BYD Atto 2 News

It may have only been on sale in Australia for eight months but the BYD Atto 2 is already lining up for a mild facelift in parallel with comprehensive mechanical upgrade that will see  the small, pure-electric SUV switch from front- to rear-wheel drive.An overnight report from CarNewsChina has revealed partially-camouflaged pre-production examples spotted in China, with the biggest external clue to the powertrain change being inclusion of a new rear-mounted charge port.According to the report, Chinese domestic market Atto 2s (badged Yuan UP) will now be powered by 100kW and 120kW motors, down from the 130kW currently produced by Australian versions of the popular crossover. But higher outputs for export are likely, as per other BYD models.Chinese government filings show the car’s wheelbase has grown by 150mm (to 2770mm) with a significant increase in overall length (+355mm to 4665mm) and width (+65mm to 1895mm). Height is unchanged at 1675mm.And while the McPherson strut front suspension set-up remains, the rear switches from semi-independent torsion beam to a full multi-link arrangement.Externally, the car’s front bumper loses its coloured lower lip but a significant addition is a Lidar unit in the lower grille, expected to be offered as an option on the new version.BYD’s ‘DiPilot 300’ system is already available on the Dolphin and Seagull (Atto 1 in Australia) in China.But BYD’s game-changing ‘Flash Charge’ technology appears to be missing in action with Chinese versions of the updated Atto 2 to retain a conventional 400V platform, offering a choice of 42kWh and 52kWh first-generation ‘Blade’ LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery packs for claimed ranges of 410 and 505 km (CLTC), respectively.Aussie Atto 2s currently feature the larger LFP battery with a maximum DC charging rate of 82kW for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 38 minutes. Flash charging enables a recharge at up to 1500kW, taking a compatible battery from zero to 97 per cent capacity in just nine minutes’ although it’s worth noting the most powerful chargers currently in Australia are 400kW. CarsGuide has contacted BYD Australia for comment on the updated Atto 2’s development and potential arrival in the local market.

BYD’s latest model is on the cusp of landing in Australia, and it could be one of the brand’s cheapest models sold to date. A plug-in hybrid variant BYD Atto 2 small SUV has been approved for Australian sale, joining the fully-electric model already available. There is no official news on price, but we can expect it to sit under the $31,990 (before on-road costs) starting price of the cheapest electric version. This would make it the cheapest plug-in hybrid in Australia, beating the BYD Sealion 5 and Chery Tiggo 7 SHS.The fully-electric Atto 2 continues to be one of the best-selling EVs in Australia since it launched late last year.This latest move will see the Atto 2 move into competition with some of the big players of the small SUV segment. Segment leaders, the Chery Tiggo 4 and Hyundai Kona adopt petrol and plug-less hybrid set-ups, giving this new Atto 2 a point of difference.It is similarly sized to those rivals, but has potential to be offered at a cheaper price point. The Atto 2 PHEV was spotted undergoing in Sydney in late May as it edges closer to showrooms. The car will be available with a choice of two 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor set-ups, producing 122kW or 156kW.This means the base Atto 2 EV boasts more power than its PHEV sibling (130kW), with the top-grade PHEV becoming the most powerful Atto 2 in the range.BYD Australia is yet to officially confirm the Atto 2 PHEV’s arrival Down Under, but it is rare for a car to be approved for sale, then fail to make it into showrooms. There are scarce other details on the car at this stage, with more information likely to be revealed closer to the car’s impending launch. In the United Kingdom, the Atto 2 PHEV has a total driving range of nearly 1000km, with an electric-only range of 89km from its 18kWh battery. Its interior features a 12.8-inch central touchscreen and 8.8-inch digital driver display.We can expect more official details on the Australian Atto 2 PHEV towards the end of this year. 

For the first time in Australia, electric cars are outselling diesel ones in what appears to be a major turning point for the Australian market.The latest data, compiled from both the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council, shows registrations of electric cars have more than doubled year-on-year, and now account for just under 20 per cent of Australia’s new car market.This is the culmination of multiple factors, including an influx of affordable Chinese models as the country’s behemoth manufacturers seek export markets to flee tough local conditions, and Australia’s new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES) heavily incentivise lower-emissions models, either to avoid fines or rack up credits.On top of this, skyrocketing fuel prices have clearly made many Australians think twice about committing to another combustion car, and the prospect of government incentives ending further down the track as outlined in the latest federal budget has no doubt only bolstered the latest figures.Digging into the data and one thing becomes obvious - amongst the 10 best-selling EVs, all of them were built in China. In what should come as a warning to legacy automakers yet to embrace “China Speed” as part of their business model in our market, even the most successful models from Tesla and Kia are built in China.This trend looks to continue, with Mazda the next brand to introduce Chinese joint-venture models via the Mazda 6e sedan and CX-6e SUV, both of which use Changan platforms. The Japanese giant will no doubt be betting heavily on these two models to reduce its market-leading projected fine under the new NVES rules.Nissan will also begin to introduce its array of successful-in-China Dongfeng-based models in the coming years, with Suzuki, Toyota and Volkswagen potentially being left behind as they continue to source cars from more traditional manufacturing locations like Japan, Thailand and Europe.May in particular was a bumper one, not just for market leader Tesla, but also for keen newcomers Jaecoo and Geely. BYD dominates nearly half of the top-10 charts, including the Atto 2 and Atto 1, which both arrived in 2026.EV Sales May 2026The year-to-date numbers paint a slightly different, but overall familiar story, with the Model Y managing to maintain its lead over the Sealion 7.Some year-to-date surprises include Geely’s EX5 rising to third place and Jaecoo’s aggressively-priced J5 has largely captured the entry-level EV space.Zeekr has had a huge year off the back of the launch of its 7X as it keeps up with its big order bank, and Kia has managed to hold onto 9th place with its relatively popular EV5.The Tesla Model 3 is in seventh place and is the only sedan on the list.EV sales year-to-date 2026It is hard to say what this chart will look like by the end of 2026, although the complete and ongoing re-shuffle of Australia’s favourite cars looks to continue. One thing is for sure though, China has the market well and truly cornered on fully electric cars in Australia.

