The Chinese manufacturer BYD, which has been present in France for a few weeks, announces the launch of its new Dolphin in China. Shown from 116,800 yuan or about 15,700 euros, it may come to Europe a little later under the name Atto 2. And it will make some of its competitors tremble.
If you're new to BYD, prepare to hear a lot about it for years to come. Because the Chinese brand, which was founded in 1995, is slowly starting to penetrate Europe. Above all, it was one of the stars of the Paris Motor Show last October and begins its marketing on the old continent in France,
specifically with Tang, Han and Atto 3, namely a sedan and 2 SUVs. A new competitor for MG but also for other historic brands, while a new model could land on the continent.
DACIA AGAIN
This is the Dolphin, an electric compact that a few lucky people have already seen with us. Admittedly, it was also at the stand of the brand during the great mass of Paris cars, but only on the last day.
A surprise appearance for the one that was officially unveiled in China in 2021, first in the form of a concept and a few months later as a production model.
More than a year later, it's finally time for the brand's most affordable model to finally go on the market, while BYD has just opened orders. And the compact at an unbeatable price! In fact, as the brand indicates, it starts at 116,800 yuan, or about 15,749 euros according to the current exchange rate.
A very low price that will allow it to compete directly with the Dacia Spring, the price of which rose to 20,800 euros a few months ago, without deducting an environmental bonus of 5,616 euros.
Destined for China for now, the BYD Dolphin could very well arrive in Europe, perhaps under the name Atto 2. A name chosen for Australia, where it will also be marketed.
Due to taxes and transport costs, you should probably expect a slightly higher price in Europe, probably around 25,000 euros. This may not be a problem as the brand plans to build a factory or two on the old continent in the next few years.
As detailed on Chinese website It Home, like the other models in the range, the compact electric has a 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen. It is connected to a small digital device. Passengers can look forward to a wheelbase of 2.70 meters, while the front seats are heated.
If the technological equipment seems basic due to its very low price, the Dolphine is still equipped with the DiPilot Level 2 autonomous driving system developed by the brand. Its turning radius of 10.5 meters should make maneuvering in the city easier.
MULTIPLE VERSIONS
Based on the BYD e-Platform 3.0 platform, this new Dolphin / Atto 2 is available in two power levels, namely 70 and 130 kW, which correspond to 95 and 176 HP for a torque of 180 and 190 Nm.
0 to 50 km/h is achieved in 3.0 to 3.9 seconds. Only one battery is offered, namely the Blade LFP (lithium iron phosphate) developed by the brand with a capacity of 44.9 kWh. With better capacity and lower risk of fire, the newcomer to the range enables a range of 401 to 420 kilometers under the Chinese CLTC cycle.
Between 10 and 15% must then be deducted to obtain the WLTP value, which then corresponds to values of around 350 km. If the charging power is not specified, the battery will be charged from 30 to 80% in 30 minutes.
For comparison: Dacia Spring has a gross battery of 26.8 kWh and can cover up to 230 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle with a power of 44 hp.
The exact launch date has not yet been announced by the brand, but information on its Weibo page places it at 2023. However, it remains to be seen until the BYD Dolphin arrives on the old continent, as the brand is throwing just the first steps.
there. Then the company competes with Nio and Xpeng, which also end up with us, which worries the specialists. In fact, according to a study by Jato Dynamics, no less than 18% of electric models sold here are Chinese brands.
An alarming situation while the government seeks to act by reserving the eco-bonus for cars manufactured in Europe. This is one of the reasons why BYD wants to set up production facilities here,
just as Tesla did with its Gigafactory in Berlin, when the company was also threatened with the withdrawal of subsidies. But for now, only the Model Y will be assembled on the mainland, while the Model 3 will also be produced in China and the United States.
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