BYD Dolphin vs Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL: 5-year cost to own (the Philippines)
Over 5 years in the Philippines (12,000 km/yr), as of July 2, 2026, the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL stays the cheaper car to own — about ₱1,261,469 vs ₱1,541,152 for the BYD Dolphin, a ₱279,683 difference over 5 years.
No national cash purchase rebate in the Philippines (unlike Thailand's EV3.5). EV support is tax/tariff relief already baked into the sticker price (EVIDA 0% CBU import tariff to 2028; 0% excise on pure BEVs) plus non-cash perks (number-coding/UVVRP exemption, priority LTO registration) — none of it is a cheque, so none is in the totals above. Source: DOE EVIDA/CREVI · RA 11697.
Cheaper to own over 5 years · the PhilippinesNissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL · ₱1,261,469 total · ₱279,683 less than the BYD Dolphin
BYD Dolphin vs Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL — where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · BYD Dolphin | Petrol · Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | ₱848,420 (55%) | ₱556,140 (44%) |
| Charging / fuel | ₱166,849 (11%) | ₱236,514 (19%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~₱20,022) | — |
| Maintenance | ₱54,000 (4%) | ₱90,000 (7%) |
| Insurance | ₱190,000 (12%) | ₱140,000 (11%) |
| Financing interest | ₱269,883 (18%) | ₱226,815 (18%) |
| Registration & fees | ₱12,000 (1%) | ₱12,000 (1%) |
| Total cost of ownership | ₱1,541,152 | ₱1,261,469 |
When does the BYD Dolphin win?
The Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL wins decisively here — ₱279,683 cheaper over 5 years; at typical assumptions this isn't a close call.
No realistic annual distance flips this verdict — the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL stays the cheaper car at every distance we model.
What decides the BYD Dolphin vs Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL verdict
One line outweighs everything else here: depreciation. It costs ₱848,420 on the BYD Dolphin against ₱556,140 on the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL — a ₱292,280 swing to the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL, bigger than the ₱279,683 that separates the two 5-year totals. On the BYD Dolphin, depreciation alone is 55% of its ₱1,541,152 total; on the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL it is 44% of ₱1,261,469.
- Energy: ₱166,849 of charging for the BYD Dolphin vs ₱236,514 of petrol for the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL — ₱69,665 the other way, to the BYD Dolphin.
- Insurance: BYD Dolphin ₱190,000, Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL ₱140,000 — ₱50,000 more in the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL's favor.
- Financing interest: BYD Dolphin ₱269,883, Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL ₱226,815 — ₱43,068 more in the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL's favor.
The BYD Dolphin's best answer is energy — ₱69,665 back the other way — which covers 25% of the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL's ₱279,683 lead. The BYD Dolphin starts ₱229,000 behind the Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL at the dealer, and ownership widens it — the 5-year gap grows to ₱279,683. The Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL is ahead by ₱103,625 after the first year and more than doubles that lead — ₱279,683 by year 5.
BYD Dolphin vs Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL, side by side
BYD Dolphin
- 5-yr total cost
- ₱1,541,152
- Cost / month
- ₱25,686
- Cost / km
- ₱25.69
- Starting price
- ₱1,438,000
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 13 kWh/100km
Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL
- 5-yr total cost
- ₱1,261,469
- Cost / month
- ₱21,024
- Cost / km
- ₱21.02
- Starting price
- ₱1,209,000
- Powertrain
- Petrol
- Efficiency
- 5.4 L/100km
- the Philippines electricity
- 14.48₱/kWh Meralco
- Petrol (the Philippines)
- ₱73.00/L DOE (national avg RON95)