BYD Australia has confirmed that the continent will be getting the BYD Atto 2 around Q4 this year. The Atto 2 will become BYD’s smallest and most affordable SUV offering in Australia, and is said to undercut other alternatives such as the Kia EV 3 and the Hyundai Kona Electric in the country.
The BYD Atto 2 is a compact electric SUV that sits between the larger Atto 3 and the smaller Dolphin in terms of size. As its name suggests, the Atto 2 draws design inspiration from its bigger Atto 3 sibling. Its headlights and taillights feature a more animated and vibrant look, while the compact crossover also shares the same BYD e-Platform 3.0 platform as both the Atto 3 and Dolphin.
The BYD Atto 2 will come in two variants in Australia, namely the Essential and Premium. Both variants will feature a two-tone interior with synthetic leather upholstery, with the Essential equipped with a 10.8-inch rotatable infotainment display, while the Premium is upgraded with a bigger 12.8-inch display.
This is paired with an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster with heads-up display, a 50-watt vented wireless charger, Bluetooth digital key, and six-speakers. Overall, it takes on a more minimalist and sleeker approach compared to the Atto 3’s bolder touches.
The BYD Atto 2 in Australia is powered by a single front-mounted motor producing 177 hp and 290 Nm of torque. It accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 160 km/h.
All variants of the Atto 2 in Australia will also utilise the same 51 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which offers a claimed range of up to 401 km based on the CLTC test cycle. While official WLTP figures have yet to be confirmed, estimates suggest a range of around 300 km.
Standard features include vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability and 65 kW DC fast charging, which enables a 30% to 80% charge in just 28 minutes.
Safety wise, the BYD Atto 2 in Australia will come with six-airbags, along with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and more. The Essential will be kitted with a reversing camera while the Premium gets a full surround-view camera.
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In Australia, the BYD Atto 2 is expected to start at around AUD35,000 (approx. RM97k). For context, the Atto 3 is priced from AUD39,990 (approx. RM110k), while the Dolphin starts at AUD29,990 (approx. RM83k). In Malaysia, the Atto 3 and Dolphin are currently priced from RM123,800 and RM100,000 respectively, on-the-road without insurance.
The BYD Atto 2 is also expected to debut in Thailand, having been previewed earlier this year at the Bangkok International Motor Show. While there’s no official word on whether it will be introduced in Malaysia, the growing popularity of BYD vehicles here makes it a development worth watching.
ALSO READ: BYD Atto 2 previewed in Thailand ahead of launch this year – will Malaysia get it?
