BYD opens pre-orders for Atto 1 and Atto 2 ahead of price reveal

BYD has opened pre-orders section for both its Atto 1 electric hatchback and the Atto 2 electric SUV, ahead of their imminent launch in Australia.

Interested buyers can place a pre-order for either of these two models, with a fully refundable $1,000 order fee, after configuring their chosen vehicle.

The Atto 1 is expected to be Australia’s most affordable electric car, and the bigger Atto 2 is also expected to generate a lot of interest.

Prices are expected to be announced in coming weeks, with the Atto 1 expected to be Australia’s cheapest EV with a price of around $25,000.

Stock for some of these vehicles have already been spotted, with EV enthusiast, Darryl A, sharing photos of Atto 2 at a local BYD holding lot, and many in mainstream media making a big deal out of the pre-sales stocking – some even suggesting that they are surplus vehicles that could not be sold.

The Atto 2 is expected to be pitched around $35,000, still making it one of the lowest price electric SUV in the market. That will also place it between the BYD Dolphin which starts at $29,990 and the Atto 3 with a starting price of $39,990.

The Atto 1 will be available in two variants, the base level Essentials with a 30 kWh battery, as well a top-spec Premium variant with a 43.2 kWh battery. 

The small batteries are what will help the Atto 1 get to those lower expected prices, although it means less range of around 220 km of WLTP range.

The Essential variant with the smaller pack will power a front-mounted 65 kW motor that produces up to 175 Nm of torque. It also allows a 0-100 km/h sprint in approximately 11.1 seconds.

Charging the Atto 1 will be with an onboard 11 kW AC charger, which would be welcomed by many inner city drivers who may rely on kerbside charging options.

On DC charging, rates of up 65 kW are also available with 30-80% time of around 25  minutes.

The Premium variant with a bigger 43.2 kWh battery pack is good for 310 km of WLTP range. This variant also packs a more powerful 115 kW motor, which reduces the same 0-100 km/h sprint time by around 2 seconds to around 9.1 seconds.

Like the Essential model, the Premium also features 11 kW AC charging as well as an increased peak DC charging rate of up to 85 kW, which would help get the car from 30-80% in just 22 minutes.

The Atto 2 SUV is a lot more simpler in its powertrain configurations. It’s powered by a 51.3 kWh blade battery pack, which is paired with a 130 kW motor. It can deliver a range of up to 345 km on the WLTP cycle.

With pre-orders now opened and official prices only weeks away, we look forward to seeing both these models on our roads on this side of Christmas, as they add to the growing number of EV options that will ensure that we have well-reached EV to ICE price parity across multiple vehicle market segments in 2025.

BYD Atto 1 

Essential

Ultra-Safe BYD Blade Battery – 30 kWh

Maximum Power – 65 kW

Maximum Torque – 175 Nm

Up to 220km WLTP range

Front-wheel drive

0-100km/h – 11.1s

15-inch steel wheels

Premium

Ultra-Safe BYD Blade Battery – 43.2 kWh

Maximum Power – 115 kW

Maximum Torque – 220 Nm

Up to 310km WLTP range

Front-wheel drive

0-100km/h – 9.1s

16-inch alloy wheels

BYD Atto 2 

Dynamic

Ultra-Safe BYD Blade Battery – 51.3 kWh

0-100km/h – 7.9s

Maximum Power – 130 kW

Maximum Torque – 290 Nm

Up to 345km WLTP range

16 inch Alloy rims

Premium

Ultra-Safe BYD Blade Battery – 51.3 kWh

0-100km/h – 7.9s

Maximum Power – 130 kW

Maximum Torque – 290 Nm

Up to 345km WLTP range

17 inch Alloy rims