A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance,
fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.
Premium Extended Range EVElectricSingle-Speed Reduction GearCurrent
ZAR 602,900ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW🔧 310 Nm
＋Add a 3rd car
Decision summary
iCAUR 03T vs BYD DOLPHIN: the short answer
03T and DOLPHIN are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
DOLPHIN starts ZAR 100,000 cheaper03T from ZAR 639,900 · DOLPHIN from ZAR 539,900
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives
Swipe sideways to compare every column
Specification
03T
DOLPHIN
Maximum Power
03T135 kW
DOLPHIN150 kW
Maximum Torque
03T220 Nm
DOLPHIN310 Nm
Engine Size
03TNot Applicable
DOLPHINNot Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy
03TNot applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
DOLPHINNot Applicable
Ground Clearance
03T190 mm
DOLPHIN155 mm
Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.
Independent editorial assessment
Hagalu editorial ratings
When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.
iCAUR 03T
2WD
Hagalu editorial ratingNot yet rated
No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.
Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
03T
Strengths
Better fuel efficiency
Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
Less powerful engine setup
Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to:Published EfficiencyPublished Practicality
Specification evidence leader
DOLPHIN
Strengths
More powerful engine output
Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
Lower fuel efficiency
Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:Published Performance
Which One's Right for You?
03T
Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
DOLPHIN
Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
Full Specs, Side by Side
Open a category, then swipe sideways to compare every column
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Model Introduced Year
2026
2024
Generation
South African May 2026 local specification sheet for the current 03T generation.
First South African DOLPHIN generation
Body Style
SUV
Hatchback
Model Year
2026
2026
Production Status
Published
Active
Segment
Electric SUV
Compact Hatchback
Vehicle Type
Passenger vehicle
Passenger vehicle
Facelift History
-
No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since
-
Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending
-
Current
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Length
4433 mm
4290 mm
Width
1916 mm
1770 mm
Height
1741 mm
1570 mm
Wheelbase
2715 mm
2700 mm
Ground Clearance (Default)
190 mm
155 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load)
165 mm
130 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity
Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
0 l
Boot/Cargo Space
450 L rear seats up; 1,238 L with rear seats folded; 40 L rear storage box
345 l
Kerb Weight
1600–1950 kg
1658 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
2173 kg
2068 kg
Payload Capacity
350–650 kg
410 kg
Seating Capacity
5 seats
5 seats
Number of Rows
2 rows
2 rows
Doors
5 doors
5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius
5.9 m
5.25 m
Front Headroom
1020 mm
1000 mm
Rear Headroom
990 mm
900 mm
Front Legroom
1060 mm
1130 mm
Rear Legroom
970 mm
740 mm
Towing Capacity
-
0 kg
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Engine
Battery electric drive; no combustion engine
Single-motor battery-electric powertrain
Engine Code
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Fuel Type
Electric
Electric
Hybrid System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Engine Displacement
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Cylinders
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Cylinder Layout
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Valves
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Valves per Cylinder
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Aspiration
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Fuel System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Compression Ratio
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Bore
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Stroke
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Maximum Power
135 kW
150 kW
Maximum Torque
220 Nm
310 Nm
Combined Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Torque
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Type
Electric traction motor
Permanent Magnet Synchronous
Number of Motors
1
1
Motor Location
Rear axle
Front
Drive Type
RWD
FWD
Transmission
Single-Speed Reduction Gear
Single-Speed Reduction Gear
Top Speed
150 km/h
160 km/h
0-100 km/h
10.5 sec
7.0 sec
Quarter Mile
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Drive Modes
Eco, Normal, Sport, Custom
Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow
Launch Control
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Rev Limiter
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Power-to-Weight Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
90.5 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
187.0 Nm/tonne
Battery Capacity
65.69 kWh
60.48 kWh
