I Think the BYD Dolphin is the best bet for anyone on the fence when it comes to EVs
So I had the privilege of driving the BYD Dolphin for a while last week and here is what I think of this compact electric vehicle (EV) hatchback. To sum up my experience in one word, surprising. This car really surprised me as I think it may be the ideal EV for anyone switching to electric despite initially assuming the opposite. Here is why.
First and foremost, the BYD Dolphin variant I drove was the top spec extended range variant and it has amazing range. Powered by a 60.48kWh paired to a single motor that makes 201hp and 310Nm of torque, this car has a range of 427km. I think this is great considering even some EVs which cost 6 times more can barely provide half that range.
Speaking of, this variant starts at RM125,530 (OTR without insurance) and yes, that is a bit pricey, but considering most other EVs on the market all cost upwards of RM200,000, the level of kit the BYD Dolphin provides along with a 33 minute DC charging time from 20 to 80 percent, make a great case for the car which is also very spacious despite its small size.
The technology the BYD Dolphin provides is also really good as you get a 12.3-inch central infotainment screen which houses most of the functions and features of the car and can be rotated to a portrait or landscape format. The car also comes with a voice assistant and a 360-degree panoramic camera to make every drive that much more convenient.
On top of that, the BYD Dolphin handles bumps like a champ, practically breezing over them and one of my passengers even remarked that he “didn’t even feel the road bumps” when we drove over them. Of course looks are subjective and while I didn’t like the overall look of the BYD Dolphin at first, I grew to love it, especially the rear end which I actually like a lot.
I honestly did not think I would like the BYD Dolphin as much as I did, especially because I don’t like the way EVs drive and prefer a good old fashioned manual transmission even on petrol cars, but if one is considering their first EV and isn’t very sure, I am confident this car will convince you that EVs aren’t all that bad and could even surprise you like it did me.
