BYD Dolphin

Even though electric vehicles (EV) have started to gain traction worldwide because of financial incentives and the increasing number of charging stations, the Philippines is just catching up now.

With the passage of Republic Act 11697 or the “Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act” on April 2022, local carmakers are playing catch-up by rolling out all sorts of EVs.

One of the cheapest road-legal EVs on the market comes from a familiar brand: BYD. The Chinese carmaker has invested heavily in battery EV technology and now has a complete range of EVs for sale in the Philippines.

Here’s our buyer’s guide for the BYD Dolphin, a quirky-looking, five-door hatchback that we reviewed in 2022.

History

The Dolphin (also known as the BYD ATTO 2) was first revealed on April 2021 at Auto Shanghai as the EA1 Concept.
The small hatchback is one of the models that uses the brand’s “e-platform 3.0,” which will also underpin the BYD Ocean-X midsize concept car.

Price

There is only one variant of the 2023 BYD Dolphin. The price of BYD Dolphin is PhP 1,798,000.

The BYD Dolphin may be a five-door hatchback, but it certainly doesn’t look like one from this century.

Up front, the LED headlights and the front grill are integrated into one smooth design, with a rather nondescript lower grill opening. The hood forms another layer and melds with the A-pillar.

Down the side, the small windows emphasize the high beltline, which is accentuated by the prominent ridge running from the front fender to the LED taillights. The creases in the lower part of the doors make the Dolphin look less like a small van.

Out back, the taillights are connected to each other with a red strip, while the rear lower valance imitates the styling up front.

The Dolphin also adds fun elements like the faux-carbon fiber trim on the C-pillar, the two-tone paint scheme that sets off the hood and the roof and even the black-and-silver 16-inch alloy wheels.

It is also available with two color combinations: gray with orange or gray with green.

Dimensions

The Dolphin sizes up well against B-segment hatchbacks like the Toyota Raize and the Kia Stonic. The BYD Dolphin dimensions are 4,070 mm Length x 1,770 mm Width x 1,570 mm Height, with 2,700 mm wheelbase. Here are the numbers:

Step inside the BYD Dolphin and you really feel like you’re driving something from a different dimension.

It features a full leather interior with a white-and-black color combination. There is also colored piping used in the seats, along with floating inner door handles.

The dash has circular air-con vents with colored trim, with the outer vents forming part of this massive, silver dogbone structure. Atop the dash is a 12.8-inch touchscreen that looks like an afterthought and could have been integrated better.

Below the screen are the Dolphin's major controls. At the left is a rotatry dial that controls the transmission, with buttons for the hazard lights and the standard electronic stability program right beside.

However, we did find that some of the plastics on the top of the dash were too hard and cheap-feeling. Using leatherette or vinyl would have jived with the premium feel.

Safety features

Considering the premium price, the Dolphin features a full suite of active and passive safety equipment. These include:

• Electronic stability control

• Dual front airbags

• Front-side airbags

• Curtain airbags

• ISOFIX child-restraint anchors

• Brake-disc wiping system

• Traction control

• Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution

• Hill-start control

High-tech features

Given that BYD is one of the world’s largest battery EV manufacturers, the Dolphin is certainly loaded to the roof with tech.

Of particular note is BYD’s 44.9-kWh Blade Battery, which is comprised of a pack of wafer-like batteries mounted under the floor and within the car’s wheelbase.

Along with featuring fast-charging technology, the pack also has a direct cooling and heating system that BYD claims improves thermal efficiency by up to 20 percent.

Here’s are other tech features in the Dolphin:

• Automatic vehicle hold

• Electric parking brake

• Regenerative braking

• Controlled deceleration for parking brake

• Rear-view camera

Storage space

The Dolphin has door pockets and glove compartment, along with offering 345 liters of cargo space with the 60/40 split-folding rear seats up.

While most subcompact hatchbacks tend to feel a bit skittish on the road, the BYD Dolphin feels like a big car.

This is partly because of its 1,405-kilogram kerb weight and partly because of the placement of the batteries so low down in the chassis.

The Dolphin also gets MacPherson suspension up front and a torsion-beam setup at the back. However, the springs and dampers are tuned for a stiffer and sportier ride compared to the internal-combustion competition.

Engine and Transmission

Much like a conventional hatchback, the Dolphin’s electric motor is located under a regular hood and powers the front wheels.

It produces 95 PS and a whopping 180 Nm of torque from a complete standstill. BYD also claims 0 to 50 km/h in 3.9 seconds and with a top speed of 130 km/h.

Driving characteristics

On the road, the BYD Dolphin feels like a premium sporty hatchback instead of a regular commuter car.

Its aforementioned firm suspension means superb stability on the move, along with surprisingly stable cornering. Its four-wheel disc brakes also have excellent braking action with a nice, firm pedal.

In Eco mode, there is adequate acceleration in regular driving. In Sport mode, the front tires can light up if you floor it with the traction control off.

However, we found the electric power steering far too light at higher speeds. In addition, the rotary transmission knob is imprecise, especially when shifting between Neutral and Drive.

Electricity consumption and range

BYD claims that the Dolphin can do up to 400 kilometers on a full charge. Owners can choose between charging from a 220-volt outlet for 20 hours or from a fast charger for seven hours.

A long-term test of the Dolphin will truly put these numbers to the test.

The BYD Dolphin represents a step in the right direction to making EVs mainstream.

Unlike previous attempts, it feels like a solid and practical car that can be used in various driving conditions. The Dolphin’s sporty driving characteristics, premium interior and standout styling make it all the more appealing.

In addition, it is much cheaper than other battery electric EVs like the PhP 2,798,000 Nissan LEAF.

Nissan also offers the closest EV competitor to the Dolphin: the Kicks crossover.

Although the Kicks is larger than the Dolphin, it isn’t a pure EV -- it still features a three-cylinder gasoline generator that eliminates range anxiety, but still contributes to harmful emissions.

As the infrastructure and support for EVs grow, the Dolphin is a good place to start for those who want zero-emission motoring in urban areas.