BYD Atto 1 price and specification: Chinese city EV confirmed as Australia’s cheapest electric car
It’s official, the BYD Atto 1 is Australia’s cheapest electric vehicle and one of the cheapest vehicles of any propulsion type sold in Australia.
There are two Atto 1 models, the $23,990 plus on-road costs Essential and the $27,990 plus ORCs Premium.
The 3990mm-long Atto 1 undercuts the slightly larger BYD Dolphin city EV that starts at $29,990 plus on-road costs.
Completing a BYD triumvirate as the the cheapest BEVs sold in Australia is the brand new Atto 2 compact SUV that kicks off at $31,990 plus ORCs.
You’ll find a separate pricing story about the new BYD Atto 2 on EV Central here.
READ MORE: BYD Atto 2 plug-in hybrid revealed: 1000km PHEV lines up alongside EV to fight Hyundai Kona, MG ZS and Toyota Corolla Cross
READ MORE: 2025 BYD Sealion 8 Premium Review: It’s super-fast and handles like a sports car. Does a seven-seat family SUV really need to behave this way?
READ MORE: Baby Shark revealed! Australia-bound BYD small ute is based on plug-in Sealion 6, targets ultra-low pricing and an EV range beyond 130km
The EVs closest to the BYDs on price are the $35,990 drive-away GWM Ora city car, $36,990 plus ORCs Chery C5 compact SUV and the brand new $38,990 drive-away Leapmotor B10.
ICE vehicles that still exist in this part of the market are Australia’s cheapest car, the $19,190 (plus ORCs) Kia Picanto, the $21,990 drive-away MG3, the $23,000 (plus ORCs) Hyundai Venue and the $23,990 drive-away duo, the Chery Tiggo 4 and Mahindra XUV 3XO.
While both Atto 1s are built on the same BYD e-Platform 3.0 and share a front-wheel drive architecture, the Essential has a smaller 65kW/175kW e-motor and 30kWh battery that’s good for a 220km WLTP range.
The Premium has a 115kW/220Nm e-motor and a 43.2kWh BYD Blade battery pack good for 310km WLTP range and a nine seconds 0-100km/h time.
We’ve detailed key techncial specifications below. The Atto 1 goes on-sale in December.
BYD Australia chief operating officer Stephen Collins told EV Central expectations for the popularity of the Atto 1 were a bit murky, even though it has plenty going for it.
“I think Atto 1, Australia’s most affordable EV, entry to the range, it’s a quirky fun-to-drive [car],” he said.
“It’s hard to pick the volume because the micro segment’s pretty small when you look at it on paper.
“But look, I think, for inner metro, young people, older people, it’s really just that entry to the range. And I think it makes a statement about what we can do.
“it’s really good spec, really good tech.
“We haven’t stripped really anything out of it to get to what will be a really good price point. So I think that’s going to be exciting. Volume is hard to pick.
“I think our official numbers are 300 a month. People tell me it’ll be more. I hope it’s more …. If we can sell five or 600 then we’ll get them and we’ll deliver them no problem.
“It might appeal to some late model used car buyers that are buying a car that’s under $30,000, possibly. That’s the feedback from a few of our dealers, but time’s going to tell on that one.”
Both Atto 1s will come with a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless connection, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster and synthetic leather seat trim. The Premium updates to powered front seats.
Confirmed standard BYD Atto 1 safety equipment includes six airbags, autonomous emergency braking and adaptive and intelligent cruise control. The Premium upgrades to a 360 camera from the Essential’s reversing camera.
2026 BYD Atto 1 specifications
| BYD Atto 1 | Essential | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
| Motor type | Permanent-magnet synchronous | Permanent-magnet synchronous |
| Power / torque | 65kW / 175Nm | 115kW / 220Nm |
| Battery capacity | 30kWh Blade Battery | 43.2kWh Blade Battery |
| Driving range (WLTP) | 220km | 310km |
| 0–100 km/h | 11.1 s | 9.1 s |
| AC charging time (0–100 %) | 3.5 hours | 3.5 hours |
| DC charging time (10–80 %) | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Front suspension | MacPherson strut | MacPherson strut |
| Rear suspension | Torsion beam | Torsion beam |
| Kerb weight | 1294kg | 1390kg |
| Dimensions (L / W / H) | 3990 / 1720 / 1590mm | 3990 / 1720 / 1590mm |
| Wheelbase | 2500mm | 2500mm |
| Turning radius | 4.95m | 4.95m |
| Boot space (min / max) | 308L / 1037L | 308L / 1037L |
| Key features | e-Platform 3.0, 11kW AC charging, OTA updates, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), 4G Cloud services, DiPilot ADAS suite | e-Platform 3.0, 11kW AC charging, OTA updates, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), 4G Cloud services, DiPilot ADAS suite |
