Electric vehicle market leader BYD’s upcoming Atto 2, potentially Australia’s most affordable electric SUV, has now received approval for sale in Australia, coming in two key variants.
The news was shared on the Electric Vehicles for Australia Facebook group by EV enthusiast Will K, with the documentation of the approval showing two variants of the Atto 2 SUV.
According to the approval documentation, two variants will be available on the 4.3 metre long SUV. The first variant has a tare weight of 1,555 kg while the second variant bumps that up to 1,590 kg.
Both have a maximum braked towing capacity of 750 kg as well as a running clearance of 150 mm, 20 mm more than the BYD Dolphin hatchback.
BYD – which last month topped the Australian EV sales by brand, overtaking Tesla, has previously suggested Q4 as the timeframe given for the launch of the Atto 2 model in the local market, arriving in two variants while featuring its signature blade battery and cell-to-body (CTB) technology.
We expect the local pricing of the Atto 2 to fall under the Atto 3 Essential by a couple of thousand dollars. The Atto 3 currently starts at $39,990.
Detailed specs and pricing of the new Atto 2 will be announced closer to the SUV’s launch in the coming months, and with approval for sale now received, that can’t be too far away.
The new Atto 2 will be offered in Dynamic and Premium variants at launch, both featuring a 51.13 kWh battery pack, which is expected to deliver over 300 km of WLTP range.
This battery pack will power a 130 kW front-mounted motor, that produces up to 290 Nm of torque. This will be BYD’s 8- in-1 powertrain, which integrates the motor, reducer, motor controller, on-board charger, DC-DC converter, high-voltage distribution unit (PDU), battery management system (BMS), and vehicle control unit (VCU).
The Atto 2 also sits on BYD’s e-Platform 3.0, which also utilises Cell-to-Body (CTB) construction to provide extra structural integrity to the chassis.
In Europe, the Atto 2 can charge at up to 65 kW on a DC charger, charging the battery from 10-80% in around 37 minutes.
Like many other models from the brand, vehicle-to-load or V2L is on offer, with up to 3.3 kW of AC power available.
From a design point of view, the Atto 2 has a more conventional look, which reminds us of other smaller SUVs in the market.
From the rear of the Atto 2, a light bar appears to extend from one end of the car to the other. It also features a rear window wiper, just like the one found on the Atto 3 SUV which has been on sale since 2022.
Moving onto the inside, an 8.8-inch screen located behind the steering wheel is found, along with a minimalist interior design that features a rotatable infotainment screen.
This infotainment screen will come in two sizes, depending on the variant. Entry-level Dynamic variant will feature a 10.1-inch screen, while the Premium model will include a bigger 12.8-inch screen.
The screen will also feature Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, along with over-the-air (OTA) updates for in-car software improvements over time.
There is also quite a bit of interior space packed into the Atto 2, including for taller passengers, thanks to its panoramic sunroof. Having driven both the Dolphin locally and the Atto 2 in China, the Atto 2 is definitely roomier.
From the safety features standpoint, the latest model will come with BYD’s full suite, including ADAS, six airbags, and, depending on the variant, a reversing or 360-degree camera system seen in BYD’s other models.
Looking ahead, the new Atto 2 is expected to become one of the company’s best-sellers in our local market as it plans to increase its market share in the growing EV market. That by the way is already underway with BYD appearing in the top-10 best-selling brands list multiple times this year.
We expect the local pricing of the Atto 2 to fall under the Atto 3 Essential by a couple of thousand. The Atto 3 currently starts at $39,990.
Detailed specs and pricing of the new Atto 2 will be announced closer to the SUV’s launch in the coming months, and with approval for sale now received, that can’t be too far away.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.
