BYD Dolphin and Seal electric cars from China earn five-star safety rating

Australia’s cheapest electric car is one of two vehicles from China's BYD to achieve a five-star ANCAP (Australasian National Crash Assessment Program) safety rating in the latest round of crash tests.

The BYD Seal electric sedan and BYD Dolphin hatch – the Dolphin currently the cheapest electric on sale in Australia with a starting price of $38,890 plus on-road costs – are among a handful of new vehicles to undergo testing under the latest, more stringent criteria introduced at the start of this year.

Following the Lexus RZ electric SUV’s five-star result in September, the BYD cars are the second and third vehicles to be evaluated against the 2023 ANCAP testing regime, which makes it more difficult to achieve the maximum five-star rating than previously.

“Our 2023 test and rating criteria have introduced further requirements for high levels of structural protection as well as new challenges for manufacturers in the area of active safety systems and, pleasingly, the three models rated so far this year have each achieved five-star ratings,” ANCAP chief executive officer, Carla Hoorweg, said in a media statement.

“This is a trend we’d like to see continue as we finalise testing and assessments on a number of new models later this year.”

Changes for 2023 include a broader range of collision avoidance testing, and more specific assessment criteria to test how cars respond in adverse conditions.

The BYD Seal electric sedan is due to arrive in Australian showrooms in December 2023. The company claims it is a rival for the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2.

The range of destructive tests carried out on left-hand-drive cars by Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program) saw the Seal awarded 89 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 percent for child occupant protection, 82 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 75 per cent for safety assistance technology.

The BYD Dolphin hatch was also rated at 89 per cent for adult occupant protection, 86 percent for child occupant protection, 85 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 77 per cent for safety assistance technology.

Both the Seal and Dolphin were noted by ANCAP for their ‘anti-dooring’ systems, which detect a cyclist passing the vehicle from the rear and warn occupants before they open the door.

This technology has been available for some time – and is more widely available on the latest models – but the safety body now monitors its effectiveness.

The BYD Seal and Dolphin also have a ‘door opening’ functionality, a feature the new ANCAP criteria assesses. The technology allows doors to be remain unlocked for two minutes when the car enters water, enabling occupants to escape a submerging vehicle in a flood situation.