BYD Dolphin vs MG S5 EV
Nepal prices, verified July 2026 · NPR 4,115,000 vs NPR 4,399,000
BYD Dolphin
NPR 4,115,000
MG S5 EV
NPR 4,399,000
Our recommendation
Buy the MG S5 EV.
It wins where it counts most for a Nepali buyer: you drive unsealed roads outside the valley — 50 mm more clearance.
Unless
Rs 2.8 lakh matters more to you than everything below — the BYD Dolphin is the cheaper car.
- The BYD Dolphin undercuts the MG S5 EV by Rs 2.8 lakh — about 6% of the more expensive car's price.
- The MG S5 EV carries 50 mm more ground clearance, which is the difference that shows up on unsealed roads outside the valley.
- Claimed range is within 0 km across the two, which is noise on a flat test cycle and less than nothing on a hill route.
- The BYD Dolphin has an independent crash rating; the MG S5 EV has not been published, which is itself worth weighing.
- Both are electric, so both prices already carry the FY 2083/84 duty stack. The Clean Infrastructure Levy is banded by CIF import value, not by showroom price — run an importer's invoice figure through our EV tax calculator rather than reading a band off the sticker.
Buy the MG S5 EV if
Our pick- you drive unsealed roads outside the valley — 50 mm more clearance
- you climb fully loaded — 75 hp more and 70 Nm more pulling power
- you want the bigger pack — 4.2 kWh more
Buy the BYD Dolphin if
- your budget is the binding constraint — it costs Rs 2.8 lakh less
Both prices above are ex-showroom
Registration, the embossed plate, first-year vehicle tax and compulsory insurance land on top. Our calculator itemises every one with its source. Dealer charges are the one piece nobody in Nepal publishes — ask us and we'll chase it for your city. Free, and we're not a dealer.
Spec by spec
Swipe the table sideways to see both cars →
| Measure | BYD Dolphin | MG S5 EV |
|---|---|---|
| Price×3Ex-showroom, base variant. | ★NPR 4,115,000 | NPR 4,399,000 |
| Power×1 | 70 kW (95 hp) | ★125 kW (170 PS) |
| Battery×1 | 44.9 kWh (Blade LFP) | ★49.1 kWh |
| Range×2Manufacturer claim; real-world figures in the hills run lower. | 340 km (claimed) | 340 km (claimed) |
| Torque×1Matters on Nepal's sustained hill climbs. | 180 Nm | ★250 Nm |
| Ground clearance×3The single most underrated spec on Nepali roads. | 130 mm | ★180 mm |
| Safety rating×2 | 5 Star (Euro NCAP) | Not rated |
★ marks the stronger figure on that measure. Ties are unmarked. ×n is how much that measure counts toward the verdict above.
How we score this
The verdict is not a count of who wins more specs. Each measure carries a fixed weight, the same on every comparison on this site, and the totals above are the weighted sum. Price and ground clearance count heaviest because budget and road surface are what most Nepali buyers are actually constrained by. These weights are our editorial judgement — published so you can disagree with the specific number rather than the conclusion.
- Price
- The binding constraint for most buyers.
- Ground clearance
- Nepali road surface decides where a car can actually go.
- Safety rating
- Independent crash testing, where published.
- Range
- EVs only. Manufacturer claim; hills run lower.
- Power
- Rarely the deciding factor at these prices.
- Torque
- Matters on climbs, but tracks power closely.
- Battery
- EVs only. Mostly a proxy for range, so counted once lightly.
13 points are available on this pairing. Tied measures award points to neither car.
When we call a gap a tie
A difference has to be big enough to change your experience of the car before we score it. Below these thresholds a measure is a tie and neither car takes the points, because a 5 mm clearance edge or a 1% price gap is not a reason to buy anything.
- Price — 3% of the dearer car
- Below 3%, dealer discount and financing terms move more money than the sticker gap does.
- Ground clearance — 10 mm
- Tyre choice and load change ride height by more than this. Under 10 mm is not a real difference on a broken road.
- Safety rating — half a star
- Star ratings are coarse and each step is a real structural difference, so any full-step gap counts.
- Range — 20 km
- Manufacturer claims are measured on flat test cycles. A gap under 20 km disappears on the first hill.
- Power — 5 hp
- Under 5 hp is not perceptible from the driver's seat.
- Torque — 10 Nm
- Under 10 Nm is not perceptible on a climb.
- Battery — 2 kWh
- Small pack differences are already counted once through range.
How this pairing scored
Weighted scorecard: MG S5 EV 6, BYD Dolphin 3, out of 13, with 2 measures tied.
Common questions
Which is cheaper in Nepal, the BYD Dolphin or the MG S5 EV?
The BYD Dolphin is cheaper at NPR 4,115,000 against NPR 4,399,000. Both figures are ex-showroom for the base variant, verified July 2026.
BYD Dolphin vs MG S5 EV — which one should I buy?
Buy the MG S5 EV. It wins where it counts most for a Nepali buyer: you drive unsealed roads outside the valley — 50 mm more clearance. The exception: buy the other one if Rs 2.8 lakh matters more to you than everything below — the BYD Dolphin is the cheaper car. Weighted scorecard: MG S5 EV 6, BYD Dolphin 3, out of 13, with 2 measures tied.
BYD Dolphin vs MG S5 EV — which is better for Nepali roads?
Buy the MG S5 EV if you drive unsealed roads outside the valley — 50 mm more clearance. The MG S5 EV carries 50 mm more ground clearance, which is the difference that shows up on unsealed roads outside the valley.
Other comparisons
What to do next
- 1
Check the real cost
Ex-showroom is not what you pay. See the on-road figure for the MG S5 EV, itemised.
Open the calculator → - 2
Add a third car
Still torn? Put a third model alongside these two and read all three across.
Build a comparison → - 3
Ask what we cannot publish
Dealer handling and delivery charges are set per dealer and published nowhere. We will chase them for your city.
Get in touch →
Importing rather than buying locally? Run the CIF value through our EV tax calculator — the levy is banded by import value, not showroom price.