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The new BYD Dolphin electric car goes on sale tonight priced from $38,890 plus on-road costs – $100 less than its closest rival, as two Chinese car giants start an electric-car price war.
- 2023 BYD Dolphin pricing and specifications
- One model initially: the Dynamic
- Glass roof, Apple CarPlay, advanced safety standard
- Priced from $38,890 plus on-road costs
The 2023 BYD Dolphin hatchback from China will become the cheapest electric car in Australia when it opens for orders tonight. Deliveries are due to commence before the end of this year.
As reported this morning, three days after Chinese rival MG announced the new MG 4 51kWh electric car would cost from $38,990 before on-road costs, rival BYD has announced its new model – the Dolphin – will start from $38,890 before on-road costs.
Both vehicles are due in Australian showrooms by the end of this year – the MG in August, and the BYD between October and December – and are estimated to cost close to, or in excess of $40,000 drive-away once on-road charges are included.
The distributor for BYD vehicles in Australia today said the price for the Dolphin was “locked in months ago” – and the $100 difference in list price between the two vehicles cars is a coincidence.
The Dolphin – which is available to order from 8:00pm tonight, 22 June 2023 – will initially be available in a single ‘Dynamic’ model grade.
It is expected to be powered by a 70kW/180Nm front-mounted electric motor and a 44.9kWh battery pack, good for 340km of claimed driving range in European WLTP lab testing, and zero to 100km/h acceleration in a claimed 12.3 seconds.
For comparison the base-model $38,990 MG 4 has a 125kW rear electric motor, a 51kWh battery, 0-100km/h acceleration in a claimed 7.7 seconds, and 350km of claimed driving range.
Using overseas specifications as a guide, the Dynamic can support DC fast charging at up to 60kW, for a claimed 30 to 80 per cent recharge time of 28 minutes.
Overseas, buyers can spend more for a 150kW/310Nm electric motor and 60.48kWh battery good for 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.0 seconds, and 427km of estimated WLTP range.
It is yet to be confirmed if this configuration will be available in Australia.
Although the Dolphin Dynamic is less powerful and cannot go as far on a charge as the base MG 4, it is better equipped.
Standard features are expected to include a rotating 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, embedded satellite navigation, a panoramic glass roof, and automatic climate-control air conditioning.
It receives a full suite of advanced safety technology including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist and rear cross-traffic alert.
As previously reported by Drive, BYD Dolphins sold in Australia will be more than 200mm longer than Chinese-market models due to a new front-end crash structure aimed to earn the vehicle a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
However the Dolphin is yet to be tested by ANCAP, and it will be marketed as “unrated” until the car is assessed by the safety organisation.
The 2023 BYD Dolphin is available to order from tonight 22 June 2023, ahead of first Australian showroom arrivals between October and December 2023 (the fourth quarter), pending any delays.
2023 BYD Dolphin Australian pricing
- Dolphin Dynamic – $38,890
Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.
2023 BYD Dolphin Dynamic standard features:
- 12.8-inch rotating infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, satellite navigation
- Wireless smartphone charging
- Panoramic glass roof
- Heated front seats
- Automatic climate-control air conditioning
- Seven airbags (including front-centre airbag)
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane-keep assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Driver fatigue monitoring
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
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