The BYD Atto 1 is on loan from BYD Australia in Sydney. Photo: James Coleman.
Chinese car maker BYD is hoping to spark serious interest in its newest four-seat hatchback – now officially the cheapest new electric vehicle in Australia – by giving Canberra a sneak peek.
The new Atto 1 was one of the headline attractions at last weekend’s EV Drive Day, run by the NRMA and ACT Government at the Sutton Road Training Centre in Majura, where the public could test a range of EVs on the track.
From there, the lime-green, lozenge-shaped hatchback is at BYD Belconnen from 24 to 30 November, before shifting to BYD Phillip from 1 to 7 December.
But don’t expect to take it for a spin just yet. BYD stressed the tiny EV is “display only” at the moment, with no test drives “at this stage”.
“Swing by, snap a pic, and be one of the first in Australia to see the ATTO 1 in person,” the company wrote in an email to customers.
BYD unveiled the Atto 1 – alongside the larger Atto 2 SUV – in late October, teasing that it was “poised to become Australia’s most affordable EV” while staying tight-lipped on pricing.
A month later, the numbers landed: the Atto 1 starts at $23,990 plus on-roads for the base Essential, or $27,990 for the Premium.
In the ACT, that translates to sharp driveaway prices of $26,330 and $30,430, respectively.
Until now, BYD’s own Dolphin was the nation’s cheapest EV, starting at $32,480 driveaway in the ACT. The Atto 1 comfortably undercuts it.
“Together, the Atto 1 and Atto 2 not only redefine affordability for electric vehicles, but also mark one of the first times electric vehicles have reached true price parity, and in some cases, undercut their petrol-powered competitors,” BYD Australia said.
The Lime Pine colour is a $500 option. Photo: James Coleman.
The Essential uses a 30 kWh battery that produces 65 kW and offers 200 km of range. The Premium steps up to a 43.2 kWh battery, 115 kW and 310 km of range. They accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 11.1 and 9.1 seconds, respectively.
BYD says the Atto 1 is “perfect for urban settings”, thanks to DC fast charging that can take the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes.
Only one paint colour is standard – Apricity White. Arctic Blue, Cosmos Black and the bright Pine Lime all cost $500 extra. The Essential rolls on 15-inch wheels, and the Premium on 16s, both with a black-and-grey faux-leather cabin.
Despite its tiny footprint, the Atto 1 recently earned a five-star ANCAP safety rating, backed by a long list of driver-assist tech, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure alerts, speed limit control, and a driver-monitoring system.
As for the name? It joins the Atto 3 SUV that helped launch BYD to rapid success in Australia in 2022. And it could be worse – overseas, this model goes by Dolphin Mini, Dolphin Surf, or its Chinese market name, the Seagull.
The Atto 1 joins BYD’s growing lineup of EVs and plug-in hybrids, including the Dolphin hatch, Seal sedan, Atto 2 and 3 SUVs, Shark 6 ute, and Sealion 6 and 7 SUVs.
