BYD Atto 3. Source: EV Direct
I’ve dreamt of getting an EV for a long time. I’m not a car person in the least, but have tinkered with batteries, solar panels and electric motors since I was a kid. EVs just click. Seven years ago when I saw a Tesla Model S in the flesh, my mom said that it was the first time I’ve ever smiled about a car.
Still, being one of those pesky millennials, it seemed a far off dream. I briefly considered a gray import Nissan eNV200 (camper van!) Maybe a used Model 3 when they finally depreciate a little? Maybe I’ll build my own EV? Otherwise, just saving and waiting, nursing along an almost 20 year old hand-me-down Commodore. Like many others, I suspect.
Two things changed that in the course of a week. First, my Commodore blew the head gasket. Second, the launch of the BYD Atto 3. After some head scratching, discussion with my partner, furious googling and spreadsheets, I decided to put down a deposit. Here’s why I think the Atto 3 is the best fit for our family,
Driving Range
The base model does 320 km, and the extended 420 km (WLTP). We’ll probably go the latter, but either would be fine. It’s enough to get to the grandparents on the other side of Melbourne without a top-up charge.
There are plenty of fast chargers in our region, and more all the time. And with a fidgety small child in tow, the idea of driving non-stop for 3 hours without a break is inconceivable anyway. It works for us, whereas something like an MG ZS EV at 263 km is probably pushing it a little.
It’s terrific to have options though, and the Atto 3 will fill an unmet niche. I’d hate to see everyone buying up giant battery packs they’ll never use, when we desperately need as much spare battery capacity as possible to decarbonise the transport sector.
Battery Technology
BYD leans heavily on the decidedly uncool Lithium Iron Phosphate battery chemistry for their vehicles (albeit in their novel Blade form factor), and their track record gives me considerable comfort that their batteries will last the life of the vehicle.
While BYD is largely unknown as a consumer brand, they’ve been building lithium batteries for over twenty years, along with a great deal of other tech as a proper engineering conglomerate. If you’ve produced 50,000+ electric buses and a million odd battery passenger cars, I reckon you’d know a thing or two about battery lifecycle performance.
Yes, no graphene, nano patterned electrodes, solid state electrolytes or other exotic stuff. The energy density can’t compete with the state-of-the-art. But it’s more than good enough. Save the fancy stuff for super cars, heavy transport and electric aviation.
I do wish EVDirect could be more generous with their battery warranty (capped at 160,000 km), but appreciate the perceived risk on their balance sheet by investors, and that it matches the likes of Tesla. I have some trust that Australian Consumer Law will have my back here as well.
Source: BYD
Interior
The Atto 3 interior could be described as… unusual. I love some of the curves and detailing. Other bits remind me the sort of garish mega bass stereo you’d see in a teenager’s bedroom in the late 90s. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Could I live with this? Anyway, I asked my wife, and she liked it. Decision made. Seat covers for children and canine passengers will be obligatory anyway.
All credit to BYD for going in a different direction, rather than trying to blend in with the competition in the non-descript black pleather world of modern car interiors.
In-Car Technology
Refined user experience here is where Tesla shines, and I have my concerns about BYD. Still, they are building in-house, rather than lifting an off-the-shelf entertainment unit, and reportedly will support over-the-air updates. Those factors give BYD every chance to excel here.
The multi-camera 3D car view feature looks amazing, assuming it makes it to the Australian model. Though it is disappointing because I only just figured out how to reverse a trailer reliably and now everyone will assume the car is doing it for me.
Source: Chris Griffiths/Youtube
Towing
While BYD and local importer EVDirect are still verifying tow capacity according to Australian standards, this was another must-have for our family, and something sorely missing on many entry-level EVs. We don’t need to tow a jumbo jet or even a caravan, but we’re keen gardeners and our box trailer gets loads of use. I just need to cart half a tonne of horse shit every now and again, you know? That’s how we spend our weekends.
Fingers crossed we’ll get a minimum 750 kg unbraked towing capacity, and a few aftermarket towbar kits coming quickly onto the market (otherwise I might have to get this article retracted and throw a massive tantrum on Twitter).
Vehicle to Load
This feature allows you to power 240V loads from your EV battery, and was another must-have.
The appeal was as a backup power supply for our home, being in a regional area with a patchy grid. We’ve lost power for a day at a time, and being an all-electric home on bore water, this is a serious nuisance. While a household battery would work, the payback would be very poor given we only have a 3.3 kW solar system with negligible surplus outside summer, leaving the battery underutilized.
If there was a major outage lasting days, we could drive to a fast charger in an unaffected area to top-up, and keep the fridge and water pump going indefinitely. Given we live in a bushfire prone area, I feel much safer about this than leaving a petrol genset running.
Price
At ~$45k, or $48k for an extra 10 kWh of battery capacity, this isn’t priced to crash through price parity with conventional ICE cars. But it’s enough to sit up and take notice, and for our family, the difference between going electric right now or waiting.
Sure, if I had another lazy $10-20k lying around, a Tesla Model 3 would be nice. Or better yet, a Model Y when they eventually land. While we’re talking fantasies, I’d also take a Polestar 2 with Nappa leather seats and reconstructed wood deco interior (and factory-fitted towbar!)
This is all moot because I don’t in fact have that spare cash lying around. Any new car will be a big impact on our family budget as is, and so that premium for the Tesla brand and a few nice-to-haves simply can’t be justified.
Doing the sums
The obsession with EV sticker price does my head in. Given the extreme disparity in fuel and service expenses, cost of ownership is what matters. To convince myself this was at least a somewhat prudent decision, I attempted a comparison with the Model 3, and a fully spec’d Corolla Hybrid.
I’ve deliberately excluded depreciation because I think there is extreme uncertainty on that front. Sure, Teslas are holding value extremely well, but supply is constrained right now.
Given we plan on holding the Atto 3 for as long as we can, the short to medium term monthly household budget impact is what counts. I’ve also excluded the Victorian EV Subsidy because that’s snatched right back again by the matching EV tax (donate to the high court challenge here).
So, all up, the Atto 3 is similar to a new Toyota Corolla Hybrid per month. If petrol and electricity prices continue on their current trajectory, we’ll be well ahead. It’s also worth noting that several finance providers are offering some extremely sharp rates for EVs at the moment, in the region of 3% p.a. fixed, which makes an EV considerably more affordable.
Wrapping Up
It tows, can power my house in a blackout, has adequate range and would cost about the same as a run-of-the-mill petrol or hybrid car. I’ve paid my deposit, and hope to be picking up my new Atto 3 in July.
(P.S. If you know anyone that would like to buy a used 2004 VY Commodore, “as-is”, please get in touch with the author.)
Dr David Perry is an engineer and lapsed neuroscientist. He’s a director of Hepburn Energy, and co-founder and CTO at BOOMPower.
Keyword: Why I put a deposit down on the new all-electric BYD Atto 3