Aussie muscle-car grunt without the bowser pain? That’s what BYD is promising with the top-spec version of its updated Atto 3 EVO, which will now haul through the 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.5 seconds in its new rear-wheel drive form.

Both the Dynamic and Premium variants of the all-electric SUV have scored significant upgrades that go beyond the heavily revised exterior looks, but the latter gets the headline-grabbing goodies, including 230kW and 380Nm with a larger 74.88kWh Blade battery.

5

Or as BYD puts it, “These are the type of numbers produced by homegrown Aussie V8 muscle cars from generations gone by – but without the guzzling fuel consumption.”

The Premium also gets BYD’s e-Platform 3.0 architecture, which doubles the system voltage to 800V and paves the way for a 10 to 80 per cent recharge time of just 25 minutes using 220kW DC fast charging. Its larger battery increases range to a claimed 510km on the WLTP cycle, plus it now has a braked towing capacity of 1500kg.

Both the Premium and Dynamic get a 3.3kW vehicle-to-load (V2L), allowing owners to turn their cars into mobile power stations that can supply juice to household appliances, tools, camping gear and the like.

Meanwhile, the Dynamic retains its 400V system and 110kW DC charging capability, runs a 60.48kWh battery, feeds 150kW and 310Nm exclusively to the front rubber, and has a claimed WLTP range of 420km.

BYD calls the revisions to the cars’ interiors “the most comprehensive cabin upgrade to date” for the Atto 3, and one of the most obvious changes is the repositioning of the gear shifter, which now sits on the right of the steering column instead of on the centre console.

There’s a long list of alterations: new door panels, the size of the LCD driver’s dashboard screen swells from five to 8.8 inches, re-sculpted seats, wireless phone charging goes from 15 watts to 50, and the Premium gets dual-zone climate control and four-way power lumbar support for the driver’s pew.

While the dimensions are exactly the same as those of the outgoing model, the Atto 3 has had a complete makeover on the outside. Daytime running lights now run right across the width of the front fascia, with the LED tail lights doing the same at the rear. 

Luxurious car interior with a wide touchscreen infotainment display, stitched leather seats, and a modern steering wheel.
7

Both the Dynamic and Premium get their own versions of the 18-inch alloy wheels, and the look of the lower rear bumper is all-new. There’s also a cleaner side profile, new design for the rooftop spoiler and stronger lines around the front bumper.

BYD has cleaned up the interface on the main screen, sped up the response time to commands and retained physical buttons for more heavily used functions. The advanced driver assistance system and driver monitoring systems have been upgraded, too.

All up, the Dynamic will sell for $41,990 excluding on-road costs, with the Premium coming in at $46,990, and both come with a six-year, 150,000km warranty for the vehicle and eight years, 160,000km for the battery.