The BYD Atto 3 was launched in South Korea last month, and it’s already received over 1,000 bookings in the first week alone, as reported by The Korea Times. The electric vehicle (EV) SUV is taking the fight to the country’s homegrown Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia EV3 in the pricing department.
The Atto 3 will also be the first car to be available to the public in the country from BYD, with deliveries to begin sometime in the middle of February. The BYD Seal sedan and Sealion 7 SUV was also previewed alongside the Atto 3, both of which should be set for launch by Q2 2025.
Additionally, BYD has worked with six dealers in South Korea to open a total of 15 showrooms and 11 service centers across South Korea.
The Atto 3 will be retailing at KRW31 million (approx. RM94k) for the Standard variant, and KRW33 million (approx. RM100k) for the Plus variant. The sticker prices undercuts its South Korean rivals, such as the Hyundai Kona EV and Kia EV3 at around KRW42 million (approx. RM128k) for both.
Differences between the two variants boils down to cosmetic and convenience features betwixt them. Regardless, they both share the same 60.48 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack with 321 km range (Korean test cycle), with a single motor on the front axle that generates 201 hp and 310 Nm.
READ: 2025 BYD Atto 3 facelift revealed in China with mild design changes
Here in Malaysia, The BYD Atto 3 is only available in one variant, namely the Extended Range, which replaced the Standard Range model last year. It still shares the same electric motor and performance numbers as the South Korean variants, except our range is quoted at 480 km (NEDC) range, and the domestic price tag is set at RM149,000.
BYD’s entry in the Republic of Korea further signifies the brand’s aggressive expansion plan throughout the global market. Here in ASEAN, the Chinese marque is set to begin operations of their USD1 billion assembly plant in Indonesia by year’s end, and a partnership has been recently formed with Grab to have 50,000 EVs on the road in Southeast Asia.
From a global standpoint, BYD has sold a record-breaking 4.2 million vehicles in 2024. Just last month, 66,336 BYD New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) were exported overseas, a record-breaking figure representing a 83% increase from January 2023, and 16% higher than December.
READ: BYD and Grab to electrify ASEAN ride-sharing by putting 50k EVs on the road
