Australia's cheapest electric vehicle! Game-changing BYD Dolphin pricing confirmed - and it's cheaper than the MG4!

The BYD Dolphin will arrive in Australia wearing a pice tag of just $38,890, making it officially the country's cheapest EV, undercutting the just-announced MG4 by just $100.

Fellow Chinese brand MG held the mantle of Australia's most affordable electric vehicle for about 48 hours, with the brand locking in for $38,990 for its MG4 earlier this week.

But BYD has just snatched the mantle back, with its $100 lower price enough to claim most-affordable honours.

The pricing has been confirmed by CarsGuide, and will be announced at a launch event at SeaWorld on the Gold Coast this evening.

It means BYD has come good on its earlier promise that the Dolphin would be "the most affordable, high-quality EV in Australia", with both it and the MG4 unlocking mainstream electric vehicle ownership for the masses.

If the Dolphin in Australia is to mirror New Zealand's specification – on which we will know more this evening – you can expect the entry-level model to be equipped with a 44.9kWh battery, good for a driving range of around 340kms, and a single electric motor producing 70kW.

The cheapest MG4, on the other hand, will be home to a 51kWh battery which should deliver a driving range of around 350kms. It's fitted with a single electric motor that, in its international specification, produces 125kW and 250Nm.

Like the more expensive - and incredibly popular - Atto 3, the BYD Dolphin is expected to launch with multiple battery and motor options, as well as the brand's rotating central touchscreen, which can be set to portrait or landscape configurations.

The BYD Dolphin will launch in Australia this year, with orders officially opening this evening.