With diesel heading towards an unheard of R40 per litre, buyers are being forced to look at alternatives for their daily commute.
Two new electric cars on the market, that cost almost the same, are the BYD Dolphin Surf and the Geely E2. With the BYD Dolphin Surf being South Africa’s cheapest for a few months, until the arrival of the Geely E2, that has now claimed that title.
Pricing
This is much of a muchness, and I am sure your local dealer will meet or beat any quote you bring to them from the opposing brand down the road. Either way, they both offer seriously good value for money if you are in the market for a city friendly EV.
BYD Dolphin Surf
- Comfort – R341 900
- Dynamic – R393 900
Geely E2
- Aspire – R339 900
- Apex – R389 900
Battery & Range
As is always the case with commuter-type electric vehicles, range is more important than outright power. And here the slightly bigger Geely E2 edges out the BYD Dolphin Surf.
BYD Dolphin Surf
- Comfort – 30.1 kWh – 232 km
- Dynamic – 38.9 kWh – 295 km
Geely E2
- Aspire – 39.4 kWh – 325 km
- Apex – 39.4 kWh – 325 km
Power & Performance
I think by now you are not expecting hot hatch type power and torque numbers. Both cars are geared towards suburban / city type driving. And here the Geely E2 punches substantially higher than the BYD Dolphin Surf.
BYD Dolphin Surf
Geely E2
- 85 kW
- 150 Nm
- Apex – 39.4 kWh – 325 km
Size & Practicality
Both are compact cars. Meaning that they are not suited to large families that like to travel around the country. But they offer more than enough space for everyday use.
And it is once again the Geely E2 that edges out the BYD Dolphin Surf by being physically a touch bigger while offer extra boot space as well as a trunk in the front of the car.
BYD Dolphin Surf
- Length – 3 925 mm
- Wheelbase – 2 500 mm
- Boot – 375 litres + 70 litre frunk
Geely E2
- Length – 4 135 mm
- Wheelbase – 2 650 mm
- Boot – 230 litres
Brand & Dealer Support
Nowadays, things like service plans and warranties make a big difference to your budget. Running a car once it is past its service plan costs you money. And here once again, the Geely E2 has the BYD Dolphin Surf beat with better offerings.
BYD Dolphin Surf
- Service plan three-years / 60 000 km
- Warranty three-years / 100 000 km
- Battery eight-years / 200 000 km
Geely E2
- Service plan five-years / 100 000 km
- Warranty four-years / 150 000 km
- Battery eight-years / 200 000 km
Verdict
BYD is South Africa’s best-selling EV brand. It is well established and has strong parts availability and resale confidence. With the Dolphin Surf selling like hotcakes.
Geely, on the other hand, only returned late last year, and its dealer network is still growing. A bit of the unknown is long-term resale and commitment.
But it’s hard to ignore all the positives on paper, and because of this, the Geely E2 takes the crown as the country’s best value for money SUV.
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