THE BYD Dolphin Surf won’t replace your 4×4 or survive a long-haul trip without proper charging points, of which they still lack in SA.
So, best you could do, is rather enjoy this EV as a city car- its affordable coming at R396,000 price tag- the cheapest by far in the mzansi.
As I took this little ‘dynamic’ hatchback for a test, I came across has relatively low power, cheap plastics, and noisy cabin, unfortunately.
Small as it is, it does the job though, having only visited the charging point in Rosebank once, and upon collection was able to give the guys another 40km drive to their destination.
Despite stout dimensions coming at 3,925mm long, the Dolphin Surf also incorporates sharp, good-looking lines. It’s available in lime green, cosmos black, and ice blue, and for my test it was sporting a cream white coat.
The interior is clean, buttons, knobs, and even the gear shift are relegated to a single, compact dial system in the centre that took some getting used to, I must confess.
The 10.1in infotainment display, was easy to navigate- from the driver’s seat and the 7in digital cluster on the driver’s side struggled to justify its existence, only being handy for keeping an eye on the car’s charge.
As for storage, its uncomfortable but manageable considering the size of the Dolphin, which comes in handy for those physically challenged, ahem! As for the 308-litre boot, fortunately did not use much of it- it lacks space.
It claimed a 300km range (WLTP) and did not let the battery touch zero.
The Dolphin Surf falls a bit short with its lone ‘Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor’ (PMSM), sending only 55kW and 135Nm of torque to the vehicle’s front wheels, which turned out to be good enough though.
Honestly speaking- If you want to charge 100% on your EV don’t use your home charger, rather visit your local charging points that provides 85kW charger, you will thank me later! Instead of taking an hour you will be out in 30m to charge, the least.
It comes in three different drive modes — Eco, Normal, and Sport and to be honest- its a waste of battery from interchangeable point of departure.
As indicated its not a fast car by no means, since it gives you around 135km/h and not closer to 150km/h- I tried the acceleration but to no avail.
The Dolphin Surf is not ideal for long distance, but you will enjoy safety, warmth and the cruising it comes with as an EV.
It retails for R396 000.
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (4)
EV 1-10 (6)
Image provided (The BYD Dolphin Surf won’t take you on a long-haul, but locally you will enjoy the perks.)
