UPDATE: The @BraderLanx account seems to have disappeared.

Is the Neta V about to get another ‘EV marhaen’ competitor in the form of the BYD Dolphin? Twitter user @BraderLanx posted on the social media network this month claiming the BYD Dolphin would be launched soon with a starting price tag of under RM100k.

Is that pricetag realistic? If compared to Thailand pricing, we’d say it is possible. Back in May 2023, the BYD Dolphin was unveiled in Thailand with an estimated pricing of 799,999 baht (RM103,926) after government incentives for EVs.

The Thai market RM104k Dolphin is powered by a 94 hp/180 Nm motor, which is powered by a 44.9 kWh BYD Blade battery. The BYD Dolphin also has a smaller battery option available – 30.7 kWh paired with the same 94 hp motor. If priced under RM100k in Malaysia, we could be getting the 30.7 kWh battery for that price point, perhaps with an upgrade to the 44.9 kWh battery pack costing more.

The 0-100 km/h sprint is done in 12.3 seconds, but as always with EVs, it will feel much faster in real-life compared to an ICE-car with the same century sprint time. Claimed range is 410 km per charge in the NEDC cycle, so you can deduct 20% from this for the more realistic WLTP ballpark.

AC charging at 7 kW takes 6 hours and 25 minutes, while DC fast charging at up to 60 kW will refill the battery from 30-80% state of charge (SOC) in 30 minutes. There’s V2L (Vehicle To Load), so you can power electrical appliances with the supplied adapter.

The BYD Dolphin is sort of a B-segment hatchback. It is 4,125 mm long and 1,770 mm wide, which is 220 mm shorter and 22 mm wider than a Honda City Hatchback, but the EV is 82 mm taller than the Honda and its 2,700 mm wheelbase length is in C-segment territory. Without the need to accommodate an engine, EVs can benefit from better packaging.

Currently, one other BYD model is already on sale in Malaysia. The BYD Atto 3 is priced from RM149,800 with a 49.92 kWh battery (345 km WLTP) and RM167,800 with a 60.48 kWh battery (480 km WLTP).

Sime Darby already previewed the Dolphin as one of the cars bound to hit Malaysian showrooms at the Atto 3 launch in December 2022. At that time, a Q4 2023 launch date was indicated.

GALLERY: BYD Seal and Dolphin EA1 previewed in Malaysia

GALLERY: BYD Dolphin EV in Thailand

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