BYD, a global leader in new energy vehicles (NEVs), is celebrating a major achievement with the production of its 500,000th BYD Atto 3 at its Hefei industrial plant. Remarkably, this milestone was reached in just 19 months since the Atto 3’s launch.
The BYD Atto 3, positioned as the first model for the global market, has swiftly become the top-selling NEV in various countries, including Singapore, New Zealand, Thailand, Israel, and Sweden. By now, BYD’s passenger vehicles are present and successful in over 50 countries and regions. Particularly noteworthy is the Atto 3’s dominance in Israel’s NEV sales for nine consecutive months and its current standing as Thailand’s best-selling pure electric vehicle as of August 2023. These accomplishments underscore BYD’s growing influence and triumph in the global automotive market.
We recently got to take a second test drive in the Dolphin but from the perspective of someone who has only driven a handful of EVs. This time the drive was from Desa Park City to Elmina, roughly around 30km and with clear roads. However, our drive began at 3:30pm on a Friday, so there was no such thing as clear roads.
The one exterior feature that caught my eye is the design of the taillights. According to BYD, the inspiration for the design was taken from a Chinese lantern that has similar twirling lines.
Another interesting feature is that, on the premium extended range, the rims come in three colours. You have your standard dual-tone silver and black, but in addition to that, a third colour (depending on the body colour of the car you choose) is applied. But on the standard range, you only get the dual-tone rims.
BYD is no stranger to the electric vehicle (EV) game. It has continually been at the forefront of technical developments since its founding in 1995. BYD’s status as a market pioneer for electric vehicles has been cemented by innovations including the Blade Battery, DM-i Super Hybrid System, e-Platform 3.0, CTB Technology, e4 Platform, and the DiSus Intelligent Body Control System, which have raised the bar for the sector.
BYD has enjoyed enviable success in Malaysia. Rarely does a non-national car receive 1,000 booking in just 10 days after launch. But that is exactly what the BYD Atto 3 achieved just earlier this year.
And now, hot on the heels of the undeniable success of the Atto 3, BYD Malaysia is at it again with the launch of the BYD Dolphin.
The Dolphin is part of BYD’s Ocean series which also includes the soon to be introduced Seal as well. The Ocean series models are underpinned by the e-Platform 3.0, which BYD is particularly proud of as it integrates BYD’s propriety blade batteries – now widely regarded as the best batteries for EV’s in terms of safety and range. New Tesla cars too run on BYD’s blade batteries.
But the Dolphin is not just a game changer for its platform, its pricing is what makes it a big deal. The entry level Standard range model retails for just RM99,900 and the top-of-the-line model retails at RM124,900.
The cheapest EV in the country is the Neta V which at RM99,800, is just RM100 cheaper than the Dolphin. And considering the brand value, interior features, overall design and quality, the Dolphin is the better buy by any measure.
At first glance there is nothing about the Dolphin that will put you off – it is roughly about the size of a Volkswagen Golf or a Toyota Corolla Yaris. At the back, the taillights and its weave like pattern is bound to impress. The wheels are designed to match the body colour, and the top of the line Extended Range model rolls on 17-inch wheels while the Standard range offers 16s.
Some have said that the front looks too simple and uninspiring; design is always subjective and others have called the Dolphin a good looking car.
At the rear, the tailgate is not powered but has an electronic latch. Booth space is a little larger than that of a Myvi, and is double stacked for more storage space.
The interior though is bound to impress. While overall space and quality is decent, the colour of the interior mirrors the exterior. So as what you can see in the images here, if the exterior is pink, the interior will be pink (and purple). That may not be to everyone’s taste, but some may appreciate it.
If there is one thing we were asked to complain about, it would have to be the rather miniscule 5-inch digital meter panel which may make it difficult for those with an eye sight problem to see the speedometer and other important readouts such as the range.
In terms of driving comfort, the Dolphin drives like a typical EV – it is quiet, response is instantaneous, and the interior is generally noise free as well. Except for some bells and whistles that can be heard as you drive.
