The last time we talked about the BYD Dolphin, it was expected to cost below RMB100,000. BYD’s pre-sales of the new compact EV revealed that the expectation was right: the entry-level Dolphin will cost RMB96,800, which is equivalent to $14,951 at the current exchange rate. If it were sold in the U.S. for the same price, it would be the cheapest car for sale in the market.
Cars.com recently made a list with the options available for customers there, and the cheapest vehicle with an automatic transmission was the 2021 Chevrolet Spark LS, which costs $15,695. That’s $744 more than the BYD Dolphin, which is a significantly larger vehicle.
While the Spark is 143.1 inches (3.64 meters) long and has a wheelbase of 93.9 in (2.39 m), the Dolphin is 160.2 in (4.07 m) long and has a wheelbase of 106.3 in (2.70 m). It would be better compared to the Honda Fit, which was 161.4 in (4.10 m) long and had a 99.6 in (2.53 m) wheelbase. When it was discontinued in the American market, the Fit – known as Jazz in Europe – had a base price of $17,145.
The Dolphin is impressive even in terms of weight. With its smallest battery pack option (30.72 kWh) – which is also the cheapest – it weighs only 1,285 kg (2,832.9 lb). The Honda Fit weighed 1,253 kg (2,762.4 lb) when it was still for sale in the U.S.
Photo: BYD
The problem with those prices is that they include an RMB13,000 ($2,008) government subsidy. That means the price without incentives would be RMB109,800 ($16,959). That would still make it one of the cheapest cars for sale in the U.S., according to Cars.com's list. It would be more affordable than the Kia Rio LX, which costs $17,045.
The good news is that the U.S. also offers a federal tax credit for electric cars. If the BYD Dolphin were sold in that market, it would be eligible to $7,500, which would drop its price to $9,459. In other words, the BYD could bring a car cheaper than $10,000 back to the American market.
There are talks about an even more generous subsidy with the H.R. 3684 - Invest in America Act. Despite ongoing discussions about prices and buyer income limitations, the BYD Dolphin would easily make the cut.
Photo: BYD
The cheapest Dolphin offers an NEDC range of 301 kilometers – or 187 miles. Although that seems low, the BYD would be the most affordable EV to offer an 800V thanks to the e-platform 3.0 it introduces. That and Blade Batteries would allow it to recover 150 km (93.2 mi) of range in only 5 minutes. Fast charging stresses the battery pack, but BYD said its LFP Blade Batteries could last more than 1.2 million km (745,645.4 mi).
The other versions of the Dolphin cost RMB106,800 ($16,496 for 405 km of NEDC range), RMB111,800 ($17,268 for 405 km of NEDC range), and RMB124,800 ($19,276 for 401 km). In miles, 405 km is equivalent to 252 mi, and 401 km corresponds to 249 mi – all that still below the $20,000 limit.
We have no idea if BYD plans to sell the Dolphin abroad, but it definitely should, especially in Europe. Checking those prices, many American customers must feel tempted to give it a try. The fact is that the Dolphin drowns discussions about cost parity between EVs and ICE cars.
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