Things in China are moving extremely fast, with electric vehicles (EV) getting updated as quickly as within a year, and BYD is no different. Just after receiving an update last month, another filing with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), has revealed that the BYD Atto 3 is set for a completely new facelift.
According to a report from CarNewsChina, the new BYD Atto 3 now features a more mature and composed look, marked by a neater and sharper front fascia. The front bumper sheds most of the plastic trims seen on the existing model and is flanked by large side vents, presumably to improve airflow. The wheel arch cladding is now body-coloured instead of black plastic, and the car rides on a choice of 18- or 19-inch wheels.
At the rear, a long black bar houses the taillight assembly and light bar. There is also a split third brake light integrated into the rear spoiler, which appears to pay homage to the vertically mounted split brake light on the current model, albeit in a more discreet execution.
In the filing, the new BYD Atto 3 measures 4,665 mm long, 1,895 mm wide, and 1,675 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,770 mm. Compared to the existing model, it is larger in most dimensions, being 210 mm longer, 60 mm taller, riding on a wheelbase that is 50 mm longer, but is interestingly 155 mm narrower.
Performance-wise, two rear-wheel-drive (RWD) variants have been reported: a 200 kW (272 hp) version and a more powerful 240 kW (326 hp) model. Both are said to reach a top speed of 190 km/h and will use a Lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery from BYD’s FinDreams division. No battery capacity has been disclosed yet. CarNewsChina also claimed the car could charge from 10-70% in just five minutes, though this was not mentioned in the MIIT filing. While it was never reported, there should also be an all-wheel drive (AWD) version on its way which adds another motor to the front axle for even more power.
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These details suggest that the new BYD Atto 3 could be using the company’s new 800V e-Platform 3.0 architecture, or an upgraded version, since it differs slightly from the updated model launched in the UK last month.
As expected of a Chinese car, the new BYD Atto 3 also comes with some safety upgrades by carrying even more sensors over the existing BYD God’s Eye SAE Level Two-approved advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).
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While no exact number of hardware was stated, the filing did mention that the car will feature a roof-mounted lidar as an option, along with front radar and fender-mounted cameras. For context, the standard BYD Atto 3 in China that is fitted with this system sports 12 cameras, five millimetre-wave radars, a radar unit, and 12 ultrasonic radar sensors.
CarNewsChina, citing sources in China, predicts that the facelifted BYD Atto 3 could launch there sometime in the middle of the year. While the previous facelift model hasn’t even reached our shores, perhaps we will need to wait quite a little longer to receive this model.
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