BYD opened pre-orders for the small Atto 2 electric SUV in Australia late last year, and with an affordable price $31,990 plus on-road costs, it has proved a success, raking in more than 5,000 sales in the first six months.
The upgraded Yuan Up will also feature a variant that would be equipped with LiDAR technology for advanced autonomous driving capabilities, as seen on the Seagull/Atto 1, which was also recently unveiled.
The Atto 2 was offered in Australia with a front-wheel-drive (FWD) powertrain, but new photos from China suggest that BYD has been working on an upgraded version of the Atto 2, known in its home market as the Yuan Up, this time featuring a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) platform with upgraded suspension.
Photos compiled by CNC show a car being tested with it chargeport located at the rear of the car, confirming the upcoming version of the car. The move to RWD could also mean more space in the front area, leading to a possible frunk for this model.
The white car has light blue wraps on certain parts of the vehicle, likely to cover up some design details but from the shape of it, it’s easy to spot the Yuan Up body styling.
From previous reports, the updated Yuan Plus model is expected to get an increase in range, going from 410 km CLTC range to 505 km on the same cycle. That’s likely to be around 400 km on the WLTP cycle for the top-trim.
The larger battery variant is now available in Australia, featuring a 51.3 kWh blade battery pack that delivers up to 345 km of range on the WLTP cycle. This is paired with a 130 kW motor delivering up to 290 Nm of torque, which helps the car sprint from 0-100 km/h in under 8 seconds.
In recent months, this model appears to be increasing in popularity amid fuel price hikes we’ve seen in recent months May alone seeing 760 units sold, its highest month of sales to date – only for this to be beaten with sales of 2,482 in June.
In May, BYD confirmed that it will send one of its own car carrier ships to Australia with thousands of NEVs as part of a special shipment, the first of which will deliver almost 5,000 additional BYD and Denza cars.
More details on the upcoming Yuan Up are still under wraps but we expect to see these revealed in the coming months.
See The Driven’s detailed EV sales data here: Australian electric vehicle sales by month in 2026; by model and by brand.
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