Swim with a Dolphin: All-electric model made by BYD which aims to make a splash in the UK and beyond

Price is the key: £18,650 for the entry-level version and £23,950 for the plusher model tested here.

And if you don’t think that’s affordable you haven’t priced up new cars recently. You won’t find much for less in petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid form.

But I felt compelled to dislike it, not least because the colour which is actually Lime Green rather than yellow - makes me look like a middle aged man going through a crisis. In the end, I loved it from the way it sparks off the grid to the way it turns on a sixpence.

It is essentially a compact electric car, narrower than most but still with four decent seats and a useful boot with 308 litres of space. It may be one of the most affordable new cars on the road yet it feels far from cheap.

I took it from West Yorkshire to the Aldwark Manor Estate in North Yorkshire and back on a mission to test another brand for another week, and the BYD felt perfectly at home on the M62, M1 and A1(M).

Motorists are faced with a whole range of new brands these days so you may not know much about BYD yet, but you will eventually. It is a major company on a global scale and if these early models are any indication it is destined for even bigger things.

In fact BYD claims to be “the world’s leading manufacturer of new-energy vehicles”. This is the “most accessible model yet” – cheapest, to you and I – and it combines sporty looks and a fun-loving personality with a spacious, practical cabin that’s packed with trademark useful high-tech features.

BYD says it will “revolutionise the compact-EV segment”. No pressure, then.

It is the eighth pure-electric car to be launched by BYD in Europe in less than three years. Measuring 3,990mm long, 1,720mm wide and 1,590mm tall, the new arrival has dimensions and agile handling that make it suited to narrow city streets and small parking spaces.

Yet clever use of its e-Platform 3.0 chassis delivers cabin space and a boot capacity that are comparable with cars from the class above.

BYD says there is much demand for more accessible electric cars in Europe. The company says this model’s blend of fun design, practicality, urban-friendly dimensions, zesty performance and great cabin technology will have real appeal.

In a world where most cars – especially small ones – are looking more alike it is nice to see a fresh approach with this model. It has a distinctive design that easily stands out, mixing function with a sense of sporty fun. From the side, the vehicle has a single-arch profile that helps to deliver exceptional cabin space for the class, and a wide body contour rises along the side of the car to give it a dynamic look.

But is technology where this vehicle really impresses. Designed specifically for electric vehicles, e-Platform 3.0 incorporates BYD’s trademark Blade Battery, which uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry for higher levels of durability and safety than traditional EV batteries, without the use of any cobalt.

In the case of the Dolphin Surf, two capacities of Blade Battery will be offered – 30kWh (Active version) and 43.2kWh (Boost and Comfort), delivering as much as 200 miles of range. Tested here is the Comfort model.

The City range is as high as 305 miles, in fact, highlighting how a single charge can be enough for many urban customers to drive their car for weeks of average commutes.

At the heart of the vehicle is the world’s first mass-produced eight-in-one electric powertrain system, which combines the drive motor, the reducer, the charger, the DC converter, the high-voltage power distribution box, the battery management controller, the vehicle control unit and the motor controller into a single module. This maximises space use and improves efficiency – both particularly important factors in a vehicle like this.

It is available with a choice of power outputs from its front-mounted motor. The entry point, Active, pairs its 30kWh battery with a 65kW motor for a 0-62 mph time of 11.1 seconds, while Boost, the version with the longest range, features the same motor but a 43.2kWh Blade Battery (0-62 mph in 12.1 seconds). The range-topping Comfort then takes the larger battery and pairs it with the most powerful motor in its class (115kW/220Nm), cutting the 0-62 mph time to 9.1 seconds.

It has maximum DC charging rates of 65kW (Active) and 85kW (Boost and Comfort), so regardless of battery capacity, it can get from 10 per cent to 80 per cent state of charge (SoC) in 30 minutes. Three-phase 11kW AC charging is standard across the range, allowing a 100 per cent refill from 0 per cent SoC in three and a half hours (Active) or five hours (Boost and Comfort).

The car combines a compact design with an impressive 2,500mm wheelbase that matches those of many larger vehicles and ensures enough cabin space for all four occupants to travel in comfort.

The interior treatment blends a sense of fun and excitement with functionality; a clean dashboard design incorporates the standard infotainment screen in a position that is close enough to the driver’s line of sight for ease of use, but low enough to not obscure the view through the windscreen.

The front sports seats are designed for both comfort during cruising and support when the driver is exploiting the car’s agility and manoeuvrability. They’re available with electric adjustment and heating too, depending on the trim level.

The rear seats have plenty of legroom and headroom for adults, making it a real-world option for family use. All versions of the car even come with three ISOFIX anchor points ­– two in the rear and one in the front passenger seat.

It benefits from BYD’s all-encompassing commitment to technology and development, so its smart cabin is packed with useful technology. All versions of the car feature BYD’s signature 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen, incorporating the brand’s latest user interface (including a permanent customisable shortcuts bar and three-finger gesture control for heating and ventilation) as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The car also features intuitive voice control via a ‘Hi BYD’ command that allows you to access many key functions without taking your hands off the wheel.

This car is equipped to support active lifestyles – and that extends to Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology. This allows devices to be powered, at up to 3.3kW, by the car’s own battery, making it possible to use everything from a coffee machine to an electric grill on location.

The cabin features airbags for the driver and front passenger, as well as side curtain airbags and side airbags in the front seats. All versions get an Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) as standard, with a suite of aids including intelligent cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure assist and intelligent high-beam control. The safety equipment list also features a tyre-pressure monitoring system, an emergency call function and child safety locks.

Founded in February 1995, BYD Company Limited is a high-tech multinational company devoted to technological innovations for a better life. After 30 years of development, the company has expanded from 20 employees to around 1,000,000 people, with over 30 industrial parks, and more than 40 branches worldwide.

BYD has four industries dedicated to realising its green dreams of creating a zero-emission energy ecosystem: automobile, electronics, new energy, and rail transit.

BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort: £23,950. Range starts at £18,650; A 43.2kWh electric motor; 0 to 60mph in 9.1 seconds; Range up to 193 miles. Or 300 city miles; 12 years’ anti-corrosion guarantee; eights years or 125,000 miles battery guarantee; whole car warranty of six years