2023-08-20 05:30:00
The Chinese giant BYD is accelerating in Europe and launching its compact sedan, the Dolphin. The latter starts at 29,000 euros, or 1,000 euros less than the MG4. One more competitor for the Renault Mégane E-Tech.
BYD is this Chinese automobile giant still relatively unknown in Europe, but which intends to develop there, particularly in France. Incidentally, BYD is the acronym for “Build your dreams”. A brand that would almost give some European automotive groups, Stellantis in mind, a nightmare.
Its boss Carlos Tavares keeps repeating that Europe is rolling out the red carpet to these Chinese manufacturers who have come with great ambitions to satisfy the need of consumers for 100% electric cars at attractive prices.
In the footsteps of MG
It must be said that BYD’s trajectory remains quite impressive. Focused so far on its booming local market, the brand has just passed the milestone of 5 million cars produced in its history. As pointed out The echoes, it took him 13 years to reach the first million and less than two years to reach this last milestone. In July, its sales outside China represented only 7% of its total, but this rate should increase sharply in the coming months.
The BYD Dolphin is launched in France with a very aggressive price, from 29,000 euros. – Sebastien Rouet
A potential trajectory at MG: this former British brand bought in 2006 by the Chinese group SAIC relaunched in Europe a few years ago. Released last year, its compact MG4 has met with great success lately. Over the first 6 months of the year, it finds itself in a very honorable 6th place in the European ranking of best-selling electric cars, ahead of the Dacia Spring. In France, it occupies the same position, just behind the Peugeot e-208 and a certain Renault Mégane E-Tech, its designated target.
The rear features BYD’s full name on the headlamp strip with “Build your dreams” spelled out. – Sebastien Rouet
So it’s BYD’s turn to launch its “anti-Mégane” compact. This model is the first truly mass market from the manufacturer, which until now offered two top-of-the-range vehicles in its catalog at more than 70,000 euros: the Han sedan and the Tang SUV, as well as a mid-range SUV, the Atto. 3, from 44,000 euros.
In terms of format, we find that of a compact sedan, 4.29 meters long, barely a few millimeters larger than an MG4 and 8 centimeters longer than a Mégane.
As at MG, this Dolphin adopts a rather flattering exterior design and fairly complete equipment on board. Difficult to perceive that it is a Chinese brand at first glance, except with its original Linglong tires, very low-cost for once.
The interior of the BYD Dolphin with its 12.8-inch touchscreen. – Sebastien Rouet
It is precisely on the price side that the Dolphin impresses, with an entry-level version at 29,000 euros (excluding a minimum bonus of 5,000 euros). It offers a 44.9kWh battery associated with a 70kW motor (95 horsepower) and already some modern options, level 2 driving aids, electric seats, 360° camera, LED lights and the 12.8-inch touch screen rotary. This last point represents one of the signatures of BYD’s models: a “motorized” screen that can switch from portrait to landscape format in one click.
The screen can switch to portrait mode with a single click. – Sebastien Rouet
A version to compare with the MG4 with the 51 kWh battery, which starts at 30,000 euros, or 1,000 euros more than the Dolphin. The Mégane with the 40kWh battery starts it a (big) notch still above, at 38,000 euros currently.
A high-end Dolphin that remains competitive
Our test model was on a whole new level, in a high-end “Design” finish, with the large 60kWh battery, which also boosts the motor to 150kW (204 horsepower) and the addition of options such as seats. heaters, the panoramic roof or even the two-tone body paint.
A very complete version, which is displayed at 36,000 euros. Enough to compete with the Mégane EV60 (with a 60 kWh battery like the Dolphin) which starts at 39,500 euros. But especially with the MG4 in Luxury finish, which has the same starting price as the Dolphin.
Very close in their price positioning, the compact BYD seemed to us a little more messy in its road behavior than the MG4. However, the feeling remains quite similar in terms of comfort and equipment that make it a modern vehicle and, once again, very well positioned in terms of pricing. Surely the key to success in attracting European consumers.
It remains to be seen whether the models produced in China (the MG and BYD models, but also the Tesla Model 3 and Dacia Spring) will be able to continue to benefit from the ecological bonus next year. The French government wants to condition the allocation of this subsidy to a “cleaner” production of the vehicle, which would a priori limit it in the vast majority to models manufactured in Europe.
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