surf and 60 in the SEAT Mii Electric, so the BYD Dolphin Surf loses less time at each stop. So the SEAT Mii Electric stops less often while the BYD Dolphin Surf stops for less time - pick on which you would rather do.

The SEAT Mii Electric is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 75 mm narrower than the BYD Dolphin Surf. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 755 mm of total clearance for the SEAT Mii Electric and about 680 mm of total clearance for the BYD Dolphin Surf. The SEAT Mii Electric also turns in a 0.6 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 90% battery health for the BYD Dolphin Surf and 84% for the SEAT Mii Electric. That gives the BYD Dolphin Surf a modest edge in retained real-world range. The BYD Dolphin Surf's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the SEAT Mii Electric's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use.