First launched in China as the BYD Yuan Plus in February 2022, the compact electric crossover – known globally as the Atto 3 – has now surpassed one million units in cumulative global sales. BYD proudly shared the milestone on Weibo, marking the Atto 3 as one of the world’s most popular electric SUVs.
Named after the Yuan imperial ruling dynasty of the Middle Kingdom, the fully-electric crossover has quickly become one of BYD’s best-selling models after its launch. CarNewsChina reported that BYD sold 300,000 Atto 3s within 14 months, followed quickly by another 200,000 in the next six months.
In total, it took BYD just 1,391 days to sell one million units of the Atto 3. A key factor behind this achievement was its global reach, with the compact electric vehicle (EV) SUV offered in over 110 countries, contributing significantly to its success.
Though impressive, the Atto 3 is actually BYD’s fourth model to achieve this feat. Other models such as the BYD Song crossover (also known as Seal U in overseas markets) and Qin sedan had also recently reached the one-million-unit milestone. Meanwhile, the BYD Seagull (Dolphin Surf or Dolphin Mini) was able to achieve the one million feat in just two years.
BYD’s meteoric rise is most notable in Europe, as seen in the latest published sales data in April 2025. Not only did it rank among the top 10 most registered EV brands in the country, the Chinese carmaker even managed to outsell Tesla in the region for the first time ever, boasting a 169% year-on-year increase in sales.
Despite its success, BYD shows no signs of slowing down. New models like the Atto 2 are already entering neighbouring markets, including Australia and Thailand. Its premium sub-brands – Denza and Yangwang – are also ramping up progress, with more new models to be introduced. On top of that, BYD is even planning to go neck deep into Japan’s lightweight vehicle (Kei car) market with a model of its own.
READ MORE: BYD wants it all, even the Japanese Kei car market
The BYD Atto 3 recently received a facelift update in China, which may have contributed to a sudden spike in sales. But here in Malaysia, we are treated to the Atto 3 Ultra that is based on the pre-facelift model – albeit with a huge price discount.
The BYD Atto 3 Ultra carries a single electric motor at the front axle producing 204 hp and 310 Nm. power is supplied from a 60.48 kWh BYD Blade battery pack, translating to a range of 420 km (WLTP). Charging options include up to 88 kW for DC fast charging and up to 7 kW for AC charging.
The BYD Atto 3 Ultra can be had from RM124,500 on-the-road and without insurance. Included in the price is a six-year or 150,000 km vehicle warranty, an eight-year or 160,000 km high-voltage battery warranty, and an eight-year or 150,000 km drive unit warranty.
