BYD’s latest vehicle for the Australian market undercuts every other electric vehicle in terms of pricing, even managing to beat the MG4’s starting price. The BYD Dolphin range starts at AUD$38,890 for the entry-level Dynamic model while the MG4 prices begin at AUD$38,990. However, price wars aside, the BYD Dolphin is an intriguing product in itself. Let’s take a closer look.
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The styling of the Dolphin is more within the realm of a crossover with its stubby nose while according to the brand the front and rear lights mimic “the dynamic motion of dolphins breaching out of the ocean”. It’s 4.29 metres long and 1.77 meters wide with a good amount of ground clearance. While the interior will remind you of the Atto 3 in the sense that it’s dystopian and filled with odd angles and textures.
The steering wheel design and the small instrument cluster are also reminiscent of the Atto 3 but the centre console design is less cluttered than its SUV stablemate. Yes, it gets the large (rotating) touchscreen, which is a BYD staple. Space is plentiful with a long wheelbase and a flat floor. The boot space can be increased to 1,310 litres as well.
All variants are well equipped with standard features including a 12.8-inch touchscreen, alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay, a panoramic sunroof, power-adjusted front seats with vegan leather, a surround-view camera, and a suite of autonomous driver assistance features. Higher variants can get you 17-inch alloys along with a larger battery pack.
Speaking of which, the entry-level Dynamic spec comes with a smaller 44.9kWh battery pack which gives you a range of 340km along with a front axle electric motor developing a modest power output of 70kW/180Nm. If you want more range, then the Premium variant brings in a larger 60.48kWh battery pack resulting in a range of 427km. Power output swells to 150kW/310Nm.
The Premium variant also swaps the standard suspension of the Dynamic trim for a multi-link set-up. However, this will not be the fastest iteration of the Dolphin as a faster Dolphin Sport will come soon with a claimed sub-7-second 0-100 km/h time.
In terms of charging, the Dynamic trim supports a 60kW DC charge rate with the Premium version upping it to an 80kW DC charge rate.
Chinese firms currently occupy the affordable end of the electric car market with the MG4, GWM Ora and now the BYD Dolphin.
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