Introducing the BYD Dolphin: A Long-Range, Practical, and Affordable EV
Chinese automaker BYD is making waves in the UK market with its second offering, the BYD Dolphin. This electric hatchback is positioned between the Vauxhall Corsa Electric and the Volkswagen ID 3 in terms of size and features. With its impressive range, practicality, and affordability, the Dolphin is poised to shake up the small EV market.
Under the Hood
The BYD Dolphin is powered by the e-Platform 3.0 with BYD’s own lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) Blade battery. This cobalt-free battery has its cells arranged in strips along the length of the car, providing either 44.9kWh or 60.4kWh of usable capacity. The entry-level Active model makes do with just 94bhp and ekes out 211 miles from the small battery. The Boost model has 174bhp for 193 miles from the same battery. The Comfort and Design models have the same drivetrain as the Atto 3 (60.4kWh and 201bhp) for 265 miles. Rapid charging can happen at up to 60kW for the small battery or 88kW for the big battery.
Driving Experience
The Dolphin delivers sprightly acceleration right up to motorway speeds. The suspension is soft, giving a mostly comfortable ride but also rather loose body control that can be upset by mid-corner bumps. The steering is light and numb, and the regenerative braking is fairly weak. The Dolphin-branded Linglong Comfort Master tyres provided adequate grip in warm and dry conditions at least.
Interior Features
The Dolphin’s interior is only slightly less wacky than the Atto 3 but still looks smart and generally feels well finished, especially for the price point. There are plenty of trays and cubbies up front, including one just underneath the central touchscreen that’s very useful for a phone or glasses. Rear leg room is ample for tall adults, and the 345-litre boot is very impressive for a small hatchback. A variable-height boot floor is standard. The tech on board suffers from the same quantity-over-quality issue as the Atto 3. The rotating 12.6in touchscreen is crisp and responds well, but the interface has too many sub-menus and doesn’t use its generous acreage to best effect.
Price Point
The BYD Dolphin’s pricing is actually looking attractive enough that a lot of its flaws might be excused. The Active model costs £25,490, but we would avoid it for its torsion-beam suspension and lack of power. A £1000 extra gets you the Boost. The Comfort, with the bigger battery, is £29,490. And the fully loaded Design is £30,990. Apart from the MG 4 EV, which has a very different character, anything else available for this price is either considerably smaller or has a considerably shorter range.
Verdict
The BYD Dolphin is a long-range, practical, and affordable EV that’s poised to shake up the small EV market. Its range and practicality are impressive for its size, and its pricing is attractive enough to excuse some of its flaws. While it lacks the polish in its multimedia, chassis, and some of its interior materials to really impress, it’s a solid offering from BYD that’s worth considering for anyone in the market for a small EV.