The BYD Dolphin Is A Funky Little EV Hatchback

The BYD Dolphin review that we've been wanting to film for months is finally here! We really liked the way this thing looked when we checked it out at a BYD dealership late last year, but does the driving experience ruin the fun?
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[@brentonGCTesla]

As an aussie, i LOVE watching your videos. This video was 8 months ago, this car is just released in thailand and planning to come to australia soon,, so watching this is the first real review of the dolphin, so far in advance, very cool :)

[@Brick-Life]

I live in Melbourne and hope to see this take over the streets along with the BYD Yuan

[@CptSpears007]

Rumor has it, the fanny pack causes a neck snapping action from admiring onlookers.

[@joseespinoza2687]

Cars in the U.S keep getting bigger and more expensive. I am really jealous of Chinese and other non North American markets. They get good looking cars at affordable prices. It is like a self fulfilling prophesy here. They sell mostly expensive big cars here and affordable ugly cars with no features and so only the ones that are half decent (usually the expensive ones sell) and boom they conclude we only like big expensive cars. A car like the Changan Uni-V would sell so well here as long as it stays at its price point. BYD also has cool cars. Just across the border in Mexico Toyota sells cars under 15k USD. They know those would sell well here but they can make more money by selling 40-50k USD Crossovers and Minivans here.

[@PatriciaFreddy]

This is what I need in the US to drive. Electric, affordable and shall we say Cute to attract young generations?

[@junchengxiao1747]

Yes. This is desiged for young people. In China, many young buy for their first car.

[@silys5253]

It should be noted that BYD started its automobile branch in 2003 - it therefor has more experience building cars than most of it competitors. While BYD doesnt have the greatest designs and innovations it does have very complete manufacturing capabilities - making most its parts in house - even batteries. In fact - BYD started out as battery manufacturer. Its even going to supply Tesla with batteries. While I find that NIO has much better design and innovation (what will lead to it taking over the premium segment…) its BYD that pushes out highly affordable vehicles. NIO will take the premium market over time while BYD will take the lower end market in no time.

[@DanSegada]

Man this channel is something else, cool cars, short and to-the-point videos and all kinds of watches. I need to see a "state of the collection" video from you!

[@klaseyjones8199]

i agree! its so good

[@_UnSiMplYkells]

You are so in point bro.

[@Wheelsboy]

Thank you for noticing! I've always wanted to start a side channel called "Watchesboy", but there's just not enough time in a day to do both haha. I currently have around 20 watches, most of which have appeared on the channel at least once. I believe I was rocking a Vostok Amfibia in this video, but my most recent acquisition is a vintage Seiko 6139-6040 chronograph, which will appear a couple videos from now.

[@DanSegada]

@@Wheelsboy I love this, I think if I did YT videos I would do the exact same. Enjoy your new piece and keep up the great content!

[@abcdefgabcedfg]

@@Wheelsboy 大表哥？

[@LUGNUTZAutoJunkie]

Awesome review! Indonesian fan here, u guys are killing it with these CDM cars! Even we still have no clue as to when this will hit our market! Thanks for the insight!

[@suriantoku]

mantep

[@bobby4500]

Im really suprised by the interior. Looks nice.

[@CRhodesDesign]

Loving all these various and challenging car designs from China, much better from all the same bland German cars clogging up the roads here in the Uk.

[@TimLucasdesign]

At least you guys get the ID.3. I would love to be able to buy one of those!

[@lucafischer1486]

Truly challenging designs ^^

[@Bud_Terence]

Thanks for showing us this model, Ethan. I like it a lot. Hopefully BYD brings the Dolphin also to Europe. Would be a nice Competitor to ID.3/Born, Zoe.

[@Euromanone]

Totally agree…and the price point is in a different league 😃

[@maxmustermann4400]

When you count the price in, it´s more likely a competition to the Dacia Spring with much better looks and specs! Maybe you can count the Zoe in - yep!

[@nc3826]

Shipping it farther to Europe. Would increase its "export price", well above that of the Zoe or the Spring. So it would not be any competition, for those price conscious buyers.

[@Bud_Terence]

@@nc3826 Zoe is at 36000 € now, in Germany. So its same Category like the Dolphin at 35000 (in Australia). Dacia Spring is a Category under them ...