The electric vehicle revolution is in full swing after another standout month in Australia. There were 21,303 EVs sold in May 2026, as they continue to take hold at the expense of petrol- and diesel-powered cars. SUVs remain the dominant player in the electric segment, accounting for nine of the 10 best sellers.Tesla’s smashing May performance was headlined by 5605 sales for its Model Y SUV, cementing its position as the leading EV in Australia.The Model Y also claimed the title for the best-selling car in Australia last month.  The Jaecoo J5 EV had its best month on sale since it hit Aussie showrooms at the start of this year, selling 2126 units, up from less than 700 in April. This makes the J5 the best-selling small SUV in the country currently, even outselling its closely related and cheaper petrol sibling, the Chery Tiggo 4. The Geely EX5 also surged up the sales charts, achieving 1814 sales, while the BYD Sealion 7 experienced another bumper month, with 1538 sales. The Zeekr 7X rounds out the top five following a continued solid performance since its introduction late last year. BYD’s budget EV trio the Atto 3, Atto 2 and Atto 1 shifted more than 2000 units between them.The BYD Seal (580) is the only non-SUV on this list.Every car in the top 10 selling EVs for May is primarily built in China, with none coming from legacy brands. Some of the other EVs to miss out on a top 10 spot include the MG4 as well as Kia's EV3 and EV5 duo.Top selling electric cars May 2026

Electric vehicle sales are booming in a way they never have before in Australia. Buyer options have increased significantly in 2026, with more affordable choices also appearing more regularly. There were 15839 electric vehicle sales for March in 2026, up from 8385 compared to this time last year, representing a near 89 per cent year-on-year growth. Established SUV players such as the Tesla Model Y lead the way with 2818 sales, along with the BYD Sealion 7 (1970). There are also some new competitors climbing up the sales charts, such as the Zeekr 7X performance SUV, which managed 679 registrations for March, having launched late last year.The Tesla Model 3 sedan (667) continues to be present among the top sellers despite its prolonged downturn.The SUV trend continues as Geely’s EX5 (606) and the Kia EV5 (587) are next on the list, before BYD’s presence resumes with the Atto 2 small SUV (572). Another new EV making an early impression is the Jaecoo J5, which launched at the start of this year and achieved 569 sales last month. The BYD Atto 1 (488) and Atto 2 (466) also make the list along with the Kia EV3 (461). Hatchbacks are proving popular amongst EV buyers as well. The MG4 (451) remains among the strongest selling EVs, as does the BYD Dolphin (373). The Toyota bZ4X is also experiencing an upturn to 447 sales for March and BYD is represented again with its Seal sedan (337) to round out the top 15. Top selling electric cars Australia March 2026

BYD is facing backlash in its home market of China over its semi-autonomous driver-assistance system.The system, called God’s Eye by BYD, is touted as self-driving in the same way Tesla advertises Full Self Driving (FSD), but anecdotal evidence suggests the system is similarly not yet up to scratch for widespread use on public roads.A report by Bloomberg has outlined complaints from both high-profile and a slew of other customers of BYD who have experienced recurring malfunctions in their cars.There are three variants of God’s Eye, one using cameras and radars, one adding LiDAR to the equation, and another with a full array of sensors.In one of BYD’s luxury brand’s flagships, the Yangwang U8 SUV, a Chinese “entrepreneur” reported “the vehicle suddenly accelerating to 93 kilometers per hour” in a 60 zone, or “abruptly jerking into an adjacent lane”.The Yangwang U8 costs the equivalent of A$230,000 in China, though buyers of many BYD models are reporting similar issues on Chinese social media site Xiaohongshu.The Bloomberg report lists “steering flaws, navigational screen malfunctions and delays in features such as memory navigation in urban roads” as complaints made by buyers of BYD’s mass-market models.It’s not the only assisted-driving or semi-autonomous driving technology under scrutiny, given Tesla’s FSD is involved in numerous crash investigations, and there have even been incidents involving Ford’s similar BlueCruise system.It’s not yet clear if BYD plans to implement God’s Eye tech in Australia, but CarsGuide has contacted the brand’s local arm for comment.

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