Usable Battery Capacity
64.2 kWh
Not Officially Disclosed
Battery Type
LFP
LFP
Battery Voltage
Not Officially Disclosed
403.2 V
Electric Range
431 km
427 km
AC Charging Power
6.6 kW
7 kW
DC Charging Power
Not Officially Disclosed
80 kW
AC Charging Time
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
DC Charging Time
30 min (30-80%)
Not Officially Disclosed
Regenerative Braking
Not Officially Disclosed
Yes
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Gearbox
Single-Speed Reduction Gear
Single-Speed Reduction Gear
Drivetrain Layout
2WD
Front motor, front-wheel drive
Transfer Case
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters
Not applicable — no conventional stepped gearbox
Not Applicable
Number of Gears
1
1
Transmission Type
Single-Speed Reduction Gear
Automatic
Clutch Type
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
Gear Shift Indicator
Not Applicable
Standard
Gear Shift Type
Electric shift gear
Instrument cluster switch gear selector
Drivetrain
2WD
FWD
4WD Engagement
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
4WD Selector
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles
Not applicable — no conventional stepped gearbox
Not Applicable
Gearbox Type
Single-Speed Reduction Gear
Single-speed reduction gear
Low Range Ratio
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
Low Range
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
Axle Layout
Electric drive axle(s); configuration depends on derivative
4x2
Transmission Speeds
1
1
LSD Available
-
Not Available
Differential Lock
-
Not Available
Final Drive Ratio
-
Not Available
Front Differential Lock
-
Not Available
Rear Differential Lock
-
Not Applicable
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Claimed Mileage
Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
Not Applicable
City Mileage
Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
Not Applicable
Highway Mileage
Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
Not Applicable
Fuel Tank Capacity
Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Not Applicable
Emission Standard
Zero tailpipe emissions (BEV)
Not Applicable
AdBlue Tank Capacity
Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Not Applicable
Auto Start Stop
Not applicable — no combustion engine
Not Applicable
Real-world Mileage
Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
Not Applicable
Charging Type
AC and DC charging; V2L external discharge 3.3 kW
AC and DC
Fuel Tank Litres
Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Not Applicable
Combined Driving Range
431 km
427 km
Electric Consumption
18.3 kWh/100 km
15.9 kWh/100 km (WLTP)
Range Real World Highway
292 km
315 km
Range Real World Mixed
344 km
398 km
Charging Port Type
-
Type 2 AC; CCS2 DC
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Airbags
Dual front, front side and side curtain airbags
7
ABS
Yes
Standard
Electronic Stability Control
Yes
Standard
Traction Control
Yes
Standard
Hill Descent Control
Yes
Not Applicable
Hill Start Assist
Yes
Standard
ISOFIX Mounts
Yes
Standard
Brake Assist
Yes
Standard
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Direct tyre pressure monitoring
Standard
Engine Immobiliser
Body anti-theft alarm and anti-theft horn
Standard
Seatbelt Warning All Seats
Driver and front passenger seatbelt reminders
Standard
Front Parking Sensors
Front parking sensors
Standard
AEB
Automatic emergency braking
Standard
BA
Yes
Standard
Brake Override System
Yes
Standard
Curtain Airbags
Yes
Standard
Driver Airbag
Yes
Standard
EBD
Yes
Standard
Hill Hold
Yes
Standard
Passenger Airbag
Yes
Standard
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Front pretensioner seat belts
Standard
Seatbelt Reminder
Yes
Standard
Side Airbags
Yes
Standard
Stability Control
Yes
Standard
TCS
Yes
Standard
ABS EBD
Yes
Standard
Child Safety Lock
-
Standard
Engine Immobiliser
-
Not Applicable
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
-
Standard
Knee Airbag
-
Not Available
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Cruise Control
Adaptive cruise control
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Yes
Standard
Lane Keep Assist
Lane keeping assistance
Standard
Lane Departure Warning
Lane keeping assistance
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring
Blind-spot detection
Standard
Parking Sensors
Front and rear parking sensors
Standard
Rear View Camera
Reverse camera
Standard
360 Degree Camera
540° HD panoramic image
Standard
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Automatic emergency braking
Standard
Auto Highbeam
Automatic highbeam control
Standard
Auto Wipers
Auto speed-sensing front wiper
Standard
Rear Parking Sensors
Rear parking sensors
Standard
Reverse Camera
Reverse camera
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Yes
Standard
Around View Monitor
540° HD panoramic image
Standard
Blind Spot Warning
Blind-spot detection
Standard
Forward Collision Warning
Forward collision warning
Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
-
Standard
Driver Fatigue Alert
-
Standard
Traffic Sign Recognition
-
Standard
Park Assist
-
Standard
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Seat Material
Leather seats
Synthetic leather
