While BYD is one of the more recent new automakers to enter the South African market, the company has a long history and an extensive global footprint, with over 1 million employees worldwide. While the Shark 6 has made waves recently in the bakkie market, the automaker is set to introduce a compact EV model to make a splash in the EV segment.
Related: BYD Shark 6 vs Ford Ranger Raptor Drag Race
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Safety
Globally known as the BYD Dolphin Mini, but locally will be introduced as the Dolphin Surf, is set to make its local introduction soon. According to the brand, the Dolphin Surf will be the perfect car for students wanting a tech-filled compact car, young professionals wanting to travel to the office in a more environmentally friendly car or even a stay-at-home individual who needs to tend to the quick school runs or errands.
A product with such a broad target market needs to meet various criteria. Let's start with safety. While no Euro or Chinese NCAP data is available on this newcomer yet, if it follows in the footsteps of BYD Dolphin, which scored five stars in the Euro NCAP, it should be a safe vehicle. We know that BYD offers the Dolphin Surf with advanced driver assistance features like ABS, ESC, cruise control, and a reverse camera.
Technology
Popularised by a few of their other models, the Dolphin Surf also gets fitted with a rotating 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This is said to be compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The model will also be available with its own app, allowing you to remotely access information such as service reminders, diagnostics alerts, live tracking, EV range or charging status. You can even precondition the cabin.
Battery
BYD is well-known to its competitors for its blade battery design, which stands out in harsh safety and durability tests. However, what makes the battery setup very interesting in the Dolphin Surf is the vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology. This allows owners to plug devices into the vehicle and draw power, essentially making your car a battery pack for appliances.
Price
While the exact pricing for the BYD Dolphin Surf is yet to be confirmed closer to its official launch, it is rumoured that the brand wants to introduce the new model for under R400 000, which should attract more buyers to the EV segment.
