Build Your Dreams or BYD is a Chinese automotive giant. It is making huge strides in electric mobility. The company has launched several vehicles for the Chinese market. It is the only vehicle manufacturer in the world who has a footprint in every type of vehicle sold. Not only this, they have also integrated their supply lines and manufacturing techniques to produce cost-efficient electric vehicles.
BYD Dolphin Hatchback: A Pocket-Friendly EV
BYD has built a huge mega factory in Shenzhen, China. The factory is a small city with amenities such as its own metro line and public transport. In this factory, there are many divisions. Employees are designing and engineering new vehicles in this huge factory. In spite of its huge size, BYD only sold its vehicles in China and had little to no presence outside the country. However, recently BYD launched its new hatchback named the BYD Dolphin. This vehicle will be the first electric vehicle built by BYD to be launched in the international market.
BYD introduced the Dolphin hatchback at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2021. The car costs approximately 125000 yuan which is below $20,000. The company has used its all-new proprietary e-platform 3.0 with blade batteries and cell to pack production technology. The blade battery technology is the safest manufacturing technology on the market. BYD developed this technology in-house. They are installing these high-quality, safe, and reliable batteries in almost all their new electric models.
BYD has tried to pack as many features as they could in this small hatchback. This hatchback is capable of DC fast charging at 800V DC as well as 11KW AC charging is available. In addition to this, the Dolphin offers a vehicle-to-vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality. Due to this ability of the car, it is ideal for powering light loads like electric barbeque, speakers, electric kettles, and other equipment.
Exterior
The company has put a lot of effort and money into the design of the exterior of the vehicle. The car is sleek and is a daily driver. It is an all-purpose vehicle and has the capability to do a bit of everything. Because of this, the car is ideal for commuting, short trips as well as some adventure. Due to its V2L capability, it can be used to power devices during a camping trip.
BYD has tried to develop its own exterior style profile instead of trying to copy another automaker. This signifies a shift in the mindset of Chinese automakers about making unique products. The car features a light bar at the tail end which stretches from one end of the car to another. The designers have put ‘BUILD YOUR DREAMS’ in bold below the light bar which gives the car a unique look. The Dolphin has flush door handles that blend in with the car door. There is an aesthetic line at the bottom of the two doors which gives the car a sleek look. The line and the rear-view mirrors are of a different color than the car. This makes the car look more hip and cool to the younger population.
The car has two trunks like most electric vehicles one in the front and the other in the back. The total capacity of the two trunks is around 500 liters but BYD hasn’t specified it explicitly. The car is currently available in two fashions or colors which are Grey/orange and grey/neon green. The company has also announced more colors that will be available in the future.
Interior
The interior is humble and reminds of a mid-range hatchback vehicle. However, the company has tried to incorporate as many features into the vehicle as possible. The car has a central infotainment screen which has become a standard in almost all-electric vehicles. There are two USB sockets in the vehicle. The car has a huge central storage bin behind its cup holders.
The infotainment screen isn’t responsible for the climate control of the vehicle. There are separate buttons for temperature and wind speed control inside the vehicle. The car is fitted with PM52 air filtration technology which prevents harmful pollutants from outside to enter the car. BYD is also working on its own autonomous driving feature which is not yet available in the car but the company can add it later on.
The BYD Dolphin has two variants depending on the battery size of the vehicle. The lower version has a 30.7 KWh with a driving range of 301 kilometers or 188 miles. The better version comes with a 44.9 kWh battery and has a range of 405 kilometers or 251 miles. Both the variants of the Dolphin have the same 70 KW motor. Due to this motor, the car is able to accelerate from 0 to 50 kilometers per hour in just 3.9 seconds. The top-end version has the same 44.9 kWh battery but the motor has a rating of 130 KW which offers better performance but impedes the range of the vehicle.
All versions of the car will be fitted with heat pumps which will provide more range in the winter months. The car has an NFC-enabled car key for fast unlock and lock of the vehicle. The baseline version of the vehicle has a top speed of 150 kmph and the top of the line Dolphin has a top speed of 160 kmph.
This vehicle has a price tag under $25000 which has been the critical price point for mass-market electric vehicle adoption. The nearest competition for the BYD Dolphin is from Volkswagen and Honda. These companies are aiming to launch their vehicles in the next 5 years but BYD has such a vehicle now. That is why the BYD Dolphin is undoubtedly the first electric vehicle for the mass market. This vehicle is affordable, safe, and environmentally friendly which makes it the perfect choice for the younger environmentally conscious population. Preorders for the car have already begun in China. In the coming years, BYD will likely launch this vehicle for the European and American markets.
Conclusion
There is huge potential for this car to be a top seller. BYD has made a huge bet on this vehicle. If successful this vehicle will cement BYD as a car manufacturer for the future. That is why, BYD has put in a lot of effort to build this stunning electric vehicle. Due to this, BYD is currently leading the race when it comes to mass-market electric vehicles.
