BYD Dolphin splashes onto the scene

BYD’s Dolphin is now the second sub-$40K battery electric vehicle (BEV) option available to Australians, undercutting the MG4 Excite 51 announced just days earlier by $100.

Priced from $38,890 before on-road costs and rebates, anticipation for the Dolphin has been strong, mainly due to rumours around its sub-$40K price tag; a value proposition strengthened by rebates like Queensland’s BEV subsidy of up to $6000. 

The Dolphin Dynamic that BYD launched at Sea World on the Gold Coast last week is the base model, with a 44.9kWh battery pack and 70kW/180Nm electric motor giving a range of 340km (WLTP).

A larger 60.48kWh battery pack and more powerful 150kW/310Nm motor in the Dolphin Premium variant ($44,890 + ORC) cut 0-100km/h acceleration from 12.3 seconds to 7.0s and up WLTP range to 427km while also upgrading from torsion beam rear suspension to more dynamic multi-link layout and upping alloy wheel diameter from 16 inches to 17.

Initial deliveries of these two Dolphin variants are expected from the fourth quarter of this year, while BYD has also confirmed a limited-run Sport variant of the Dolphin for Australia, restricted to 1000 units and arriving at an as-yet unspecified point during 2024.

The Sport variant will take it up to the Cupra Born as an electric quasi hot hatch contender, promising a sub-seven-second 0-100km/h sprint time, stickier tyres on unique alloy wheels, a body kit and “tuned sports performance” for $49,990 + ORC.

Other confirmed features are a 12.8-inch infotainment screen which can be electronically rotated to display in portrait or landscape orientation, wireless charging, Apple CarPlay, sat-nav and voice recognition.

Vehicle-to-load capability is standard across the range, with the Dynamic having 60kW DC fast charge capability and the Premium able to accept up to 80kW DC.

BYD has confirmed standard safety inclusions on the Dolphin include seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, driver fatigue monitoring, rear-cross traffic

alert and braking, adaptive cruise-control and lane keeping assistance.

The Dolphin utilises a ‘Blade’ lithium iron phosphate battery, which BYD claim is the “world’s safest” battery technology.

Vehicle dimensions were also confirmed with a 2700mm wheelbase for the Dolphin, and the five-door hatch layout offers 345 litres of boot space or 1310 litres with the rear seats folded.

Although seemingly igniting an electric vehicle price war with Chinese rival MG, Australian BYD distributor EVDirect has claimed the sticker similarity with MG’s most-affordable BEV is a coincidence and that the cost of entry to a new Dolphin was “locked in months ago”.

“We are proud to introduce an EV of such high quality and safety that is now within reach for more Australians,” said EVDirect CEO, Luke Todd.

“With state government rebates as high as $6000 in Queensland, this makes the Dolphin Dynamic as low as $32,890 plus on-road costs.

"In some instances, this positions it at a lower price point than similar petrol-powered vehicles, a circumstance that is unprecedented until now.”

BYD officially opened the order books for the Dolphin at 8pm on June 22, following the official launch event at Sea World, with deliveries expected from Q4 this year.

"We've received an exceptional number of expressions of interest for the BYD Dolphin,” Mr Todd said. 

“Given BYD's proven supply chain capabilities, we eagerly look forward to delivering many thousands of Dolphins, with shipments scheduled to begin in Q4 2023.”

2023 BYD Dolphin pricing*

*Prices exclude on-road costs and government BEV incentives