BYD to launch Atto 3 electric SUV in Australia this weekend

UPDATE, April 5, 2022: We've now driven the new electric BYD Atto 3 SUV. Read and watch our review at the link below.

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD is to launch its first SUV in Australia this weekend.

Hosting an exclusive event at its BYD Experience Centre in Darlinghurst, Sydney, on Saturday, the marque will introduce its Atto 3 electric SUV – previously known as the Yuan Plus.

Most details of pricing and specification for the model are not yet known, and will be revealed at the weekend’s launch, however it is expected to come in at around $40,000 – undercutting its closest rival, the fellow Chinese-made MG ZS EV. Both cars are eligible for $3000 discounts thanks to Victorian and New South Wales government incentives.

Wheels understands the Atto 3 will be capable of driving around 500 kilometres on a single charge, powered by BYD’s ‘Blade Battery’ power pack, and will go on sale immediately following Saturday’s event.

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BYD E6

According to the manufacturer, it is to shortly commence production of 15,000 units at its mega factory in China.

The firm, which has two vehicles for sale Down Under – though it pioneered electric buses here in 2014, distributes through importer Nexport, with transactions handled online via its EVDirect website rather than through bricks and mortar dealerships.

BYD currently offers the E6 people-mover with up to 520 kilometres of driving range (WLTP) for $49,990 before on-road costs, while its T3 commercial has a claimed driving range of 300km (WLTP) and is priced from $39,950 before on-road costs. At present both models are completely sold out.

The company has confirmed its EA1 small hatch will be offered locally, with industry rumours suggesting it could arrive as the cheapest electric passenger car on the market. The BYD Han sedan is also expected to offer an alternative to the Tesla Model 3, while the Tang SUV model is due to land later this year.

Speaking to Wheels ahead of the launch, CEO of EVDirect, Luke Todd, said BYD was looking to disrupt the status quo by bringing price parity between EVs and internal combustion-engined cars and plans to bring nine of its models to Australia by 2024.

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BYD AE1

“For the first time in Australia consumers won’t have to make a choice about buying an EV based on price,” he told us. “At the moment if you want to buy a Tesla, for example, you have to make the decision to spend more than you might like to in order to go electric. This is going to be a real game-changer for EVs.”

Todd also hinted that a physical presence for the business on Australian soil could be in the company’s future.

“It won’t be too dissimilar to Tesla, we want a place where our customers can drive our vehicles in addition to our relationship with Mycar.”

BYD announced late last year it had partnered with Mycar service centres to manage new-car deliveries and maintenance for its vehicles across Australia.

The deal gives BYD instant access to a nation-wide network for Mycar workshops – previously branded as Kmart Tyre & Auto – with its first deliveries of the E6 people-mover beginning this month.

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BYD Han PHEV and EV

Eight Mycar locations will participate in the program initially, with 30 locations to be added from March. Mycar technicians are being trained in the maintenance requirements of BYD models, and a number of workshops will have dedicated bays for the servicing and delivery of its EVs.

“The time is now to buy an EV and the time is now to launch the most exciting EV company in the world – BYD,” Todd said.

“I’ve seen the future of a pollution-free city and its full of quiet BYD EVs reducing noise and improving air quality. BYD is the biggest global company that most people have never heard of. It's one of the world’s leading advanced battery manufacturers with a significant proportion of mobile phone companies using BYD batteries. This technology, combined with the world’s leading European and global car design teams has now merged into building exciting passenger EVs."