We met the ‘Dolphin’, the fourth batter in BYD (Biyadi) push into the Korean market. Having gradually moved up in size from the ‘Atto 3’ to the ‘Seal’ and ‘Sealion 7’, BYD has now lowered the vehicle class to a small hatchback. For consumers who had expected a slugger worthy of cleanup-hitter status, even if not a pure home-run hitter, this is an unexpected turn.

The Dolphin steps up to the plate. An exterior that modernly reinterprets the dolphin graceful curves and dynamic motion, and a compact yet well-built physique, give a solid impression. With the signature Blade Battery from BYD laid in the floor and even a panoramic glass roof fitted, it is hard to find an opening where to throw a pitch. You can sense the resolve of BYD to reach first base no matter what by choking up on the bat.

This strategy appears to be working so far. In the tally of imported passenger car new registrations from January to March this year by the Kaizyu Data Research Institute, BYD ranked fourth (3,969 units), after Tesla (20,970), BMW (19,368), and Mercedes-Benz (15,860). The gap with the top three is large, but given that the company only began a full-fledged entry into the Korean market one year ago, it is being viewed as steady sailing.

With fuel prices surging, the sales environment for electric vehicles is also favorable. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), last month battery electric vehicles accounted for the largest share, 47.8% (16,249), among newly registered imported passenger cars in Korea. Hybrids followed at 42.9% (14,585), while gasoline and diesel were 8.7% (2,956) and 0.5% (180), respectively.

An official at a finished-vehicle maker said, “The speed at which BYD Korea is building a nationwide sales network is so fast that it is hard to find a precedent among import brands” and added, “The industry is closely watching this aggressive expansion strategy.” According to BYD Korea, as of last month there were 32 showrooms and 16 service centers nationwide. Considering that Lexus Korea, which entered Korea in 2001, has 31 showrooms and 37 service centers nationwide, the pace of expansion is remarkable.

I got into the driver seat. The streamlined interior, the curved air vents with a spreading wave motif, and the distinctive door handles reminiscent of fish fins draw the eye.

I started the car. Instead of a raucous engine note, calm fills the cabin. The body moves forward as if a dolphin were swimming. Because the motor output is not especially strong, it stops short of feeling silky and even gives a somewhat stiff impression. With the Seal, I recall being startled because it leapt forward immediately with even a slight press of the accelerator, but the Dolphin is the opposite. It reacted precisely in proportion to how much my foot pressed.

As the speed rose, the driving feel became smoother. The convenience features were satisfying as well, including an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) with lane centering, intelligent cruise control, and lane departure warning, and a highly useful 3D surround view monitor for daily driving. The 90-degree rotating central display, carried over since the leadoff hitter, is present on the Dolphin too. Centered on a 10.1-inch touchscreen, it supports T Map navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless software updates.

Interior space that is roomy for its size is also a strength. On a wheelbase of 2700mm, it secures comfortable room for five occupants despite being a small electric car. Thanks to placing the Blade Battery, with a cell-to-pack (CTP) structure, flat in the floor to improve space efficiency, headroom and legroom are comparatively generous for a small-class car. Folding the second-row seatbacks expands the trunk to as much as 1310ℓ.

The strongest competitive edge of the Dolphin is price. There are two variants: the standard ‘Dolphin’ and the higher trim with extended range, the ‘Dolphin Active’. After eco-friendly vehicle tax benefits and before subsidies, the BYD Dolphin is 24.5 million KRW, and the BYD Dolphin Active is 29.2 million KRW.

The standard Dolphin that the reporter test-drove can be purchased, depending on the region, in the 21 million KRW range when local government subsidies are added to the national subsidy. This price is lower than that of the ‘2027 Kona’, the model-year update of the small sport utility vehicle Kona that Hyundai Motor released early this month.

To achieve extreme value for money, there is a price to pay in configuring convenience features and infotainment around real-world use. The physical dial that switches among R (reverse), D (drive), and N (neutral) felt somewhat unfamiliar and inconvenient. The instrument cluster, console box, and the storage space under the dashboard feel visually not just simple but even somewhat crude. It was also a letdown that smartphone wireless charging, which most new cars now include, is omitted.

A BYD representative said, “The Dolphin Active trim includes a two-tone exterior color, ventilated front seats, and a smartphone wireless charging function.”

Following BYD, Zeekr, the premium brand of China Geely Automobile, has also finalized the domestic launch this year of a facelifted 7X mid-size SUV and is in the final stages of certification.

This will be the first foray of the brand into global markets outside China, and, depending on specification, the 75kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) Golden Battery developed in-house and a 100kWh nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) battery supplied by Chinese battery maker CATL are said to be installed.

Depending on whether competitor Zeekr secures a foothold in the domestic market, BYD is expected to decide whether to raise the vehicle class again from the fifth batter onward in its Korea lineup.

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 1st (local time), Zhang Yanlei, managing director of the Shanghai-based consulting firm Automotive Foresight, said, “High oil prices can accelerate the pace of Chinese electric-vehicle exports” and analyzed, “Just as fuel-efficient Japanese cars rose during the oil shocks of the 1970s, this time it could be a historic opportunity for Chinese electric vehicles.”