Atto 3 interior. Source: BYD
BYD may be a new name to drivers in Australia, but its Atto 3 has attracted plenty of attention from those waiting for more affordable electric cars in a market where both choice and price have been factors in holding back adoption.
An acronym for “Build Your Dreams”, BYD has in fact had a presence in Australia for two decades in the form of buses, but the arrival of the Atto 3 is the vehicle that will bring BYD to the driving masses.
Since revealing the Atto 3’s starting price of $44,900 driveaway in Australia in February, there has been plenty of hype. Finally, the introduction of a compact electric SUV to rival the MG ZS EV promised to disrupt and rev up the lagging Australia EV market.
With $3,000 incentives and stamp duty waivers in several states, the Atto 3 brings EVs into the budgets of more drivers than ever before.
But the company hit a snag in August when it released its servicing schedule and updated its warranty offer ahead of first deliveries in September.
As The Driven reported, the service schedule and extended (but now limited kilometre) warranty saw a number of customers cancel orders, while another started a petition. BYD did a turnaround, and tweaked its schedule, offered a free first year of servicing to existing customers, and underlined its commitment to safety.
Now, with a Euro NCAP (and we understand ANCAP) safety rating due to be announced imminently, the brand is digging in its heels to put its best foot forward to customers.
Complementing the comprehensive rollout of a nationwide network of showrooms and service centres in collaboration with mycar and Eagers, the company has been running “activation” events to raise awareness of the brand and the car itself.
One of these included the EV Expo held in the Northern Rivers NSW town of Bangalow, last Sunday, of which BYD was a sponsor.
@BYDGlobal #Atto3 at the @zerobyron25 EV Expo on Sunday pic.twitter.com/pD6eyyiVEA
— 🚗⚡Bridie Schmidt (@BridieEV) September 16, 2022
As co-coordinator of the event with the fantastic team at Zero Emissions Byron, I grabbed the opportunity to take a test drive with BYD importer EV Direct’s chief strategy officer Troy Todd. You can listen to the recording of my interview with Todd via The Driven podcast here.
Having only seen photos of the Atto 3 online before that, and then briefly through the window of the Sydney showroom as I walked by last last Wednesday evening, it was great to finally see the electric compact up close for the first time.
BYD Atto 3. Image: Bridie Schmidt
And I was pleasantly surprised. Photos online that had perhaps pumped up the colour, made the playful interior – which draws inspiration from BYD’s ocean-inspired range of EV – look to be a mid-blue/off-white two-tone. Red “guitar strings” in the door frames seemed a little over the top and the whalebone-like dash looked like it could be a bit kitsch.
Instead, getting into the vehicle I was surprised to find that the dash actually is a great tactile surface. It’s soft to touch, and the blue two-tone is actually more of a muted blue-grey that softens the unique visual design of the interior.
Atto 3 interior. Source: BYD
I didn’t get to drive the vehicle – which is front-wheel drive and has a 150kW motor – myself this time around. But as a passenger, I got the impression of a smooth ride that was surprisingly quiet.
Its 7.3 second acceleration is not neck-whipping, but that’s totally fine – this is a family-friendly vehicle that offers the cheapest vehicle-to-load capability on the market, which means you can take it down to the park and recharge the remote-controlled car or other electronic devices on the weekend with the kids.
I’m looking forward to taking the Atto 3 through its paces in good time, and seeing how it goes in terms of range and charging and other day-to-day EV ownership considerations.
See also: BYD Atto 3 test drive: A game changer and not in ways we expect it to be
In terms of car controls and connectivity, the interface is quick but will be a lot more user-friendly once the company can get the promised Apple CarPlay and Android Auto sorted out. The 12.8 touch screen is generous, and the fact that it turns is a nice touch.
I’m not sure what applications I’d use portrait mode for right now but perhaps once smartphone connectivity is sorted out, it might be useful to turn portrait mode to scroll through songs and the like.
In terms of seating, there looked to be ample room in the back row for legs, and though the rear cargo area is not long it is deep. With the seats down there is 1,340 litres of storage space.
Atto 3 interior. Source: BYD
You could easily load three medium/ large size bags in the back if headed for the airport. There is a flip-down armrest in the rear seat with two cup holders, and though the back window doesn’t go quite all the way down it does open almost all the way.
There’s a generous amount of storage space in the centre console, and there is also storage space in under where the console meets the dash.
Todd told me the Extended Range 63.8kWh battery offers 480km driving range however this is an NEDC (“not even damn close”) rating – real world range is more likely to be around 360km, and WLTP range is put at 420km by the company. Interestingly, Todd tells me that it is this variant that nine out of 10 drivers are choosing, over and above the Standard Range with 320km WLTP range.
Atto 3 interior. Source: BYD
The car’s 80kW (70kW for the Standard Range) maximum charge rate will be suitable for most fast charging needs, topping up from 10-80% in around a little over half an hour.
How will the Atto 3’s quirky looks be received by Australian drivers? It may not be for everyone but if the company’s claimed 4,500 plus orders tell us anything, it’s that drivers want affordable electric cars.
And with 1,500 a month rolling off the assembly line at the company’s Shanghai factory, and now another factory announced for right-hand drive market Thailand, you’re sure to see a BYD soon on a road near you.
Keyword: BYD Atto 3: Budget-friendly compact SUV set to disrupt EV market