BYD Atto 2 News

Why EVs are a smarter option than they get credit for

Timing is key.

BYD is plotting hybrid versions of its latest small electric cars - but here's why they might not make it to Australia.

BYD expects its hybrid seven-seat Sealion 8 will be its next segment-dominating offering.

BYD plots podium finish in Australia - but how will it get there?

BYD has announced a new power option for its new Atto 2, which will arrive as an EV in Australia this year.

BYD locks in details for its next segment-shaking electric SUV.

BYD’s aggressive growth strategy is set to ramp up considerably before the end of the year with confirmation of four new models to launch.The four new models are no huge surprise with CarsGuide reporting earlier this year the likely arrival of each of them.The biggest news in BYD’s confirmation is the Atto 1, which is better known as the Seagull in China and the Dolphin Surf in the UK.This fully electric light hatchback will be the cheapest EV in Australia, according to BYD Australia COO Stephen Collins.“When it comes to the Atto range, start believing the hype,” he said.“The Atto 1 will be Australia’s most affordable EV by some margin, opening the door for even more Australians to get behind the wheel of their own new energy vehicle.“As we’ve seen with those incredible sales numbers overseas, we expect really strong pre-order interest locally.”BYD already has bragging rights as offering the cheapest EV on sale in Australia with the entry grade Dolphin Essential from $29,990 before on-road costs. The GWM Ora is the second cheapest at $35,990 drive-away.That means the Atto 1 will likely come in at around $25,000 before on-roads.BYD is yet to confirm full specification, powertrain details or pricing, but expect that information to be revealed closer to each model’s respective launch.The version of the Atto 1 that's coming to Australia is expected to be more closely related to the European and UK-spec Dolphin Surf as it more closely aligns with Australian Design Rules (ADR) compared with the China-market Seagull.The Atto 1 will launch in November alongside the larger Atto 2 electric small SUV. The Atto 2 model will compete directly with the MG S5, Chery E5, Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona Electric, but it is expected to undercut the price of the Kia and Hyundai.Further up the model range, BYD will add to its family SUV stable that already includes the Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and the Sealion 7 EV, with the Sealion 5 and 8 PHEVs.The Sealion 5 is a five-seat mid-size SUV and at 4735mm long, 1860mm wide and 1710mm tall, it’s longer, has a longer wheelbase, but is shorter and lower than a Mitsubishi Outlander.In China, the Sealion 5 is powered by BYD’s 'DM-i' (dual mode - intelligent) plug-in hybrid set-up which combines a 74kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 120kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. It uses an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) driving the front wheels. Depending on the battery size it offers up to 115km of electric driving range.The Sealion 8 is larger than the 5 and it comes standard with seven seats, making it BYD’s first three-row model in Australia. This is also a plug-in hybrid model and it will sit above the Sealion 6 and 7 in the expanding line-up.It will likely compete with other seven-seaters like the Chery Tiggo 8, Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-80 PHEVs.Timing for the Sealion 5 and 8 is not locked in but if it's not before the end of 2025 it will be early 2026.The BYD new model bonanza follows last week’s official confirmation that BYD’s premium Denza brand will launch before the end of the year. Denza - a Lexus and Genesis rival - will launch with the B5 and B8 premium plug-in hybrid off-roaders. In China these models fall under the Fanchengbao brand.Denza will eventually source models for Australia like the D9 people mover, N9 upper-large SUV and Z9 GT four-door coupe from the Denza stable, but it will also cherry pick from Fanchengbao and BYD’s upper premium brand, Yangwang. The latter includes the wild U8 off-roader and the potent U9 electric supercar, known for its ‘jump’ function.

The BYD Atto 2 is almost ready to hit the showroom floor.

Three years ago almost nobody in Australia had even heard of BYD, but now the Chinese manufacturer is a top-five brand here, outselling big names Aussies used to flock to like Honda, Nissan and Subaru. All that now stands in its way is Toyota, Ford, Mazda, Kia and Hyundai. And all BYD has to do is add four new models to its range and it could leave those holdouts in its dust. But not just any models - these models.Rapid just doesn’t describe well enough just how fast BYD has grown in Australia. To go from zero sales in 2021 before it had arrived to selling 32,839 cars so far just in the first eight months of this year is overwhelming. Well, it has been for brands such as Nissan, Honda and Subaru, who haven’t sold more than 30,000. Even the big Europeans like Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW and Audi haven’t sold more than 20,000 this year. Hyundai doesn’t exactly have a comfortable lead either with 51,957 sales year to date, and neither does Kia with 55,554. Mazda might think it's safe with 63,208, but really only Toyota doesn’t have to panic yet with 163,491 until the start of September.Three or possibly four new models for BYD will easily reach 60,000 sales for the same period, catching Kia and Hyundai and possibly overtaking Mazda, too. But not just any models will do this, only the right ones will, but it's easy to see what they are from the sales data.Looking at the latest sales data from the first eight months of the year, it is clear what models BYD needs and it’s not more mid-sized SUVs, the brand has this covered with the Sealion 6 and Sealion 7, with the possibility of the Sealion 5 coming, too. BYD also has the big-selling Shark 6 4x4 ute. Having popular mid-sized SUVs and a ute are key ingredients for success in Australia as these are the largest-selling segments. Toyota is the king of this recipe with its HiLux ute and RAV4 SUV, and it’s why Kia has just launched its Tasman pick-up to help the Sportage SUV with the heavy lifting. But Toyota and Kia don’t just rely on these cars to succeed. BYD has such momentum and the attention of Australians now that if it places a model to rival Toyota and Kia in other key segments, it will gain ground. And it can absolutely do this - not only is the company financially secure, it has an excellent supply chain and production process, plus it has the models already made. First, and everybody can see this, BYD needs a large, off-road SUV, something that will rival the Toyota Prado. If BYD is able to make that happen, it could gain up to 20,000 sales a year. These are all very conservative numbers too, the potential for much bigger sales is there.After all, have you seen how many BYD Shark 6 utes are getting around with canopies? Stylish ones that make this hybrid 4x4 pick-up look like an SUV, similar to a Ford Everest or Toyota MU-X. Can you see where we’re going here? Yep, it’s going to happen. BYD’s answer to the Prado is its Denza B5. The B5 is a ladder-on-frame, large, off-road SUV that’s also a plug-in hybrid with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and two electric motors producing a combined 505kW and 760Nm. That’s slated to arrive late this year or early 2026, albeit marketed under a separate Denza brand that is owned by BYD.Next is a small SUV. BYD has the Atto 3 but at 4.5m long, it's almost classed as a 'small' mid-sized SUV. So something smaller to rival the Hyundai Kona or Mazda CX-30 is needed. We won’t have to wait long because by the end of this year the BYD Atto 2 electric SUV will launch in Australia. At 4.3m long, the Atto 2 is the size of a Kona. A smaller SUV like this could bring in 15,000 extra sales for BYD each year.Finally, BYD needs to bring a light SUV here the size of Toyota's Yaris Cross - but fully electric like Hyundai’s Inster. Again, BYD already has this - it’s the Atto 1. BYD doesn’t plan to bring the tiny SUV here. If it does, it could pick up another 5000 sales a year.Essentially, though, BYD needs the large, off-road Prado rival and the small Kona rival to start really worrying the brands currently ahead of it in the sales charts, and these models - the Denza B5 and Atto 2 are coming. It’ll be interesting to see what BYD’s year-to-date sales are this time in 2026 - 50,000? Very likely, at least, this by the looks of it.