2024 BYD Dolphin electric-car deliveries to begin in Australia next week

Customer deliveries of the 2024 BYD Dolphin – Australia's new most affordable electric car by a margin of $100 – are due to commence in Australia next week.

Luke Todd, managing director of BYD's Australian distributor EVDirect, told Drive the first Dolphin hatchbacks have arrived in the country for test drives and, starting next week, customer deliveries.

The Dolphin is a Toyota Corolla-sized hatchback that becomes the smallest model from the Chinese electric-car specialist in Australia.

At $38,890 plus on-road costs for the base Dolphin Dynamic model, it is the most affordable new electric vehicle in Australia – $100 cheaper than another small Chinese hatchback, the MG 4 Excite 51, at $38,990 plus on-road costs.

Once on-road costs are included, the BYD is between $610 and $808 cheaper, due to differences in dealer delivery and other mandatory charges in different jurisdictions.

There are three BYD Dolphin models: the price-leading Dynamic, long-range Premium, and more powerful Sport. The Dynamic and Premium are due imminently; the Sport is due in early 2024.

Mr Todd told Drive this time last month among pre-orders for vehicles due this year, the Premium is the top seller – however he predicts demand for the split between the Dynamic and Premium to even out.

"A lot of people are waiting to test drive, and waiting to see the difference between the two," said the executive.

In July 2023, the company was holding more than 1000 pre-orders for the Dolphin, a number which Mr Todd says has continued to gtow.

A limited allocation of BYD Dolphin Sport editions – priced from $49,990 plus on-road costs – remains available to order, of the 1000 vehicles planned to be produced.

The Sport model adds more power – as confirmed to Drive by Mr Todd – plus unique 17-inch wheels, a sports body kit with wheel-arch extensions, revised suspension, and performance tyres.