The BYD Dolphin release has taken the spot of the most affordable EV on the market. Will it make a splash on the scene just like its big brother, the BYD Atto? Or does this smart five-seat hatch’s pleasingly low price come at the expense of an excellent driving experience? Let’s find out.

Overview

Variants: Dynamic, Premium and Sport (due to join the range in 2024)

Range: 

Dynamic: 340km WLTP

Premium: 427km WLTP

Sport: TBC

Charging time and ports: 

Dynamic can support DC fast charging at up to 60kW for a claimed 30-80% recharge time of 28 minutes. Premium claims figures of 80kW and 29 minutes, respectively. Details of the Dolphin Sport are yet to be confirmed, although it is said to offer 0-100km/h performance in under 7 seconds.

Battery: 

Dynamic: 44.9kWh BYD Blade Battery 

Premium: 60.48kWh BYD Blade Battery

Power:  

Dynamic: 70kW (94hp) electric motor

Premium: 150kW (201hp) electric motor

Sport: To be announced

Efficiency (Vehicle consumption):

Dynamic: 176Wh/km 

Premium: 178Wh/km

Sport: To be announced

Acceleration:

Dynamic: 0-100km/h in 12.3s

Premium: 0-100km/h in 7s 

Sport: To be announced

Top Speed: 160km/h (for all variants)

Torque: 

Dynamic: 180Nm

Premium: 310Nm 

Sport: To be announced

Weight: 1,916kg–2,068kg

Dimensions: L 4290mm, W 1770mm and H 1570 mm

Drive Type: Front-wheel drive

Design & look

The Dolphin’s side profile is supposed to resemble its aquatic namesake, although it’s more of an aerodynamic yet unassuming hatchback. BYD stands for ‘Build Your Dreams’, and the brand stays true to its name thanks to an array of customisable design options. Colourways come in a wide array, including purple, pink, grey or blue. Mats and window tint can be bolted on. 

A generous panoramic glass roof with retractable sunshade floods in plenty of natural light, exterior mirrors are electrically heated and foldable, and LED headlights, tail lights and daytime-running lights illuminate the way. The Sport variant is due to drop in 2024, and as its moniker suggests, it will have a sport-styled body kit with sport-performance tyres and rims.

Features and interior

Inside the Dolphin, its two-tone, paintwork-matching interior is a nice touch, although since this is a budget car, there’s no leatherwork, just ‘vegan leather’ (plastic). That said, the Dolphin is impressively kitted out with tech. A 12.8″ intelligent rotating touch screen is your command centre, offering Bluetooth phone connectivity and audio streaming. Lane departure warning and cruise control make for a safer and smoother driving experience.

Featuring 60:40 split-fold rear seats, the Dolphin is deceptively spacious. There’s up to 1,310 litres of boot space when the rear seats are folded down. Legroom is decent in the front and back, and seats are comfy – especially the driver’s, which has a 6-way electrical adjustment.

Performance

The modest 44.9kWh BYD Blade Battery can muster a range of 340km WLTP or 410km NEDC. Meanwhile, the Premium’s 60.48kWh battery can go further, up to 427km WLTP or 490km NEDC. The Dolphin makes an ideal urban companion if you don’t need long-distance capabilities. Fortunately, what the Dolphin lacks in range and acceleration, it makes up for in smooth steering and quiet driving.

Few details about the Sport’s performance are revealed, although it’s guaranteed to have plenty more power, hitting 100km/h in under seven seconds.

An AC Type 2 charging cable comes with all Dolphin variants as standard. Using a rapid 250kW DC charger, you can expect to go from 10-80% charge in about 30 minutes. Using a 7kW charger, it’ll power up fully in around six and a half hours and only takes 29 minutes to charge up from 30-80% at a rapid DC charging station.

Safety and warranty

The Dolphin is still to receive an ANCAP rating however, it does come with many reassuringly safe features. To start, if you’ve been wondering about the aforementioned ‘BYD Blade Battery’, this differs from lithium-ion batteries in that it’s cobalt-free with better thermal stability and capable of heavier cycles.  

The Dolphin features seven SRS airbags, and for babies and young children, there are two ISOFIX attachments in the outer rear seats. A 360° degree camera system makes those tricky nimble manoeuvres a breeze, and you have every kind of alert, be it rear collision, lane departure or blind spot detection.  

The Dolphin is backed by a six-year or 150,000km manufacturer warranty (whichever comes first), while its battery is supported by an eight-year or 160,000km manufacturer warranty.

Summary

There’s no denying that BYD Dolphin is positioning itself as a major player in the EV affordability market. The Dolphin is an affordable alternative that delivers on space, tech and efficiency – the perfect choice for city driving. Even for a hatch, it never feels cramped, and the infotainment system really impresses. With all of these impressive features at an affordable price, the Dolphin could make some serious waves in the EV market.

Help make ACT and its surroundings cleaner and greener by finding, financing and charging your electric vehicle with ActewAGL. ActewAGL is helping you find an EV sooner, reduce the cost of ownership, and stay fully charged while saving 50% of your personal CO2 each year. This will help us all live a good life, now and into the future. Find out more here.