BYD has beaten all expectations with stunning new prices for its latest electric vehicle offerings in Australia, with the lowest cost offering starting at less than $24,000, before on road costs.
The price reveal announced on Thursday was well below predictions, with the Atto 1 hatchback coming in at $23,990 before on-roads for the base model, with the Premium variant with the larger battery and more range coming in at $27,990.
Similarly, the Atto 2 SUV starts at an unbelievably low $31,990 before on-roads. The premium variant is $4,000 more, starting at $35,990.
The Atto 2 pricing starts close to the entry-level Dolphin hatchback, but given the new model is an SUV, it may quickly become a very popular model all across Australia.
BYD is already jostling with Tesla for market supremacy in Australia, taking the mantle as the country’s best selling EV brand in some months, with Tesla usually taking the title at the end of a quarter. Now, it has an extra two models, pitched at the lowest price seen in the local market.
“The Atto 1 and Atto 2 represent the next step in BYD’s vision for accessible, premium electric mobility for Australian drivers,” BYD Australia COO Stephen Collins said in a statement.
“Each model reflects our commitment to combining technology, design, and efficiency, tailored for local drivers and conditions, reflecting BYD’s commitment to making EV ownership attainable for all Australians.”
As revealed last month, 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 smaller battery will deliver a range of around 220 km of WLTP range.
This variant will power a front-mounted 65 kW motor that produces up to 175 Nm of torque. It sprints from 0-100 km/h in around 11.1 seconds, which is pretty respectable for a city car.
On the charging front, the Atto 1 will come with an onboard 11 kW AC charger which is more than what’s offered on the more expensive Atto 3.
When it comes to DC charging, rates of up 65 kW are also available with 30-80% time of around 25 minutes.
Moving up to the top-spec Premium variant with a bigger 43.2 kWh battery pack which can deliver up to 310 km of WLTP range.
This variant is powered by a more powerful 115 kW motor, which lowers the 0-100 km/h sprint time to 9.1 seconds, zippy enough around town.
The Premium Atto 1 features 11 kW AC charging as well as an increased peak DC charging rate of up to 85 kW. This helps get the car from 30-80% in 22 minutes, shaving 3 minutes.
The Atto 2 SUV comes with a 51.3 kWh blade battery pack which is paired with a 130 kW motor. It can deliver up to 345 km on the WLTP cycle, which is fairly good for a small city and suburban SUV.
Both cars will be at the BYD dealers in December, marking a new chapter in Australia’s EV revolution.
| 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 |
Sign up for The Driven’s free daily newsletter by going to the button on the bottom right of the website’s home page at www.thedriven.io
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.