The 2023 BYD Dolphin is now launched in Australia, taking the honour of the cheapest EV currently on sale. Priced at AUD38,890 (approx. RM122k) before on-road charges, the compact EV hatchback undercuts its nearest rival, the MG 4, by just AUD100 (approx RM315).
Order books for the 2023 BYD Dolphin is now open in the nation, with deliveries set to begin before the end of the year.
The BYD Dolphin will be offered in Australia in a single ‘Dynamic’ variant at launch, powered by a front-mounted electric motor making 70 kW (95 hp) and 180 Nm of torque. In this configuration, BYD says the Dolphin will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 12.3 seconds.
Electric juice is supplied by a 44.9 kWh battery pack, which should translate to an electric driving range of 340 km (WLTP). DC fast charging is supported at up to 60 kW, taking approximately 28 minutes to charge from 30-80%.
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A ‘Premium’ variant will also be offered at a later date with a more powerful 150 kW (204 hp)/310 Nm motor, paired to a 60.48 kWh battery pack. Century sprint on this variant takes 7.0 seconds flat, while the larger battery pack also means a better range, rated at 427 km (WLTP).
Additionally, a “Dolphin Sport” variant was also announced by BYD Australia today, although no information on the hot hatch EV were provided just yet. The Sport is due to be launched next year.
Standard equipment on the BYD Dolphin in Australia include a rotating 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment display (as seen on the Atto 3), panoramic glass roof, automatic climate control, front seat heating, and a full suite of advanced driver assistance features including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Interestingly, the 2023 BYD Dolphin in Australia will also be more than 200 mm longer than the Chinese-market model, due to a redesigned front-end crash structure as it aims to achieve a full five-star ANCAP safety rating. However, the Dolphin has yet to complete the safety tests, as such will be sold as “unrated” for the time being.
Closer to home, the BYD Dolphin is also essentially confirmed for launch here in Malaysia, with the compact hatchback model first shown off during the launch of the Atto 3. No firm launch window has been provided just yet, though recent reports suggest that the compact EV hatchback will be making its Malaysian debut by the end of the year.
[H/T: Drive.co.au]
