Another day, another new electric vehicle was for sale in Australia. It’s a different story with the BYD Atto 3 in 2022. Because this isn’t simply another electric vehicle; it’s a completely new brand for our market.
The new BYD Atto 3 features the Blade battery, an eye-catching price, and one of the more perplexing introductions in recent memory. BYD stands for ‘Build Your Dreams,’ an amusing backstory for the giant Chinese conglomerate that started off making batteries and is now making automobiles.
The exterior of BYD Atto 3
The exterior of the BYD ATTO 3 is designed to be modern but not flashy. The wheels are possibly the sole feature of the car that distinguishes it as unique in this instance, an EV.
Aside from that, it has a fairly European appearance and, based on the first impressions, is a very attractive vehicle.
More details on the exterior are awaited.
Interior of BYD Atto 3
The interior of the Atto is unique, combining hi-tech elements with a clean and attractive cabin and a handful of outlandish touches, such as three crimson strings on the door that you can pluck like a guitar. The door handles have an unusual design and are mounted high on the doors, while the gear changer in the center console resembles an airplane throttle.
At the touch of a button, the tablet-like center screen swivels from landscape to portrait position, allowing the driver to scroll over their Instagram feed while waiting for the car to recharge.
A high-tech 3D parking camera provides a bird’s-eye view of the vehicle, including what’s on the road beneath it.
The seats appear to be sporty, yet they are more comfy than supportive. You won’t be hurling this car around corners if you know what’s good for you, as you’ll find, so it won’t matter.
Performance of BYD Atto 3
The Atto 3 is equipped with a 150kW/310Nm front-mounted electric motor, regardless of whether you choose the 1615kg Superior or the 1690kg Superior Extended Range.
In any case, those outputs are sufficient to accelerate it from a halt to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds, which is deemed warm-hatch territory (think Kia Cerato GT and Hyundai i30 N Line).
In terms of outputs, the Atto 3 now has the ZS EV’s number (105kW/353Nm), but the latter’s facelifted model will improve the chance with new, probably more expensive Standard Range (130kW/280Nm) and Long Range (150kW/280Nm) options mid-year.
Driving Range and Charging in BYD Atto 3
The Superior has a 50.1kWh LFP battery that provides 320km of WLTP-certified driving range, while the Superior Extended Range, as the name suggests, has a 60.4kWh unit that can go up to 420km between charges.
As a result, the Atto 3 outperforms the pre-facelift MG ZS EV, which 44.5kWh battery provides 263 kilometers of driving range.
However, the ZE EV’s facelifted Standard Range and Long Range models will soon be available with 50.3kWh and 70kWh batteries, respectively, for 320km and 440km of range between charges.
Going back to act 3, the extended upper and upper range supports 7kW AC charging via a type 2 outlet, as well as, as well as 80kW DC fast charging using a CCS Type 2 connector, the latter needing 45 minutes to charge from 20% to 80% capacity. The Atto 3 also enables vehicle-to-load (V2L) or bi-directional charging, with up to 2.2kW of electricity capable of being delivered to anything from a coffee maker to a microwave or any other household item.
Standard equipment and features in BYD Atto 3
Multi-link rear suspension, white paint (grey or blue costs $700 more), 18-inch alloy wheels with 215/55 tyres, power-folding side mirrors with heaters, roof rails, a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry, and a motorized tailgate are all standard features in the Superior grade.
Keyless entry, a rotating 12.8-inch touchscreen DiLink multimedia system, digital radio, an eight-speaker Dirac sound system, a 5.0-inch instrument panel cluster, a wireless mobile phone charger, power-adjustable front seats (six-way driver/four-way passenger), and blue/grey artificial leather upholstery (one more color option coming soon) are all standard features on the inside.
Autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, active rear cross-traffic alert, surround-view cameras, and safe exit alert are among the advanced driver-support technologies available, along with seven airbags.
Pricing of BYD Atto 3
You can select between two BYD Atto 3 both of which have the same specifications. The 50kWh, with a range of 320 kilometers, costs $44,381, while the 60kWh costs $47,381. Both of these figures are exclusive of on-road fees, which vary by state.
Of course, certain states and territories offer refunds and stamp tax exemptions, so you’ll save roughly $4000 in NSW and Victoria, bringing the car down to around $43,000 on the road, give or take. According to EVDirect, the Atto is the cheapest electric vehicle on the market.
Conclusion
In the photographs and quick glimpse we received at the flashy Sydney unveiling, the interior seemed a little goofy. The information flowed at a breakneck pace the following week. The automobile, on the other hand, is fantastic. The competition clearly cannot match the range of equipment levels and is just $200 less with a shorter warranty. The BYD is a strong candidate for your electric vehicle dollars. It’s about the size of a Kia Seltos, and it’s well-built, comfortable to drive, and stylish.