[@nc3826]

​@@Bud_Terence "In France, Renault’s biggest market for the Zoe, the electric car starts at just de 23,900 €, which is the equivalent of about $26,000 USD" from Electrek Feb. 20th 2020.... So you claim that exporting the ZOE to Germany in the last 2 yrs, increased its price by about 50%? From what it cost in France? Guess how much more the Dolphin would cost if it was transported from China, with the current shipping capacity shortage? WADR this is all conjecture, but I'm willing to bet it will cost far more and will not compete with anything like the Spring or the Zoe... If it ever makes it there???

[@Ovenmitttt]

Not frustrating at all! Show me more of what’s happening in China! I love it!

[@jw3885]

That interior is fabulous

[@TheHomeExpert5]

Hey Dexter Manley, you are 100% correct about the tail lights, they look awesome.

[@arnoldtabor3767]

I wish they'd bring it to the UK and open an assembly plant there

[@nc3826]

little chance of that in Brexitland

[@unknowntraveller8633]

Thank you Ethan for including the prices we may see here in Aust

[@theolich4384]

Tried one and agree with all of Ethan's evaluations. Just to add that the Dolphin has solid performance battery-wise compared to its peers, with the heat pump being a standard feature across the range. I eventually opted for a ID.3 for the wife - which offers much better ride and L2, albeit at quite a premium, and inferior infotainment and power efficiency (especially in the cold) - but the main factor here really is the Dolphin having a backlog of 3 months (4 months for the top trim) in China, last time I checked (late April). BYD cars seemed to be selling really well, hope the new factory that began to deliver last week could help easing its logistics.

[@tonypaca3015]

well, id3 starts at 28k not 14k so obviously will be a better car it costs about 2 times more. Cant compare apples to banana. For that price range y can even get the byd seal

[@theolich4384]

​@@tonypaca3015 The models I was looking at was $20k for the top trim Dolphin and $28k for the ID.3 - those were the going rate in China. Again I'm not saying the ID.3 being an overall better car...after the months I've spent with it. It does drive better, has the L2, but lags behind the Dolphin on infotainment, free-of-German-quirkiness (gosh) and everything battery-related. Says how much punch the Dolphin packs in a cheaper car. Had it not having a lengthy backlog I'd have much headache in picking one out of the two.

[@haiboj4979]

0:04 no its not frustrating, it is eye opening to see all these cars we dont get, thank you for making this channel.

[@tonyt2508]

Thank you for this review, looking forward to seeing it in Australia soon. I think it will be really popular

[@skatingmagician]

God I love this car so much, please someone tell me I'll be able to buy this car in the next few years in the US😩

[@1hjehje]

That's a very nice looking vehicle. I like the fact that it offers a supple and comfortable ride rather than a more harsh one. I wouldn't want autonomous driving in a vehicle. I feel that it promotes distracted driving and could cause accidents. I prefer to drive my own vehicle as I enjoy driving. If I just needed to get from point A to point B I would take public transportation or call a cab, etc. Thank you for the video.

[@ZedsDeadOK]

We need cars like this in Europe to snap the big brands out of their £30000 + priced EV's.

[@kogrea5792]

id3 is nice I think

[@ykdz3115]

Best A0 car ever, perfect efficiency and space.

[@user-te1wq4cy6p]

开了大半年了，驾驶感受的确不错，已经给我省了一万多油费了😎

[@AnnieT369]

Love this car.

[@cormackhotzie7874]

great job! they've got a 2023 model now that I'm considering buying

[@Marchellino]

The BYD principal or company has never seen at least today. I hope they will launched it soon here in Indonesia!

[@SweBeach2023]

Indonesia with its high population density and slow traffic (at least in Java) would benefit so much from electric cars.

[@trythis2821]

Wish list for this this car is: longer range, faster acceleration, and charging. Split folding rear seat. Overall, a good car that has the promise of being affordable.

[@terenceiutzi4003]

Looks just like the Bolt!

[@TimBorg]

Living in AUS and want one of these !

[@cheungman83]

Shenzhen city, China (home of BYD) use these as their taxi’s

[@danmccarthy4700]

My mind was literally blown seeing the infotainment screen change orientation like that.

[@jansenwilder1335]

I'm in Singapore right hand drive ,same as Australia, the latest Byd Ev that we are having soon is the Yen/ATTO 3. No Tang or Han sadly.. the Dolphin interior is lovely.

