Coming in hot with a starting price tag of RM99,900, BYD Dolphin‘s arrival in Malaysia has injected a surge of excitement into the local automotive market. With the first batch of delivery expected to take place next month, the Shenzhen-based automotive giant is currently offering two Dolphin variants for our market.
There is a price difference of RM25,000 between the two variants which is quite significant for the price-conscious consumers in Malaysia. So, if you are interested or already planning to get your hands on a BYD Dolphin and currently weighing your options, here is our quick guide that may help you choose between the Dynamic Standard and Premium Extended models.
Power output, acceleration
The Dynamic Standard version of the BYD Dolphin is equipped with a 70kW (94hp) electric motor that has a torque rating of 180Nm. On the other hand, the Premium Extended is significantly more powerful, thanks to its 150kW (201hp) electric motor with 310Nm of torque.
If you are not sure what those figures mean, just consider this: the Standard variant can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 12.3 seconds but its Premium counterpart takes things up a notch with a century sprint timing of 7 seconds.
As a reference, the Honda WR-V takes 11 seconds to get from 0-100km/h while the HR-V S with a 1.5L NA engine takes 12.1 seconds. Meanwhile, the Civic eHEV 2.0L RS and Proton X50 1.5 TGDi both do 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds.
Battery, range, and charging
Aside from the performance, another major factor that set the two Dolphin variants apart is the battery capacity. This affects their range capabilities which is one of the main characteristics that many consumers may consider when they purchase an electric vehicle.
The Dolphin Dynamic Standard comes together with a 44.9kWh BYD Blade Battery pack which allows it to deliver a WLTP range of 340km. As for the Premium Extended model, it is fitted with a larger 60.48kWh battery pack and has a WLTP range of 427km.
When it comes to charging, both variants feature the same 7kW onboard AC charger. However, the Dynamic Standard’s DC charging support maxes out at 60kW but the Premium Extended option can go much higher at up to 80kW.
Generally, it takes less than 30 minutes to top the Dolphin’s battery from 30% to 80% via DC charging.
Exterior
Performance, battery capacities, and charging capabilities are not something that you can easily see from the outside in order to differentiate the two BYD Dolphin variants. If you looking for a physical cue, the easiest way is to try to see whether it has a glass roof.
If it does, then you are looking at the Premium Extended model. Here’s a pro tip: the glass roof has a motorised sunshade which you can control either by using voice commands or the dedicated control button.
This is something that even the Tesla Model Y doesn’t have – just in case you want to show it off to your Tesla friends.
Meanwhile, all the Premium Extended models have two-tone colourways and 17-inch wheels. You can also spot the tri-colour design on the wheels for the Premium models in Atlantis Grey + Delan Black and Surf Blue + Urban Grey colourways.
While Ski White + Urban Grey option doesn’t feature the same wheel design, it is still different from what BYD has equipped in the Dolphin Dynamic Standard variant for Malaysia. The Standard variant rides on smaller 16-inch wheels.
Both variants also get a different suspension for the rear. The base Standard model gets a Torsion Beam setup while the Premium Extended model gets a Multi-Link setup.
Interior
At a glance, the interior section of BYD Dolphin looked identical regardless of the variants. However, there are several differences that may affect your decision when it comes to choosing your preferred version of the electric hatchback.
On the Premium Extended version, both of its front seats have ventilation feature and they can be adjusted electronically. The variant also features a wireless phone charger on its centre console and side-mounted LED reading light for rear passengers. For the standard version, the front seats are manually adjusted but it still offers adjustment for height.
Looking at the specs paper is one thing but having a hands-on experience is a different thing altogether. You may want to give the EV a try yourself at the first BYD Dolphin public test drive event which is happening as we speak at 1 Utama until this Sunday, 30 July.
