BYD Dolphin 2024 News

An almost imperceptible mention of a new variant in Australian government approval documents indicates an even cheaper version of the BYD Dolphin electric car could be on the way.

The automotive world is at war with Chinese brands like BYD, levelling profit-sinking tariffs designed to protect existing industries. But Australia is set to benefit.

The cost of electric cars is coming down at last and it’s happening fast, too, with big brands slashing prices.

Booming Chinese car brand BYD has slashed the price of its most affordable electric car.The Dolphin small hatchback is now $2000 cheaper, with prices starting at $38,890 (before on-road costs) for the base Dynamic and $42,890 for the Premium.Despite the price cut, the Dolphin has not regained its crown as the cheapest EV on sale in Australia. That title belongs to the GWM Ora, which is priced at $35,990 drive-away.The price cut follows the larger BYD Atto 3 scoring a $3000-plus price haircut last week, despite being an upgraded model with more standard equipment.The Dolphin Dynamic doesn't make the most compelling case on paper with its single electric motor making just 70kW and 180Nm and it's fed by a little 44.9kWh battery that delivers a driving range of up to 340km.The Premium peaks the interest a little more with a larger 60.5kWh battery powering a more potent 150kW and 310Nm electric motor. Driving range is boosted to 427km.They aren’t the fastest-charging EVs on sale: the Dynamic can absorb just 60kW and the Premium 80kW. This means they can both replenish their batteries from 10 to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes.Its stats are in line with the GWM Ora, but both are left in the dust by the more capable and expensive MG4 hatchback.The BYD Dolphin has been the slowest seller in the brand's line-up as buyers gravitate towards the Tesla Model 3-rivalling Seal sedan and the Atto3 compact SUV.BYD’s local importer, EV Direct, has declared there is some interest in bringing in an even cheaper model to sit under the Dolphin.That model is called either Seagull or Dolphin Mini in other markets, and EV Direct CEO David Smitherman previously told CarsGuide the company is looking to expand its range and that cheapie could be on the cards.“So, I've had a look at that car… and it's actually a really good proposition,” he said. “And it's actually bigger than you think. It's sub-Dolphin, but it's got the latest tech. It's a good size vehicle.“But I am not confirming that it's coming to us right now.“We're certainly wanting to grow the portfolio. Our intention is to broaden the product offering, but that it will just take time.”Australia is in the grip of an electric car price war as more and more carmakers are vying for a shrinking pool of new EV buyers.Peugeot cut the price of its e-2008 small electric SUV by more than $20,000 to $39,990 drive-away. Only a few days later the company had sold all its remaining stock and the car won’t be on sale until the updated version arrives early next year.Tesla has slashed the price of its Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan several times since the start of April to $55,900 (before on-road costs) and $54,900 respectively.An entry-level Model Y was $65,400, and the same Model 3 was $61,900 - meaning a $9,500 discount on the Model Y and a $7000 saving on the Model 3.Ford's Mustang Mach-E electric SUV range is between $7000 and $8000 cheaper after recent price cuts.Ford already lopped up to $7000 off the Mach-E before it went on sale in December last year.Established carmakers are now preparing to roll out an array of cheap, small EVs targeted at the everyday driver.Volkswagen is the latest brand to confirm it’ll build a circa-$30,000 EV with its coming ID.1 hatchback.That price puts it in the same ballpark as an entry-level Mazda3 or a fully-loaded Mazda2.Jeep and Citroen are rolling out little EVs at a similar price and Kia will launch the EV3 small electric SUV in Australia next month.Kia and Hyundai both have mini EV SUVs in the works with the EV2 and Inster.

The US government this week has taken aim at Chinese electric car makers and it could have giant consequences for Australia.The Biden administration has slapped Chinese EVs with a 100 per cent tariff, up from the current 25 per cent, snatching away their competitive edge with the stroke of a pen."American workers can out-work and out-compete anyone as long as the competition is fair, but for too long it hasn't been fair," said President Biden according to Reuters. "We're not going to let China flood our market."He said Chinese government subsidies ensure the country’s carmakers don’t have to turn a profit, giving them an unfair advantage in global trade.It’s not just EVs in the firing line but also batteries and semiconductors, two critical components of electric cars, have had 25 and 50 per cent tariffs imposed respectively.Chinese electric cars are now effectively shut out of the United States just at the time many brands are about to go on an aggressive global expansion.Europe could follow in the US footsteps if its investigation into Chinese state-owned automakers finds that the government's investment into carmakers is causing artificially low prices.China has aggressive manufacturing targets and it needs to keep its factories running and that pent up supply needs to go somewhere else… like Australia.This year alone, six Chinese car brands have committed to launching here soon including GAC, JAC, Leapmotor, Skywell, Xpeng and Zeekr. Car making giant Geely, which owns Polestar and Volvo, has also been looking for senior executives in Sydney, which would foreshadow another imminent arrival.This gaggle of brands will join BYD, Chery, GWM, LDV and MG in Australia.Those five already here have established a firm foothold, with MG a top 10 seller and GWM knocking on the door.China has leapfrogged Korea and is now the third biggest exporter of cars to Australia behind Japan and Thailand, the latter is where most dual-cab utes are built.Australia’s New Vehicle Emissions Standards (NVES), which passed through parliament this week, makes us an even tastier target for Chinese EV makers.The new standards fine car brands for every vehicle they sell over a certain level of emissions, but this can be offset by selling electric or low-emissions vehicles.This will roughly translate to more expensive petrol and diesel cars, which will make cut-price Chinese electric cars more appetising to consumers.Many Chinese car brands are armed with a war chest of cash and resources to take on the world’s established players.The boss of Xpeng’s Australian importer Jason Clarke told CarsGuide the Chinese maker is set up for success.“Their market cap is US$10 billion. I read they have six billion in cash ready to deploy, they’ve got their own tech stack, they’ve got 3000 people in R&D and 800 in AI. They want to be a major player globally in EVs and I think they’re set-up to do it,” he said.The Chinese companies also have the manufacturing capacity to blow the competition out of the water.Kia and Hyundai have both struggled to get as many EVs as they need, Volkswagen has yet to bring an electric car to market and Toyota’s first electric vehicle has so-far failed to excite.Tesla has enough supply to meet demand because its Australian bound vehicles are built in China.Volvo is owned by Chinese company Geely and the local arm’s boss Stephen Connor told CarsGuide recently it saves five per cent on tariffs importing from China compared to Europe thanks to a free trade agreement.“Plus, thanks to Chinese production (for models like the recently released EX30) we’re three weeks away from build to showroom whereas Europe is six to nine weeks. “We can get an increase in volume within three to four weeks,” he said.This makes Chinese brands more nimble and cheaper to get on Australian roads than any other EVs on sale.

BYD doesn't see a Dolphin hatchback as necessary for its growth strategy, as it focuses on launching its mid-size SUV this year.

The 2025 BYD Dolphin is about to be revealed in China, with analysts forecasting more tech, and even lower prices, for the brand's budget-busting electric vehicle.

The second and third cars to be tested under new criteria in ANCAP's are both electric cars from China's increasingly popular BYD, and both have passed safety testing with flying colours.

The thought first hit me as I was steering the MG4 51 Excite - one of Australia’s cheapest electric vehicles, and one that really should be pretty ordinary, given its bargain-basement status.

Vehicle supply has arguably been the Australian new-car market’s hottest talking point in 2023, and one recent newcomer to local showrooms, EV specialist BYD, has seemingly conquered the issue thanks to strategic investments in dedicated production capacity established in the brand’s Chinese factories.