[@jasonk203]

I'm waiting for the Han or the Dolphin in Singapore.

[@doejohn4046]

@@jasonk203 I am just curious about its final price in Singapore……

[@jansenwilder1335]

@@doejohn4046. Very expensive, due to the payment of silly COE added to the buyer's cost.

[@HypaWave1701]

Good vid! I have my Atto 3 on order in New Zealand

[@johngrubb1590]

Now this is a car I can get behind I like it a lot, just wish they would sale it in the UK.

[@HKChineseCanadian]

I love Chinese EVs especially BYD, Xpeng and Nio cars.

[@uncois]

I love your id name.. how lucky you're ! And I love the way also that you're expressing you're proud of all three identity! Have a good day! Greeting from China.

[@tonychang3738]

Wheelboyz just getting better in review.

[@bbaalehussein2779]

what took you so long, @Wheelsboy. been waiting for this a long time. All you had done was that review in the showroom. It's worth the wait though...... Thanks!

[@Wheelsboy]

Blame the pandemic! Glad it was worth the wait!

[@BAOMANDO]

I live in China and im about to buy this car, the reviews convinced me

[@yzhang9265]

Nice small EV :)

[@TheHomeExpert5]

The lime green accents make it look like a taxi cab from the future.

[@eycoregamer7143]

This car looks really good! .👍 👍 👍

[@concerncitizen8988]

Wow, good to know. 👍 Oh how about the charging how it's done and can we plug it in home in ordinary wall outlet?

[@leiyue1411]

This car is already available in Philippine.

[@normancharles2523]

Thanks - good to know it is coming to Oz

[@oliverstemp9132]

This is arriving in the UK in early 2023 and it’s band will be Atto 2. I’m looking forward to seeing them because they seem fun

[@poovaneswaransupramaniam19]

Cool review...waiting with bated breath for it to be launched in malaysia

[@ayni2723]

BYD Dolphin 👌🏼👍🏼

[@user-jx7vl2ed4i]

已经订了这款车，已经等了3个多月了，估计还要继续等待一个多月。家里已经有一款BYD的纯电动车，开了两年了，这会是第二辆。

[@tangfors]

It felt like it went up quite a bit in price as soon as it moved to Australia. Know that Australian dollars are not worth as much as American but did some math and all of a sudden it cost 24 thousand USD. Now I don't know if they only bring in the more expensive model, but otherwise it went up considerably in price. So I wonder how it will be if they bring it into Europe, will it cost 300 thousand Euros then? Then it's no longer cheap, at least I don't think so.

[@yw182]

I think it should be reminded that the function of BYD Dolphin is mainly to control all the devices in the car by voice, and the frequency of physical buttons in actual use is not high.

[@HAWXLEADER]

It is just quicker to push the damn button (source, me, a BYD atto 3 owner)

[@vong6420]

hey wheelsboy I've been enjoying your videos. and i wonder if you will ever review the BYD E2? since it was also a good car and it's available in my country it's just that there's not many reviews about it.

[@billy-nk4lx]

e2 is based on previous generation platform. the tech level is much lower.

[@theolich4384]

Premium trims of the E2 overlaps with the Dolphin price wise in China - which makes the later a no brainer. I highly suspect the E2 might be seeing a successor with BYD's latest platform in the near future, which will surly come in Ethan's way. Would be cool if they call it the Porpoise...

[@mindfreeze0838]

I test drove this and 2 things, first is that there is no spare wheel which is a deal breaker for many. Also were you driving in ECO mode all the time? Because eco mode drives exactly how you describe, but when you are in sport mode the vehicle is completely different. The suspension gets stiffer as does the steering wheel and the throttle mapping changes so that at the slightest press of your right foot it gives you all those 180nm( i drove the lower grade) instantly, it is far from a lethargic car in that mode.

[@saugatkarki6492]

Well reviewed 💯

[@jingyuexi740]

Hope it sells in the US

[@swecreations]

If this is the new Honda Fit this could be legendary

[@Ekyllier]

Green was a very bold choice. Not sure about China but blue or orange for all those green accents would look a lot better imo for a car in Australia.

