The first images of the BYD Atto 3, first deliveries of which will start in August, have emerged online after a recent launch of the compact electric SUV in Macau.
The new images show the vehicle – a Yuan Plus modified for the Australian and other right-hand-drive markets – with the Atto 3 badging for the first time.
Shared to an electric vehicle group on Facebook, the images show a silver badged Atto 3 including its charge port, headlights and an interior with a new colour theme.
These are the first real-life right-hand-drive Atto 3 photos we’ve seen to date, as the vehicles presented at the February launch in Sydney were left-hand-drive only.
Interestingly, it appears the interior is a different colour than that shown in Sydney, where a blue and white theme with red stitching was on show. The Macau vehicles instead show a grey and cream theme with no contrasting stitching.
It is unclear if the new colourway will be available for Australian customers. Currently, there is only one two-tone colourway available via EV Direct’s order page.
A spokesperson for EV Direct confirmed that for now there will be just the one colour option, telling The Driven that there is “one standard colour for Australia in the foreseeable future. We are always looking at the best options though and colour options may vary from time to time.”
Designed by BYD’s global styling director Wolfgang Eiger, the Atto 3 adopts BYD’s “Dragon Face 3.0” design language and features clean lines are clean and precise, and an athletic posture.
AÂ 4,455mm-long A-class SUV with a 2720mm wheelbase, the Atto 3 comes standard with ultra-safe Blade batteries, giving drivers and passengers an industry-leading level of safety and a longer driving range.Â
In Australia, it is available with two battery options: a 50kWh battery giving 320 range (WLTP) and a 60kWh battery giving 420km range (WLTP). Both models use a single front-wheel-drive motor that produces 310Nm of torque, 150kW of power, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.
On DC fast chargers, the BYD Atto 3 will be able to charge at a maximum rate of 60kW, resulting in a charge period of one hour from 0 to 100% on the big battery option. The car comes with a normal 220v cable for charging at home, and charging on AC may be done at a maximum rate of 7kW.
To launch in fellow right-hand-drive market, Macau, BYD has entered into a similar agreement as with EV Direct in Australia. Under a partnership with Hedi New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. it plans to sell 200-300 Atto 3s a year according to Macau media.
BYD will also launch the Atto 3 in Singapore in late 2022, it has been reported by Chinese media.
This article has been updated with more information about available colourways.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.