BYD is ramping up its export game, with the BYD Dolphin scheduled to be hitting the roads in multiple markets around the same time this year, including right hand drive markets.
The export model BYD Dolphin is a little different from the Chinese domestic market model, as you can see from the photos above. But the differences aren’t just a different bumper design.
The export Dolphin is significantly bigger, measuring 4,290 mm long compared to the China market Dolphin which measures 4,125 mm long. Width is 1,770 mm, height is 1,570mm and wheelbase is 2,700 mm, numbers that are shared between both the China and global Dolphin. Weight is as heavy as 1,658 kg.
Why is the Dolphin bigger? There are various speculation from it having an extended front end to improve front crash safety to simply being resized to have a longer front end for better marketability. Since an EV’s superior packaging allows for a smaller exterior in relative to interior size, the China domestic Dolphin is more to a B-segment exterior size with a C-segment wheelbase. Extending the length allows a more uniform C-segment exterior length to match its wheelbase.
In Europe, four different specs will be available.
- BYD Dolphin Active: 44.9 kWh battery combined with 95 PS motor. This version can be charged by AC power up to 7 kW and by DC power up to 60 kW. Price: £25,490 (RM152k).
- BYD Dolphin Boost: 44.9 kWh battery and 176 PS motor. Adds 17-inch wheels and multi-link rear suspension. Price: £26,490. (RM158k)
- BYD Dolphin Comfort: 60.4 kWh battery and 204 PS motor. Claims a range of 426 km. Maximum charging is 88 kW DC (from 30 to 80% in 29 minutes) with a maximum of 11 kW for AC. Price: £29,490 (RM176k)
- BYD Dolphin Design: Same technical specifications as the Comfort, but also adds a panoramic roof, Two-Tone Colour Palette paint work, Tri-colour Alloy Wheels, V2L power strip, privacy glass in the rear seats and wireless smartphone charging. Price: £30,990 (RM185k).
The panoramic roof is made of high-strength acoustic and thermally insulated double-layer grey tinted glazing, with a large glass area. It is also equipped with a 97% sunshade.
With the 60.4 kWh Blade Battery and a 204 PS, 310 Nm permanent magnet synchronous motor, the BYD Dolphin can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 7 seconds, putting it square in ‘warm hatch’ category. The Dolphin can also output V2L power as high as 3.3 kW.
With European pricing from RM152k up to RM185k, this isn’t the EV under RM100k that everyone is looking for. Curious though, that European pricing is so expensive when Thailand pricing was indicated to be from 799,999 baht (RM106k). That Thai car is on the lower side of specs, using the motor and battery of the Dolphin Active model, with the 0-100 km/h time quoted to be 12.3 seconds compared to 7 seconds for the RM185k Dolphin Comfort and Design.
With a choice of two batteries and three different electric motors, how much do you think the BYD Dolphin will be priced in Malaysia, and what kind of specs do you think will be on offer?
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Wow, dugong or dolphin?
Such small car with 1.6ton. Make sure all multilevel carparks can withstand additional of 50% weight.
345l boot space is pretty decent space for this car
In this price sensitive market in Malaysia, pricing is the key. The spec might be good and all but the price ain’t right, it will ended up like Kona or even the Leaf.
150k-170k will eat into own atto 3 sales
why so ugly?
“In Europe”? Where “in Europe”?
It’s the same as anybody would say it’s available “in Asia”.
looks nothing like a dolphin
So cars from Jaguar should look like a Jaguar with teeth/fangs?? Hahaha. You r so stupid. Where is your gene come from?? hahaha
from your mother
Launching next month. Circa 110k for 60.4 kWh battery spec. Fingers crossed….
60.4 kWh battery and 204 PS motor? wow can tapau golf gti below highway speeds