[@hobbypsychologist6444]

finally a cheap EV that doesnt look like a toaster

[@negruvalea]

Pls do more videos on cars coming to Australia and others .

[@Lobo-ih3bh]

I have a fist growing out of my head so it’s good to see I’ll fit in the back of this car.

[@bangjoe7845]

I hope this year BYD will enter Indonesia

[@forfluf]

I heard it was coming soon to the Canadian market.

[@kriszhu7252]

Man I came all the way from Bilibili just to let you know that you need a better sound engineer, or do some cross-check in that part. Other than that your vids are if not the only the best on the internet to introduce me into Chinese cars that I don't even konw! Keep rolling !

[@BartAfterDark]

Hope someone will bring those to Europe

[@marklola12]

wish this came to the uk

[@supreme_xenon]

In Indonesia we're still not sure if Wuling will bring the Mini EV here or not

[@kenhogg858]

Wish they were available in the USA

[@zl7491]

Keep it up.

[@kittyflier8338]

Make a Seal review~

[@shavaughndavidson2257]

How about the Nio et7 or the Lincoln zephyr or Ford mondeo or the byd seal or destroyer or tank 500 or that alibaba ev or geely binrui cool or changan slo3 ev

[@ShawnJohnson-dj8pb]

Hey will it be able to ship to Trinidad and Tobago

[@__patriot_1776]

Does this model have heated and cooled seats in the front?

[@CLK759]

BYD gettin design tips from GTA 5!! :D

[@morrismak]

This is a great 1st car for a college student or fresh grad

[@UnknownGamer-uz5iz]

Or a broke dad 👀

[@theolich4384]

Backseat is quite spacious. Fits the entire party group...

[@alaaa1794]

Available in the Philippines too

[@SS-vt1hb]

I want the pink one!

[@just4therecord]

Whats the speed of the AC charging? Does it have a build-in 22kW charger or 7.2kW? I cant seem to find this info anywhere. Thanks

[@QakiBoP]

30 min for 50 procent

[@screenplayhouse4932]

The Scion Xa on the outside WHILE the interior was done by the Nissan Cube person. If that price arrives in America this is a done deal.

[@izwanhazimi9761]

Hope come to Malaysia 🇲🇾😘😘😘

[@randychen160]

Hi Ethan, try to get a BYD Seal to test :)

[@Wheelsboy]

Working on it! The dealership near us is supposed to get a display model at some point soon, so we'll put out an first look video when that happens, then follow up with a full review.

[@randychen160]

@@Wheelsboy Ethan, you are not gonna believe this. Two days ago, I saw a BYD Qin EV (or DM-i) in Alhambra, California. The vehicle moves too fast when crossing an intersection (therefore, I didn't have a picture of this vehicle), so I can't tell if it is EV or DM-i, but I am sure I saw the Chinese character in the front. The vehicle has a license plate, so, it is legally registered with the DMV. I don't have a recollection if it is a California registration or from a different state. I don't really think BYD has a dealership in the US and I don't think the US law allows anyone to import a brand new vehicle, then, how is this vehicle get registered? I was thinking that is it possible that it is owned by the Chinese consulate in LA, but when I google diplomatic license plate in the US, I find that this is not the answer, because the license plate I saw is a white background with the blue font (looks like a California registration, the diplomatic license has a red stripe on top). I do see some rare brand vehicles in the U.S., years ago, I saw a FAW electric truck appear on a university campus, and about a year ago, I saw a Peugeot with a license plate in Monterey Park (Peugeot also didn't have a dealership in the US). There should be some ways for people or institutions to get those rare vehicles in the US legally. Will we be able to see a BYD seal suddenly appear in an intersection in LA a month later? will that be amazing? whatever, I am expecting that :)

[@Wheelsboy]

@@randychen160 That's cool! BYD actually has its US headquarters in Los Angeles, so it's possible that they brought some cars over as parallel imports for testing or something.

[@kamfrabuncha3199]

Is the byd seagull already out

[@bbbzhong4166]

No, BYD seal is on the market

[@Preske]

I am very interested in this car and am hoping it will come to europe.

[@zephyrwestern3056]

Man I really wish some of these can become available in the US. Not the ugly go-carts like Kandi. Something highway worthy.

[@user-vy4lz9ux9s]

Probably the US government only allows to import garbages like kandi and never look at good cars like BYD, NIO, Xpeng, Zeekr….

