BYD Dolphin is coming to Malaysia with a price tag that starts at just RM99,900. The new fully electric compact hatchback is the brand’s second release in Malaysia after the Atto 3 which was launched late last year.
The starting price was based on a brochure that we discovered online and it is certainly much lower than the estimated price of under RM110,000 that we have heard at last weekend’s EVx 2023. Given its price tag, physical design, and features listed in the brochure, it seems quite likely that BYD has another hit on its hand.
BYD Dolphin price, variants, warranty
BYD Dolphin is available in two different variants including the base model which is called Dynamic Standard. While the quoted starting price might be RM99,900, this is just the price of the vehicle itself.
Once you add the related fees such as registration, HP ownership endorsement, base plate, and inspection, the actual OTR price is RM100,530 not inclusive of insurance. That puts it just slightly above MITI’s minimum RM100,000 base price policy for fully imported (CBU) EVs. Nevertheless, this still made the Dolphin the second most affordable EV in Malaysia at the moment after the Neta V.
The other variant that is available in Malaysia is the Premium Extended. The price of the vehicle itself is RM124,900 while the actual OTR price without insurance is RM125,530.
Similar to Atto 3, the Dolphin is covered by 6 years / 150,000km warranty for the vehicle itself. The high-voltage battery inside the EV has its own 8 years / 160,000km warranty while the Dolphin’s drive unit is also protected by a dedicated 8 years / 150,000km warranty.
Not enough with that, there is also 3 years / 60,000km warranty for the EV’s multimedia system, wheel bearing, shock absorber, PM2.5 measuring instrument, dust cover, AC/DC charging port assembly, bushings/gaskets, and USB charging port connector. The lights on the car, as well as Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM) module, suspension, and ball joint, are covered by 4 years / 100,000km warranty.
Performance, range, battery, charging time,
The Dolphin Dynamic Standard is equipped with a single electric motor that produces 70kW (94hp) and 180Nm of torque. According to the brochure, this variant can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 12.3 seconds.
When it comes to battery, the Dolphin Dynamic Standard comes together with a 44.9kWh BYD Blade Battery pack that enables it to deliver a WLTP range of 340km. The EV is equipped with an onboard 7kW AC charger and it can also support DC fast charging up to 60kW.
As for the higher-up option, the Premium Extended offers a more powerful electric motor that outputs 150kW (201hp) together with 310Nm of torque. Unsurprisingly, this variant is capable to accelerate much quicker and has a 0 to 100km/h timing of 7 seconds.
Furthermore, the Premium Extended model also comes with a larger 60.48kWh battery pack and a WLTP range of 427km. This variant also features an onboard 7kW AC charger but the maximum energy that it can draw from a DC fast charger is slightly higher at 80kW.
The Dolphin has a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function that allows users to power external electrical appliances. A V2L adapter is also provided as standard alongside a portable charger, according to the brochure.
It is also worth noting that the Premium Extended variant has another advantage in the form of multi-link suspension as opposed to the torsion beam setup on the Dynamic Standard model. In terms of wheel size, BYD also fitted the Premium Extended option with 17-inch wheels while the Dynamic Standard variant received 16-inch wheels.
The interior follows the exterior
While they are not exactly colour-coordinated to the dot, the colourway for the interior of the Dolphin followed the exterior colourway that you choose. For the Dynamic Standard variant, you would get a grey and black combo for its interior if you prefer the Urban Grey exterior colour.
If you picked Sand White, then the interior would be a brown and black combo. This colour option is also available for the Premium Extended model.
Other colourways that are available for the Premium Extended is the dual-tone Ski White and Urban Grey mix as well as the combination of Atlantis Grey and Delan Black. Both of these colour options are accompanied by a grey and black interior.
RM125k model can also be obtained in Surf Blue & Urban Grey combo which has a blue and black interior. Regardless of the Dolphin variant that you choose, all of them come with synthetic leather seats.
Meanwhile, the Dolphin also has a 5-inch digital instrument panel for the driver. The car’s infotainment system utilises a 12.8-inch touch screen which can self-rotate just like the one fitted into the Atto 3.
The audio experience inside the Dolphin is delivered by a 6-speaker audio system. The EV also supports Apple CarPlay through a wired USB connection.
Impressive list of safety features
Despite being what we can consider an entry-level EV, there are so many safety features that come with the Dolphin as standard. For starters, you already looking at six airbags and a 360-degree monitor together with Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electric Parking Brake System (EPB), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD).
Complete with two ultrasonic radars on the front part of the EV and another three on the rear, the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) on the Dolphin is pretty loaded too. It has Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Support (LKS), Lane Departure Prevention (LDP), Lane Change Collision Warning (LCW), and Emergency Lane Keeping Assist (ELKA).
The ADAS suite also has Automatic Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Predictive Collision Warning (PCW), Rear Collision Warning (RCW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Rear Cross Traffic Brake (RCTB), and Blind Spot Detection (BSD). Not to forget, the Dolphin’s LED headlight also has a High Beam Assist feature that dynamically switches between high and low beams according to current driving conditions.
If you want to sample the latest EV from BYD for the Malaysian market yourself, do check out the first-ever BYD Dolphin public test drive event at 1 Utama starting tomorrow, 28 July until this coming Sunday, 30 July. Alternatively, you can also register your interest to test it out at other BYD showrooms nationwide via BYD Sime Darby Motors’ website.
BYD Dolphin Malaysia Spec Sheet
Related reading
- BYD Dolphin EV priced from under RM110K in Malaysia? Free RM1,000 voucher if you book at EVx
- Is the BYD Seal making a splash in Malaysia next week?
- Here’s why there is no electric vehicle priced under RM100,000 in Malaysia
- BYD Dolphin EV Malaysia: Here’s how to watch the launch live on 27 July
- BYD Dolphin Dynamic Standard First Drive: This RM100K EV ticks all the right boxes
- BYD Dolphin Premium Extended First Drive: Malaysia’s cheapest new car with 201hp
- BYD Dolphin: Finally, a proper EV for RM100K but where did they cut corners? | Let’s Talk About #125
