The upcoming BYD Dolphin (EA1) is probably the most awaited electric car right now. It’ll be the first electric car that can realistically reach the top 10 of world’s best selling cars, competing head-to-head with gas cars in price and availability.
However, there is some misinformation online about this amazing third generation electric car from BYD.
While it’ll be built on the new BYD e-platform 3.0 that allows 1.000 km of NEDC range and an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3 seconds, it doesn’t mean that the small electric hatchback will get these specs. Notice that this is an electric car that BYD is aiming for everybody, but especially for younger buyers that want good electric cars that are also affordable.
Longer range and faster acceleration will come later with larger and more expensive models.
Chinese media have been reporting that the BYD Dolphin will come first with two Blade battery options for ranges around 400 and 500 km. This is also what the documents published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) suggest. The documents show this electric car homologated with two different weights (1.405 and 1.285 kg). A third battery option can come later.
BYD Dolphin standard version
- Length: 4.070/4.125 mm
- Wheelbase: 2.700 mm
- Width: 1.770 mm
- Height: 1.570 mm
- Gross vehicle weight: 1.660 kg (with passengers and cargo)
- Curb weight: 1.285 kg (empty vehicle)
- Motor: 35 kW (constant) and 70 kW (peak)
- Max speed: 150 km/h
- Battery: LFP (LiFePO4) Blade battery by BYD
- Estimated range: around 400 km (NEDC) and 300 km in WLTP
- Estimated price: 100.000 yuan (12.889 euros)
In China, electric cars need to have at least 400 km of NEDC range to be eligible for full government subsidies. This is why nowadays most Chinese electric cars have at least 400 km of NEDC range, even the affordable models.
BYD Dolphin longer range version
- Length: 4.070/4.125 mm
- Wheelbase: 2.700 mm
- Width: 1.770 mm
- Height: 1.570 mm
- Gross vehicle weight: 1.780 kg (with passengers and cargo)
- Curb weight: 1.405 kg (empty vehicle)
- Motor: 35 kW (constant) and 70 kW (peak)
- Max speed: 150 km/h
- Battery: LFP (LiFePO4) Blade battery by BYD
- Estimated range: above 500 km (NEDC) and 375 km in WLTP
- Estimated price: 140.000 yuan (18.044 euros)
Considering the weight difference (120 kg) between the two versions, the longer range variant should have around 15-18 kWh more of battery capacity. The NEDC range can actually be superior to 500 km, I estimate it to be around 550 km (above 400 km in WLTP).
Anyway, this electric car and the popular European Renault ZOE have very similar dimensions, but the BYD electric supermini has more interior space thanks to its longer wheelbase. Moreover, the BYD Dolphin with its LFP (LiFePO4) module-less batteries will be more durable and charge faster.
In foreign markets I expect that only the longer range version will be available. In Australia the BYD EA1 is expected to arrive early next year with a price below 35.000 AUD (22.218 euros) and the price for the European market isn’t known yet.
The BYD Dolphin will be the first real attempt of a Chinese automaker to conquer foreign markets with an electric car that offers unmatched value for money. By next year this small electric car is expected to lead the charts of best selling electric cars not only in China, but also Europe and Australia.
Meanwhile in most Zoom meetings about EV sales…
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