BYD Atto 3 2022: electric small SUV priced from $44,990 driveaway in Australia

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The BYD Atto 3 small SUV will go on sale in Australia in July 2022 with a starting price of $44,990 driveaway in Tasmania.

Badged as the Yuan Plus in its home market of China as a nod to the Yuan dynasty, the Atto 3 is being distributed by Australian company EV Direct under a direct sales model.

EEV Direct will offer the Atto 3 in a single grade known as the Superior in a standard- and extended-range guise, with a range of 320km and 420km respectively according to the conservative WLTP standard.

Such range figures combined with the keen entry price will place the Atto 3 in close contention with rivals such as the 385km range Nissan Leaf e+ hatch and 320km MG ZS EV small SUV.

Pricing varies state by state

The Atto 3’s headline $44,990 driveaway entry price applies to buyers in Tasmania who choose the standard model, with the extended range variant commanding $47,990.

The pricing seen in Tasmania is notably lower than those in other parts of Australia due to lower on-road costs in that state but the price of the vehicle itself remains the same.

Elsewhere in the country, buyers can expect the following driveaway prices:

• ACT: standard range $45,063.55 – extended range $48,063.55
• NSW: standard range $47,110.35 – extended range $50,248.35
• NT: standard range $46,432.1 – extended range $49,522.1
• QLD: standard range $45,984 – extended range $49,044
• SA: standard range $46,784.91 – extended range $49,904.91 
• VIC: standard range $47,131.55 – extended range $50,257.55
• WA: standard range $47,931.54 – extended range $51,314.56

Atto 3 range and charging

The Atto 3 features a single electric motor that sends 150kW of power and 310Nm of torque straight to the front wheels, providing enough grunt to launch the small SUV from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds according to BYD.

BYD couples the motor to either a 50.1kWh battery in the 320km-capable standard range or a 60.4kWh battery in the 420km-capable long range variant.

The batteries can be topped up using a DC fast-charger at speeds of up to 80kW which is said to top up the battery in 90 minutes. 

Those with access to three-phase power will be able to charge the Atto 3 at up to 11kW using an AC wallbox, which is quicker than speeds offered by a Jaguar I-Pace which is limited to 7.4kW on two-phase power. 

That means charging the Atto 3 overnight will take around six hours for the long-range pack, and roughly five for the short range.

What features are included with the Atto 3?

EV Direct has released a preliminary list of features that will likely be expanded on closer to launch.

The Atto 3 Superior includes a panoramic sunroof, 18-inch alloy wheels, power-adjustable and heated side mirrors along with a power tailgate to make accessing the boot easier.

The interior is trimmed in a synthetic leather material with six-way power-adjustability for the driver and four-way adjustability for the front passenger.

A huge 12.8-inch touchscreen display is found in the centre and has the ability to rotate to a portrait or landscape position, with music played through the eight-speaker audio system via Bluetooth and DAB digital radio.

An additional 5.0-inch screen is found in the instrument cluster and offered alongside other handy features like a wireless phone charger and push-button start.

While the Atto 3 has yet to be officially rated by ANCAP, BYD has fitted seven airbags throughout the cabin, two ISOFIX points on the outboard rear seats and a long list of passive safety features.

These include basics such as AEB and lane-keep assist but also rarer features like rear cross-traffic alert with a braking function and a safe exit assist warning function.

Seven-year warranty on the Atto 3 

With the launch of the Atto 3, EV Direct has increased the warranty on its new SUV to a seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The warranty matches that of its chief rival the MG ZS EV,  though unlike its Chinese compatriot the Atto 3’s battery is only covered for 160,000km across that time period.

More details on exact grades and pricing will be provided closer to the Atto 3’s July 2022 launch.