About the BYD Atto 3 EV
A D purchased this BYD Atto 3 EV new for $54,000 (including all on-road costs). A D would buy this car again because: “Parking and turning in tight spots is a breeze because of multiple cameras, especially the birds-eye view one.
The interior is a bit funky, with lots of colours and strings in the doors, but it also makes the car unique. “
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
Having mostly driven it on sealed country roads, I think this not the Atto 3’s ideal environment. The range of 480km (I bought extended range) is closer to 320km when driving for several hours on a highway.
It turns a 3.5 hour trip one way to Horsham (300km from Melbourne CBD) into a four-hour trip, as you need to charge in Ballarat to be sure of the battery making it all the way.
Going no faster than 90km/h improves the economy, but that adds even more time to the trip and you clearly stand out on the highways where 110km/h is the speed limit.
Having come from a car with 2008 technology, I’ve found the Atto 3 has made me a better driver through the lane-assist and display showing when I’m over the speed limit.
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
I am generally very happy with the Atto 3, having made a last-minute decision to buy it instead of a Corolla Cross Hybrid.
My last car served me for 15 years, and I can see this one lasting just as long and eventually being a return on investment.
How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?
Being a recent acquisition, I am yet to use any support from BYD, but there is a free three month service, and my insurance involves free towing of the car to the nearest electric car charging station within 200 kilometres of the site where you run out of battery.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
The price was good. The interior is a bit funky, with lots of colours and strings in the doors, but it also makes the car unique and you can change the colour of the lights.
There is also card entry instead of keys, where you tap the card on the driver-side mirror to enter.
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
For highway driving, I got 10 cents/kilometre out of my previous small diesel car, the Atto3 gets 18 cents per km with fast DC charging, and 6 cents per km for slow home charging.
I haven t done enough city (stop start) driving yet to know my city consumption figures.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
Having come from a car with 2008 technology, I’ve found the Atto 3 has made me a better driver through the lane-assist and display showing when I’m over the speed limit. There is also card entry instead of keys, where you tap the card on the driver-side mirror to enter.
The touchscreen and CarPlay for the phone have also helped me keep my eyes on the road more often.
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
Again, this section I have to fill out using the comparison of my previous car.
I am noticing much less turbo lag given this is electric, and much better handling in the Atto 3. The seat warmers are also great, and have three different settings.
Do you have any additional comments about your car?
The transition from a fuel car to an EV is pretty seamless. It’s just a matter of adjusting to going to fast electric car charge stations instead of service stations, and remembering to plug the car in when you get home.