News
Gallery3
Snapshot
- 2024 BYD Dolphin, Seal achieve full five-star safety rating
- First time structural EV battery has been tested
- High adult, child occupant, vulnerable road user protection scores
The 2024 BYD Dolphin and Seal electric cars have achieved the full five-star safety rating under the Australasian New Car Assessment Program’s (ANCAP) latest 2023 criteria.
The Seal sedan, in particular, represents the first electric vehicle tested with a structural battery construction.
🤔 What is a structural battery?
The BYD Seal electric sedan is the first model in Australia to feature a structural EV battery, where its thermally safer lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cells are embedded in the body chassis itself, rather than fitting cells into modular packs.
The Chinese automaker labels it as a ‘cell-to-body’ (CTB) construction and claims it is more space efficient, allows the vehicle to sit lower for better aerodynamics, and improves body stiffness.
This design is not without controversy, however. American vehicle design engineer and advisor Sandy Munro told Reuters [↗] in March 2023 that structural batteries have “zero repairability” in the event of an accident.
3
The BYD Dolphin hatch and Seal sedan both achieved high scores across adult, child occupant, and vulnerable road user protection.
Under ANCAP’s latest 2023 testing criteria, both EVs complied with requirements that the doors be able to open within two minutes when submerged in floodwater, but ‘window opening’ functionality was not demonstrated.
The Dolphin had a mix of good and adequate protection for adults, but a ‘marginal’ level of protection for the driver’s chest in the frontal offset test.
3
The Seal achieved full points for protecting driver and child passengers in the side impact test, including the former in the oblique pole test.
However, protection for the driver’s chest and lower legs in the frontal offset test and the chest of rear passengers in the full width test were adequate.
Both budget-friendly EVs feature a front-centre airbag – unlike the rival MG 4 EV – and passed the crash safety body’s new door-open warning system test, even though they can’t temporarily lock the doors to help avoid colliding with a passing vehicle, cyclist or other road user.
As per ANCAP rules, the current ratings for the Dolphin [ANCAP ↗] and Seal [ANCAP ↗] will expire in December 2029 if not re-assessed.
| ANCAP Assessment Scores (2023 criteria) | 2023 BYD Dolphin | 2023 BYD Seal |
|---|---|---|
| Overall safety rating | 5 / 5 | 5 / 5 |
| Adult occupant protection | 89% | 89% |
| Child occupant protection | 86% | 87% |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 85% | 82% |
| Safety assist | 77% | 75% |
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
COMMENTS