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May 19, 2023

2023 BYD Dolphin launched in Malaysia

In BYD, Cars, Electric Cars in Malaysia, Local Car Launches, Local News / By Gerard Lye / 27 July 2023 11:12 am / 52 comments BYD’s second electric vehicle (EV) to be introduced in Malaysia is the

In BYD, Cars, Electric Cars in Malaysia, Local Car Launches, Local News / By Gerard Lye / 27 July 2023 11:12 am / 52 comments

BYD’s second electric vehicle (EV) to be introduced in Malaysia is the Dolphin, which is making its launch debut today to join the Atto 3 that went on sale here last December. The first of BYD’s Ocean series is being offered in two variants, with the Dynamic Standard Range being the base option carrying a recommended retail price of RM99,900.

This is followed by the Premium Extended Range that goes for RM124,900. Keep in mind that these prices do not include on-the-road (OTR) fees, so if you add them in, the Dynamic Standard Range’s OTR price without insurance is RM100,530, while the Premium Extended Range is RM125,530. The Dolphin is fully imported (CBU) from China and benefits from the ongoing EV incentives (exemption of import duty, excise duty and road tax) provided by the government until the end of 2025.

With an effective starting price of RM100,530, the Dolphin is the second cheapest EV you can buy in Malaysia after the Neta V that goes for RM99,800. Each Dolphin comes with a six-year, 150,000-km factory warranty, while the battery is covered for eight years/160,000 km. There’s also another separate warranty for the drive unit of eight years/150,000 km for the motor, motor controller, DC assembly and electric control assembly.

On that mention, both variants of the Dolphin are equipped with a Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and an electric motor driving the front wheels. With the Dynamic Standard Range, the battery energy capacity is 44.92 kWh, which is good for a range of 410 km following the NEDC standard (340 km WLTP).

Meanwhile, the Premium Extended Range offers a NEDC-rated range of 490 km (427 km WLTP) thanks to an increased battery capacity of 60.48 kWh. The range-topper also has higher outputs, with its electric motor rated at 204 PS (201 hp or 150 kW) and 310 Nm of torque for a 0-100 km/h time of seven seconds. Go with the Dynamic Standard Range and you’ll have 95 PS (94 hp or 70 kW) and 180 Nm at your disposal, along with a century sprint time of 12.3 seconds.

Besides the more powerful electric motor, the Premium Extended Range also has a higher maximum DC fast charging (CCS2) capacity of 80 kW, By comparison, the Dynamic Standard can handle up to 60 kW. Both variants carry the same onboard AC charger (Type 2) that supports a maximum input of 7 kW. Vehicle-to-load (V2L) is another feature that the Dolphin gets as standard, allowing owners to power appliances or other electrical items, so long as it doesn’t exceed the max output of 3.2 kW.

In terms of size, the Dolphin is smaller than the Atto 3, measuring in at 4,290 mm long, 1,770 mm wide, 1,570 mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2,700 mm. That makes it about the size of Honda City Hatchback, which is 4,345 mm long and 1,748 mm wide, although the EV is noticeably taller by 82 mm and its e-Platform 3.0 dedicated EV underpinnings means its wheelbase is 100 mm up on the Honda hatchback. Boot space is 345 litres, expendable to 1,310 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats down.

As for equipment, both variants come with automatic LED headlamps with High Beam Assist, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, electrically heated and adjustable side mirrors, keyless entry and start (with card key), automatic air-conditioning with a PM2.5 air filter, a five-inch digital instrument cluster, synthetic leather upholstery, a 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system, wired Apple CarPlay support, navigation, six speakers and an electronic parking brake.

The Premium Extended Range gets more goodies for the RM25,000 premium commanded over the Dynamic Standard Range, with features like a panoramic glass roof, a wireless phone charger, powered front seats with ventilation function, rear LED reading lights and one-touch up-down for all windows being its exclusives.

It also sports larger 17-inch alloy wheels (with 205/50 profile tyres) compared to the base option’s 16-inch units (with 195/60 profile tyres). The chassis is paired with front MacPherson struts, with the range-topper fitted with a rear multi-link setup, while the base variant has a torsion beam.

Even if you have no need for the range-topper’s extras, the two Dolphin variants are nearly identical when it comes to safety and driver assistance kit. Both are equipped with six airbags (front, side and curtain), a tyre pressure monitoring system, the usual array of passive systems (ABS, ESC, traction control, EBD), parking sensors (two front, three rear), 360-degree camera and door open warning.

More impressive is the inclusion of autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping support, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert with braking support, lane departure prevention, emergency lane keeping assist, predictive collision warning, rear collision warning and lane change collision warning.

The Dynamic Standard Range is available in Urban Grey with a grey/black interior or Sand White with a brown/black interior. The Premium Extended Range only comes with two-tone exterior finishes: Atlantis Grey/Delan Black roof with grey/black interior, Surf Blue/Urban Grey roof with blue/black interior, and Ski White/Urban Grey roof with grey/black interior.

So, what are your thoughts on the newly launched BYD Dolphin? Are you impressed by what you get for the money? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Here’s a simple breakdown of the BYD Dolphin’s specifications:

Dimensions

Dynamic Standard Range – RM100,530 OTR without insurance

Premium Extended Range – RM125,530 OTR without insurance

GALLERY: 2023 BYD Dolphin Premium Extended Range

GALLERY: 2023 BYD Dolphin Dynamic Standard Range

GALLERY: 2023 BYD Dolphin official photos

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Tags: BYD Dolphin, Sime Darby Motors