New challenger for VW: The BYD Dolphin – a compact electric car with 150 kW and 60 kWh battery capacity – is coming to Germany this summer.
Chinese manufacturers are also increasingly pushing ahead in the market for compact models. The BYD brand (China’s largest carmaker) is now showing a nifty five-door that, at 4.29 meters, is almost as long to the millimeter as the Golf: the Dolphin. However, it can do what the Golf cannot: the Dolphin only drives without emissions.
A 150 kW/204 hp electric motor drives the BYD, which enables acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in seven seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h. With a battery capacity of 60 kWh, the car achieves a WLTP range of 427 kilometers. Fast charging with direct current is possible up to an output of 88 kW, charging from 30 to 80 percent takes around 30 minutes.
The interior of the Dolphin offers space for five people and a trunk that can be expanded from 345 to 1,310 liters. The driver looks at a small color display that shows important information while driving. Everything else can be found in the center of the cockpit on a large touchscreen that can be adjusted both horizontally and vertically.
The Dolphin is expected to be launched in the summer, with prices said to be between 30,000 and 38,000 euros, with the starting price for a variant with a smaller 44 kWh battery that will probably be available later.
BYD has been around for a while
The manufacturer BYD (for “Build Your Dream”) itself is already active on the German market. Initially, a mid-range SUV (“Tang”) and a business sedan (“Han”) will be offered.
The car brand was formed when BYD Company Limited took over state-owned manufacturer Xian Qinhuan Automobile. With around 1.5 million new cars, BYD was one of the largest car manufacturers in China last year. According to one forecast, the brand could become the new number 1 this year. BYD is also the world’s largest manufacturer of electric cars, well ahead of Tesla.