[@myyiyeqiu]

How about BYD seal?

[@michaelyip5632]

awesome👍

[@D3is3l]

that's my boy

[@JJ-pf7qo]

I appreciate all these chinese car reviews. But I wonder what that nfc does on side mirror? Keyless entry? Tap phone to the side mirror for access?

[@jimmyhyhp9056]

the NFC is for Key.....so that you dont need to carry the key, only your phone as car key

[@JJ-pf7qo]

@@jimmyhyhp9056 interesting... I wonder why side mirror.

[@jimmyhyhp9056]

@@JJ-pf7qo this is the best location. as you walk to the side mirror, after you unlocking the car, you can open the door right away. i noticed some other Chinese car has put its NFC in the side mirror a couple years ago, so i guess it's reasonable, and you don't need to re-invent the wheel the second time, haha.

[@sajanbabu8101]

This is a decent ev, cost effective 👍

[@danielmacleon3008]

Does anyone know where I can get the Owner's Manual PDF in English for the BYD Dolphin?

[@Tim_Kent]

Google search now finds an English language owner's manual published on the BYD website. ☮️

[@stewartstarling2309]

They would sell everyone of these that they could make if they were sold here.

[@MrHOREEE]

next Avita 11

[@narvuntien]

As an Australian in the market for an EV hatchback I have my eyes on this one. How does it compare to the Ora Cat which is also coming? I also expect the MG M4 Mulan to make it here as well but it is not yet announced (it has been announced for the UK) I have heard that the Dolphin burns through its battery pack at higher speeds do you know if that is true?

[@loganzhou2549]

Ora Cat is cuter, I would say. But it is reportedly lower quality control than BYD.

[@etherspace]

For better looking,you should choose an Ora Cat,otherwise definitely a dolphin！

[@ykdz3115]

Let the exterior alone, dolphin winning at any perspectives.

[@theolich4384]

On the contrary, the Dolphin has very good battery efficiency among its competitors. No idea about the upcoming Atto 2 but all trims of the CDM Dolphin come with heat pumps, which makes it durable in the cold. It does, however, has a small-ish battery to begin with. But it will eat similarly-speced EV (like the Leaf) for lunch.

[@Scrap-press]

Afaik Dolphin's is speed limited at 130kmh. From my own experience with smaller EVs I can tell you consumption at 110-120kmh will be around 18-20 kwh/100km. So your highway range will be roughly 200km (some buffer included). However its LFP battery allows you to charge it to 100% on a daily basis unlike NMC batteries.

[@mark_u]

The spelled out BUILD YOUR DREAMS at the back is tacky but the rest of the vehicle is cohesively styled. This looks like what the Scion XA would look like in 2022 😀

[@2cartalkers]

Where is it? In the USA we are effectively behind the automotive iron curtain. Too much protectionism in the US for my palate.

[@nc3826]

The only true large protectionist, automotive iron curtain system in the world, is called State Capitalism and it comes from China. So just tell BYD to produce them in the USA, like NIO is planning to do and BYD already does for their buses. And the USA will not even force BYD, to partner with a USA firm, like China has done for over 50 yrs. Protectionism worked pretty well for China, didn't it? (just like it did for the Brits, a few hundred years ago, when it was called mercantilism) So the USA and the rest of the world needed to install the same protectionist barrier in reaction to China's protectionism. Decades ago, to get China to realize that there would be cost to them for their protectionist policies. (It was the only thing that egotistic xenophobic Trump , said and did, while being POTUS, that kinda made sense)

[@2cartalkers]

@@nc3826 Remove the Trump 27% tariff, that is protectionism. Let the market decide who survives.

[@Janaale]

Hey Ethan are we ever going to see ET7 review?

[@Wheelsboy]

Yes, and soon!

[@Sabeenbudhathoki]

Could you please state height of ground clearance???

[@Wheelsboy]

Sorry, can't find that info anywhere.

[@Petelmrg]

Looking at this I hope the Chinese can convince legacy makers that interiors do not have to be black or black with black seats.

[@JEAN-FAF]

How can I change the language to English when searching on the web on the panel. I went on Google on the panel but everything is in Chinese.

[@dlonrazurc]

This is available in the Philippines

[@chris2favip]

加油！