As you probably already know, EV cars are incredibly quiet, and this can be dangerous to pedestrians and other road users who may not hear an EV approaching.
So, to ensure pedestrians can hear them coming, some EV’s emit a chime which can be quite annoying after some time, especially from the interior.
It also comes with the complete ADAS safety system that always tried to pull you into your lane, brake the car for you and generally try to overrule you as a driver.
Now there was not much in terms of briefing when we went for the drive, so there is no confirming whether certain features like the annoying background music can be turned off. There was also little to no time given to explore the features of the car, just a “get in and drive” operation from the drive organizer. Which is a pity.
But there is a 12.8-inch swiveling screen similar to the Atto 3 that houses all of the onboard functions, and judging by the functions available in the Atto 3, we are assuming that certain functions can be turned off.
Now onto the important bit – the power and range of the Dolphin.
As already mentioned, the Dolphin is available in two variants. The Standard range model is powered by a 44.9kWh battery with a single motor. The total system output is 94hp and 180Nm of torque. Performance is definitely now what this car is made for, and that is reflected in the 12.3 seconds it needs to get from zero to hundred km/h.
However, it does have a range of 340km/h on the WLTP cycle, which is decent considering the price. And it accepts a max DC charging of 60kW, so that would take about 45 minutes to charge it from zero to 100%.
The Extended range model is the one that comes with all the fats. Packing a 60.48kWh battery and a 150kW motor, this model offers a range of 427km on the WLTP cycle. It also packs 201hp and 310Nm of torque, which is good for a 0-100kmh sprint of just seven seconds.
We drove the Extended range model from One Utama to Kampung Semarak and back, a distance of roughly about 40km’s. The great thing is that we had a range of about 475km when the drive began, and 460km at the end. And we were driving at “test drive speed”, so the range is quite definitely impressive.
What was quite annoying though is that there were some minute buzzing sounds coming out of the door panels.
But besides that, there truly is nothing much to complain about the Dolphin, especially in the Extended Range guise. It may be about RM25,000 dearer than the Standard range model, but it comes with features such as ventilated seats which is great to have in our Malaysian weather as it blows cool air to your back and bottom.
One of the most significant difference between the two models besides range and performance though is that the Extended Range model comes with a multi-link rear suspension while the Standard model comes with a classic torsion beam set up.
A multi-link suspension system is always more comfortable than a torsion beam, and also offers better corner control. This is great for passenger comfort. As for the front suspension, both cars share a McPherson strut system.
The BYD Dolphin is undeniably a game changer in the Malaysian EV segment, making electric cars more accessible to more people rather than a rich man’s toy as it has been perceived for a while.
There has been some unfair criticism levelled at BYD and its battery technologies by certain segments of the Malaysian automotive media, but all of those are based on incidents that have happened outside Malaysia. It is worth noting that there have been zero battery related incidents in Malaysia.
The BYD Dolphin is exactly what Malaysians need, an EV that is more people can buy. Of course it may still be out of reach for a large chunk of the population, but it marks a step in the right direction for EV adoption in Malaysia.
And so to answer the question of this article, should this be your first EV? Yes, but it is worth spending a little more for the Extended Range model.
BYD Dolphin Standard Range Motor: 70kW Power: 94hp Torque: 180Nm Battery: 44.9kWh Charging: 60kW Max DC Charging Suspension: McPherson Strut (Front) Torsion Beam (Rear) Price: RM99,900
BYD Dolphin Extended Range Motor: 150kW Single Motor Power: 201hp Torque: 310Nm Battery: 60.48kWh Charging: 80kW Max DC Charging Suspension: McPherson Strut (Front) Multi-link (Rear) Price: RM124,900
The Dolphin is the first model in BYD’s Ocean series and the first to use the “Ocean Aesthetics” design philosophy. This new C-segment hatchback has accessibility, efficiency, and practicality.
