500,000 Units up!: Our Preview of the BYD Atto 3

Warren Buffett-backed Chinese automaker BYD unveiled a compact SUV, the BYD Yuan Plus, in 2021. It is touted as the company’s next big electric car launch in Europe following the BYD Tang EV that went on sale in Norway in August 2021. It carries the BYD Atto 3 nameplate in overseas markets, and here’s everything you need to know about the new BYD electric car.

Design

The BYD Atto 3 embodies the company’s latest design language called Dragon Face 3.0. If you ask me, there’s no denying that it looks like a typical Chinese SUV. Some design highlights include crossover bodywork with elements like a sloping bonnet and a dropping roofline, LED “dragon crystal” headlamps, C-shaped, aggressive front bumper corners, and a full-width taillamp. I felt that the D-pillar motif was particularly striking, reminding me of the diamond-pattern film in the honeycomb look on the VW ID.3.

Interior

The Atto 3 designers, in my opinion, have neatly incorporated the new Rhythm theme into its interior. I was able to get the musical influence right away in the curvy shape of the dashboard and the round elements on the doors. The way the dashboard seamlessly merges with the door panels, giving a single-panel effect, stood out to me. And, if you look closely, the red strings in the lower section of the door panels amplify the sensation of being surrounded by musical instruments. Now, this design may not work for all, but it’s certainly different for this class of vehicle!

The digital cluster of the car, to me, looks quite similar to the one in the VW ID.4. Aside from the unique gear selector, I felt that the front-center and rear AC vents with their aircraft-inspired design were particularly intriguing. The silver inserts throughout the interior try to elevate its aesthetics. Lastly, the BYD Yuan Plus boasts a 12.8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system.

The three-spoke steering wheel with its flattened bottom, feels adequately sporty to grip. And not to forget, there’s also the compact 5-inch virtual instrument cluster. The floor console is flat and low, and it has a mobile storage space and a dual cupholder.

Specifications

Full capabilities of the BYD e-Platform 3.0

The Yuan Plus or Atto 3 sits on the BYD e-Platform 3.0 platform, which debuted in the BYD Dolphin (BYD EA1) in 2021. This platform packs the “ultra-safe” BYD Blade Battery and a heat pump as standard. 800-volt system voltage, 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) acceleration time of 2.9 seconds, and a range of 600 miles (966 km) are the best possible parameters with this platform, but then not all of it is applicable to the Yuan Plus.

BYD Yuan Plus specifications

The BYD Yuan Plus is a compact SUV with a length, width, and height of 4,455 mm, 1,875 mm, and 1,615 mm, respectively. However, the wheelbase of the new electric SUV is a generous 2,720 mm, thanks to the dedicated EV platform.

BYD offers the Yuan Plus in China in two variants, with a range of 430 km and with a 510 km range. Needless to say, these are liberal NEDC figures. All variants are powered by a single motor generating 150 kW (204 PS) of power and 310 Nm of torque.

Specification	BYD Yuan Plus standard range	BYD Yuan Plus extended range
Length x Width x Height	4,455 mm x 1,875 mm x 1,615 mm	4,455 mm x 1,875 mm x 1,615 mm
Wheelbase	2,720 mm	2,720 mm
Battery Pack Type	LFP	LFP
Battery Pack Energy Content	49.92 kWh	60.48 kWh
Range (NEDC)	430 km	510 km
Motor(s)	One	One
Motor Type	PMSM	PMSM
Motor Power	150 kW	150 kW
Motor Torque	310 Nm	310 Nm
0-100 km/h Acceleration Time	7.3 seconds	7.3 seconds

Price & Release Date

BYD physically unveiled the Yuan Plus in China at the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show (November 2021) and launched the car in the domestic market in early 2022. Prices start at CNY 142,800 (USD 19,584) in the standard range variant and CNY 163,800 (USD 22,465) in the extended range variant.

BYD Atto 3 in global markets

BYD models overseas get market-specific alphanumeric names starting with the word ‘Atto’ and the first of them is the BYD Atto 3. CCS2 charging is another change for the export markets.

Australia

Nexport-owned EVDirect is the official BYD importer in Australia and New Zealand. Like the Yuan Plus, the Atto 3 is available in a standard range variant and an extended range variant.

Five color options are available: white, grey, blue, red, and green. The Australian-supplied Atto 3 has received a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Australia gets the Atto 3 in a fully-loaded, standard trim, so there’s no need to check any options while placing the order. The main selection is the battery option. Below are the Australian specifications:

Specification	BYD Atto 3 standard range	BYD Atto 3 extended range
Length x Width x Height	4,455 mm x 1,875 mm x 1,615 mm	4,455 mm x 1,875 mm x 1,615 mm
Wheelbase	2,720 mm	2,720 mm
Battery Pack Type	LFP	LFP
Battery Pack Energy Content	49.92 kWh	60.48 kWh
Range (WLT)	345 km	420 km
Motor(s)	One (Front)	One (Front)
Motor Type	PMSM	PMSM
Motor Power	150 kW	150 kW
Motor Torque	310 Nm	310 Nm
0-100 km/h Acceleration Time	7.3 seconds	7.3 seconds

The Atto 3 has been priced at AUD 48,011 in the standard-range variant and AUD 51,011 in the extended-range variant. Customer deliveries are underway.

