LAOIS MOTORING: Two new electric cars arrive to Irish market - Jeep Avenger and BYD Dolphin EV

There is no shortage it seems of new models coming to the market. As we approach September the announcement of new models continues.

Jeep have just announced the impending arrival of the new all-electric Jeep Avenger. The Jeep Avenger was recently honoured with the prestigious titles of European Car of the Year 2023 and Best Family SUV in the esteemed Women's World Car of the Year (WWCOTY) awards.

Prices for the new Avenger EV start at a quite competitive €35,995.

 The Avenger offers a claimed electric range of up to 400km  and up to 550km in pure urban settings.

Charging is made simple too, Avenger’s recharging capabilities see an increase from 20% to 80% in as little as 24 minutes thanks to the 11KW onboard charger. Should you need an additional quick charge during your busy day, Jeep have thought of that too. Avenger comes with a built-in fast charging feature which requires just 3 minutes on a 100KW DC charger to give you a 30 km boost.

We don’t normally  think of EV’s as having off-road ability but Jeep claim this new car is true to the brands well known off-road virtues. This front-wheel drive Jeep model is equipped standard with Selec-Terrain® and Hill Descent Control systems. Combined with improved ground clearance and angles, it claims to provide off-road capabilities.

A road test in the coming months will prove or disprove that claim. 

The new Avenger EV boasts an impressive array of safety features and Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), including Blind Spot Monitoring, Autonomous Emergency Braking with protection for pedestrians and cyclists, automatic parking assistance, as wells a  rear camera providing a clear view of your surroundings.

Available from launch in three trims, the entry-level, Longitude, is priced at €35,995 and comes complete with a wide array of features as standard.

The mid-level, Altitude is priced at €39,495. It includes premium seats and interior accents, a 10.25-inch digital cluster, and a hands-free power tailgate. The top-of-the-range Summit, priced at €42,495. 

BYD

The Chinese car manufacturer BYD (Build Your Dreams) has already launched the BYD Atto 3 which I road tested just a few months ago. I was truly surprised at the quality and great  specification of this new EV and it seems you the motoring public are voting with their wallets as sales the new new BYD are booming.

So hot on the tail of the BYD Atto 3 is their latest new model the BYD Dolphin EV. This is a 5-seat car with a claimed range of 427km and a 30% to 80% charge time of 29 minutes.

Remember I always advise to take these numbers with a pinch of salt as I have found in real world motoring they are hard to achieve. Nevertheless its good to see that BYD are pushing for better range as this is an aspect of EV’s that needs to improve.

Four trim levels are available from launch next month (September) and prices will start at €27,818 for the Comfort model. This I must say sounds very competitive so lets see what the car is really like!