BYD unveiled the e-Platform 3.0, a new version of the electric vehicle platform that underpins the Dolphin, at the Auto Shanghai in April 2021. This platform is intended to support more efficient performance and range owing to better weight distribution. The Chinese manufacturer also unveiled a new hatchback at the show, the BYD EA1 Concept pre-production prototype while unveiling a refreshed design language and brand identity. Three months after the concept model’s unveiling, the BYD Dolphin was introduced.
Dolphin’s global right hand drive version was first shown to the public as the Standard Range at the Bangkok International Motor Show in March 2023. Sime Darby Motors and BYD have launched the Dolphin and it now joins the Atto 3 in BYD’s Malaysian line-up. The Dolphin comes with two variants: the Dynamic Standard Range and the Premium Extended Range.
SISMA Auto, a multi-brand luxury automotive business, has opened the largest BYD 3S Centre in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.
The Glenmarie centre, which cost RM5 million to build, is a Class-A BYD facility with a nine-car display showroom and 16 service bays to serve the expanding number of BYD clients.
The huge showroom is intended to showcase all of the new models that will be introduced in the Malaysian market in the near future. The 16-work bay service centre can service over 1,000 customers every month. The modern service centre is also outfitted with advanced diagnostic technology, specialised tools and jigs, and climate-controlled storage spaces for sensitive power battery components. There is also a New Energy Vehicle facility where all high-voltage components can be repaired.
Although the full duty exemption for electric vehicles (EVs) began last year, the sales were slow as the incentive was announced by the government only towards the end of 2021. As a lot of production planning and ordering had already been done by many carmakers, the sudden demand from Malaysia was difficult to meet right away in 2022.
However, 2023 should see acceleration in EV sales as the car companies would now have secured larger allocations and stocks are arriving constantly. An indication of this is the announcement by Sime Darby Motors that it has sold and delivered 1,000 units of the BYD ATTO 3 in 100 days.
At the recent Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS), arguably the most popular EV brand in Malaysia BYD revealed one of it’s latest models – the BYD Seal.
The Chinese EV specialist BYD was founded in 1995 and boasts more than 27 years of expertise, establishing itself as an industry leader in electronics, automotive and renewable energy.
The brand has done shockingly well in Malaysia over the past few months with the Atto 3, and it seems like that dominance is set to continue with the BYD Seal.
Seen at the Bangkok International Motor Show just yesterday, BYD has confirmed that 5-seater Seal will be available in Malaysia by the end of 2023.
It is already being hailed as a Tesla slayer, so here’s everything you need to know about it.
With the surge in introduction of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as the government is providing tax exemption for a few years, we’ve been seeing a number of brands from China coming into the Malaysian market. It coincides with the increased export activity by the Chinese companies in recent years, particularly with EVs as the country has the largest market in the world.
The latest is BYD Auto which officially made its debut today with the launch of its first model, the ATTO 3 SUV. Its commencement of business has been exceptionally quick as the distributorship agreement with Sime Darby Motors (SDM) was inked only in September this year. Clearly, the two companies had already been having earlier discussions and had plans in place by the time the agreement was signed and announced.
With products from BYD Auto, now among the top 5 BEV companies in the world, SDM has another brand of electrified products to offer. From starting with just the electrified models of BMW and MINI, it now has BEVs from Porsche, Hyundai and Volvo which are sold by its various units. BYD and Hyundai are likely to provide the entry-level models in coming years while the other brands cater to customers further upmarket.
Toyota’s second model in its bZ battery electric vehicle (BEV) range is the bZ3, and it has been developed for the Chinese market using a different approach to product development. This approach has involved two other companies – BYD Company Ltd and FAW Toyota Motor.
Each company is a leader in its own field: Toyota in automobiles, BYD in batteries and FAW Toyota having the production facilities and network coverage across China. Over 100 Toyota engineers from the design, production, engineering, and quality control departments participated in the development, working together with engineers from BYD and FAW Toyota.