New Zealand

BYD entered New Zealand with the launch of the Atto 3 and has showrooms in 14 locations. New Zealand gets the same two variants of Atto 3 as Australia: standard range and extended range. The Atto 3 standard range retails for NZD 56,990 (excl. on-road costs) and the Atto 3 extended range startS at NZD 59,990 (excl. on-road costs). Both are eligible for the country’s clean car rebate available for pure electric vehicles. Customer deliveries of the Atto 3 in New Zealand are underway.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong also gets the BYD Atto 3 in the same two configurations, with a 150 kW/310 Nm motor being standard and the battery pack being either a 49.92 kWh unit or a 60.48 kWh unit. The standard-range variant can travel up to 400 km on a full charge, while the long-range variant’s charge fully depletes at 480 km. Both range figures are as per NEDC.

The Atto 3 has been priced at HKD 322,380 in the standard-range variant and HKD 378,180 in the long-range variant. Hong Kong is ramping up its efforts to transform its mobility sector with sustainable propulsion systems. BYD dealerships in the region are looking to bring more electric models to their showrooms as a part of the effort, claim local reports.

Singapore

BYD has launched its electric SUV in the Southeast Asian island of Singapore. E-Auto, a Vantage Automotive division and a Sime Darby Motors group member, is the company’s official dealer in the country. Due to the tariffs, Atto 3 is exorbitantly expensive, listed at SGD 244,888 (USD 179,468) onwards.

Singapore gets the Atto 3 in two configurations, both with a 60.48 kWh battery pack as standard. The base configuration generates 100 kW (134 hp) and 310 Nm of torque, while the top-end configuration produces 150 kW (201 hp) and 310 Nm of torque. The former accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 9.7 seconds, while the latter takes 7.3 seconds for the same.

Strangely, the local website states the range figures in a mix of WLTP (city) and NEDC (combined) ratings. As mentioned on val-byd.com.sg, the 100 kW Atto 3 delivers a WLTP City range of 565 km and the 150 kW Atto 3 delivers an NEDC (combined) range of 480 km.

6.6 kW is the peak AC charging input, with which fully charging the battery pack takes 9.5 hours. The maximum DC charging input is also quite low compared to the latest industry standards – 80 kW. Charging the battery pack from 0 to 100% at 80 kW takes 1.2 hours.

UK

The BYD Atto 3 is available in European markets as well. In the UK, it went on sale on March 15, 2023. A 150 kW (201 hp) motor mounted at the front draws energy from a 60.4 kWh Blade LFP battery pack. A 0-62 mph sprint takes 7.3 seconds and the WLTP range is 260 miles. Active, Comfort, and Design are the trim options, priced at GBP 37,195, GBP 37,695, and GBP 39,696, respectively.

The Atto 3 is available in the UK on lease as well. Octopus EV plans to purchase 5,000 new energy vehicles from BYD by 2026, with the initial order including the Atto 3.

Private customers leasing the Atto 3 need to pay GBP 5,652 up front and then a monthly rental of GBP 628. For business customers, these figures change to GBP 4,594 and GBP 510, respectively. The Atto 3 is available on lease in conjunction with the Salary Sacrifice scheme.

Production

Production of the BYD Atto 3 takes place at the company’s factory in Changzhou (Jiangsu Province), China. On September 16, 2023, BYD announced that the 500,000th unit of the electric compact SUV has rolled off the assembly line at the domestic plant.

BYD Atto 3 teardown

Chinese publication PC Auto (via CarNewsChina.com) did a teardown of the BYD Atto 3 to check its quality. It found only a few inconsistent panel gaps, between the left and right parts of the tailgate. Inside, the guitar-like strings on the door panels can handle 15 kg of weight and the sound insulation is pretty good, it said.

The body-in-white is of high quality. The front bumper support, for instance, has a tensile strength of 1,180 MPa. A robust protection layer tries to save the battery pack from any possible damage in the event of a collision, and it even makes the EV’s body structure stronger, the report adds.

TopElectricSUV says

Belonging to a popular segment and developed keeping global markets in mind, the BYD Atto 3 can significantly change the brand’s perception and increase its popularity overseas. It offers a notably higher range and better performance over the older MG ZS EV, which is comparatively more expensive in some markets. The new Chinese electric SUV has the potential to become a popular choice among budget EV customers in many of BYD’s overseas markets, including Australia, New Zealand, and European countries.

BYD Atto 3 FAQs