Heated Seats
Not fitted to 2WD local sheet
Not Available
Ventilated Seats
Yes
Standard
Ambient Lighting
Multi-colour ambient light
Standard
Steering Wheel Material
Leather steering wheel
Synthetic leather
60 40 Split Seat
Foldable second-row seats
Standard
Driver Seat Adjustment
6-way power adjustment
6-way electric
Passenger Seat Adjustment
4-way power adjustment
Electric adjustment
Seat Trim
Leather
Synthetic leather
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Climate Control
Power air conditioner
Automatic
Power Windows
Yes
Standard
Keyless Entry
Remote central locking; passive keyless access equipment-dependent
Standard
Push Button Start
Electronic engine start/stop or EV power-on control
Standard
Wireless Charging
50 W wireless phone charging
Standard
Sunroof
Panoramic sunroof with anti-pinch
Panoramic
Electric Tailgate
Powered tailgate optional on applicable hatch/SUV bodies
Not Available
Rain Sensing Wipers
Automatic rain-sensing wipers optional or equipment-dependent
Standard
AC Type
Power air conditioner
Automatic
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Infotainment System
15.6 in touchscreen infotainment
12.8-inch rotating touchscreen
Apple CarPlay
Wireless Apple CarPlay
Standard
Android Auto
Wireless Android Auto
Standard
Bluetooth Connectivity
Yes
Standard
Number of Speakers
8
6
Digital Instrument Cluster
9.2 in LCD cluster
Full LCD instrument display
USB Ports
1 USB Type-C plus 3 USB ports
Front and rear USB-A/USB-C ports
Infotainment Screen
15.6 in
12.8
Touchscreen
15.6 in
12.8
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
LED Headlamps
Yes
Standard
Daytime Running Lamps
LED daytime running lights
LED
Fog Lamps
Rear fog lamp
Rear fog lamp
Roof Rails
Body style and optional package dependent; not confirmed for this exact derivative
Not Applicable
Exterior Colour Options
Carbon Crystal Black; Toronto Red; Starlight Silver; Cyan Grey; Khaki; White
Atlantis Grey + Black, Blue + Grey, Ski White + Grey
Headlights
Yes
Standard
Panoramic Sunroof
Panoramic sunroof with anti-pinch
Standard
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Terrain Modes
Eco, Normal, Sport, Custom
Not Applicable
4WD System Type
Not applicable to conventional BEV reduction drive
Not Applicable
Approach Angle
-
16 deg
Departure Angle
-
23 deg
Wading Depth
-
Not Applicable
Locking Differential
-
Not Available
Breakover Angle
-
Not Applicable
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Tyre Size
245/55 R19
205/50 R17
Front Brake Type
Ventilated Disc
Ventilated disc
Rear Brake Type
Disc
Disc
Wheel Rim Size
19 in
17
Spare Wheel Type
-
Tyre repair kit
Handbrake Type
-
Electronic parking brake
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Front Suspension
McPherson Strut
MacPherson strut
Rear Suspension
Multi-Link
Multi-link
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
CO2 Emissions
Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
0 g/km
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Service Plan
5 years/100,000 km service plan in the official South African press material; confirm final booklet.
3 years/60000 km service plan
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Ownership Role
Current local retail price; confirm quotation inclusions, warranty and service plan with iCAUR South Africa.
extended-range derivative
Price Zar
639900 ZAR
602900 ZAR
Pricing Role
Current South African retail price
extended-range derivative
Starting Price
639900
602900
Starting Price Zar
639900
602900
Spec
03T
DOLPHIN
Warranty
Vehicle warranty 8 years/200,000 km; high-voltage battery warranty 8 years/160,000 km in official South African press material.
3 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit
In depth: how these cars differ
This 03T and DOLPHIN comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: 03T 51 vs DOLPHIN 66.
Efficiency index: 03T 99 vs DOLPHIN 90.
Safety-equipment index: 03T 93 vs DOLPHIN 98.
Practicality index: 03T 64 vs DOLPHIN 56.
Ownership-cover index: 03T not separately scored vs DOLPHIN not separately scored.
These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.
Model imagery
03T and DOLPHIN image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.
Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout
DOLPHIN leads by 1 points
03T and DOLPHIN are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
DOLPHIN
Performance
66/100
Efficiency
90/100
Safety
98/100
Practicality
56/100
03T
Performance
51/100
Efficiency
99/100
Safety
93/100
Practicality
64/100
What the evidence means
Evidence indexBYD DOLPHIN
leads the specification evidence index with 76 pts
vs 75 pts for 03T
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, DOLPHIN leads. However, 03T may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related South Africa models and comparable body styles.
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.
Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.
Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.
A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.
Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.
Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.
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