BYD Dolphin price drops to £26,000 with new shorter-range versions
BYD has dropped the entry price of its Dolphin model range by £4,000 with the addition of two new variants.
The BYD Dolphin Active and Boost models join the Comfort and Design trims in the firm’s small hatchback line-up, with prices now starting from £26,195 thanks to their smaller batteries and less powerful motors.
The move makes the Dolphin among the cheapest electric cars on sale in the UK.
Both new models use a 44.9kWh LFP battery in place of the 60.4kWh unit in the Comfort and Design cars. In the Active, it is paired with a 94bhp motor for a maximum range of 211 miles while the Boost, which costs from £27,165, offers a 174bhp motor and a range of 193 miles. Both variants offer DC charging up to 65kW.
In comparison, the Comfort, which starts at £30,195 features a 201bhp motor and range of 265 miles as well as 80kW DC charging.
Michael Shu, managing director of BYD Europe, said: “BYD is convinced that high-tech electric mobility should be available and accessible for everyone. Therefore, we ensured that BYD Dolphin is not only intelligent and technology advanced, but also attractively priced.”
The new price means the entry-level Dolphin now costs £800 less than its rival the MG4 and almost £10,000 less than a similarly sized Volkswagen ID.3, although both those rivals offer more power and longer ranges.
While the new models are now among the cheapest EVs on sale, they retain some of the features from the more expensive variants, including a standard-fit heat pump and vehicle-to-load capability.
Adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, adaptive LED headlights and safety features such as rear cross traffic braking and emergency lane keeping assist are also standard even on entry level models.
