BYD Dolphin (2023) Review

THEY are coming so hold on to your hats because it’s going to be quite a ride.

Actually that’s not strictly true. They have been here for a good while, almost 30 years, it’s just that nobody noticed, but we will now.

BYD has been around for donkeys making electronics – a great chunk of your Apple iPad is full of its gubbins while they make a fifth of the world’s handsets. It also makes new energy such as solar panels, monorails around the globe, batteries of various descriptions and other technology.

Believe it or not the Chinese giant started thinking about making cars in 2003 after setting up a battery company. By 2008 it was making the world’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle, by 2022 it had stopped making any internal combustion engines and this August it hit a five millionth car milestone.

If you are still not convinced about how serious BYD is taking life then consider this, it sold 276,000 cars in September alone. It has 40,000 patents which are being past at the rate of 15 a day. It has 80,000 people working in research and development (I actually went back and doublechecked that figure) and employed 30,000 graduates last year, many at the masters level. Its HQ? Don’t think factory, think city.

In the home market BYD produces a 19 model range including a gargantuan SUV that actually floats.

In March BYD released the first electric car to the UK market, a medium sized SUV called the Atto 3, which again passed me by. The latest model I’m happy to say didn’t, a nifty little city car called the Dolphin, nor will the next one later this year, the super-slick Seal, which is going to scare the bejeebers out of anything Tesla. More about that in December.

BYD is the world’s second largest battery maker and the automotive range gets a new generation called Blade. It is cobalt-free with a honeycomb structure, is stronger (they even drove a 50 tonne truck over one), safer (it passes the nail puncture test with flying colours instead of bursting into blames like other batteries), it’s lighter, thinner and more compact than normal and a game-change in that it can be reused and recycled.

It boasts 97.5 per cent motor efficiency and is 20 per cent better than other batteries in colder weather thanks to a high efficiency heat pump – that’ll keep your feet warm for a change.

Dolphin is a surprisingly roomy five door city car that is designed to be fun and agile with a quality feel. But the fact it was launched in the Yorkshire Dales shows it is much more of an allrounder.

The figures speak for themselves. The benchmark 0-60mph sprint comes up in seven seconds; not too long ago that would have been the boast of a self-respecting GTi, as would the 204hp power output. The claimed extended range (there are several motor/battery sizes to choose from) is as much as 265 miles which should allay any driver anxiety and it only takes 29 minutes to charge from 30-80 per cent.

Dolphin is inspired by the ocean and even has flipper shaped internal door handles, that are quite cute – who wouldn’t like to shake hands with a sea mammal?

Continuous headlights and taillights stretch across the front and back producing quite a signature at night apparently – we drive them in the day. Overall aesthetics are innocuous and inoffensive rather than radical or striking, which will suit many potential buyers.

Inside is a revelation as the build is truly excellent. Great design, including a large 12.8in touchscreen that rotates from vertical to horizontal at the push of a button or by voice command (just say ‘hey BYD’ and it will do your bidding), and soft touch materials and vegan leather give the Dolphin a plush feel that belies its modest price tag.

The tech is intuitive and the cabin ambience boosted further by a panoramic sunroof. There’s also a healthy amount of rear legroom and large boot with secret storage, so you don’t really feel that you are in a city car.

There’s a Barbie palette of colours to choose from or more sober standard variants but the dual tone livery and tri-colour alloys are nice touches. Dolphin also gets Hankook tyres specially developed for Europe with better grip but which also help maintain range thanks to low rolling resistance.

On the road performance is superb with oodles of oomph for overtaking in particular. Handling and ride are a bit floaty but are fine and comfort levels are exceptional so it makes a decent drive on lumpy Dales roads.

As if this isn’t enough to tempt you BYD is offering buyers a Shell recharge card worth £612 which should be enough for 3,000 miles of free motoring. Dolphin also comes with a six year warranty and eight years on the battery and electric motor, which will ensure around 100,000 miles of trouble free motoring.

Four trim and power levels range from £26,195.00 for the Active, £27,195 for the Boost, £30,195 for the Comfort and £31,695 for the Design. If you are wondering where to find them there are currently nine dealers, rising to 27 by the end of the year and 100 by 2024.

All told, they are definitely worth a serious look – who doesn’t love a Dolphin?

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