2023 BYD Atto 3: Production of 3000 a month earmarked for rest of the year

The 2022 BYD Atto 3 has launched locally, with its first right-hand-drive vehicle unveiled to the public in Brisbane today.

BYD's importer EV Direct said 4000 orders have already been taken so far for its electric SUV, with production capacity for 3000 per month between now and Christmas.

There are, said the carmaker, 5000 currently in production and it is "lining up ships to bring as many as possible to Australia this year". At present there are said to be three ships stocked with Atto 3s on the water heading Down Under.

EV Direct's Managing Director, Luke Todd, told Wheels: "The response has been overwhelming. The sales we had early on, and the engagement with the BYD brand, has been amazing. As such, because of that increased potential here, we have brought forward production in a larger capacity."

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The Atto 3 is a front-wheel-drive compact SUV and will go into battle with its Chinese compatriot, the MG ZS EV, currently in the process of getting a facelift, range boost and significant specification improvement.

From the model's official launch, which was back in February, there have been two versions of the Atto 3 available: the 50kWh battery-equipped Atto 3, which has a base price of $44,381, and the 60kWh, which starts at $47,381. All prices are before any state-based incentives.

With a single 150kW/310Nm electric motor up front, the Atto 3 will accelerate to 100km/h in a claimed 7.3 seconds

BYD's Blade battery powers both versions. The 50kWh has a WLTP range of 320 kilometres and the 60kWh 420km, with NEDC figures coming out 20 per cent higher. Both have a longer claimed range than the MG and, if accurate, are competitive with more expensive offerings from Polestar, Volvo and Nissan.

BYD is offering a seven-year warranty for both the battery and the car and servicing is through MyCar.

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Last month, EVDirect informed customers the start of production for the 2022 BYD Atto 3 Standard Range in China had been pushed back to mid-October.

It was scheduled to launch in Australia alongside the Extended Range option. This has since been pushed back to August or September for the Extended Range, and November or December for the Standard Range.

However, the apparent delay is not as it first appeared, with Todd telling Wheels that 90 per cent of initial orders were for the Extended Range variant so production for that was increased in China. The company then spoke to local customers who were after the Standard Range to let them know and claims most were happy to switch to the higher-spec grade in order to get their car sooner – even if it meant parting with an extra $3000.

"We contacted the Standard Range customers and told them production for that variant had been pushed back because of the popularity of the Extended Range and we could offer them the same spot if they changed – more than 95 per cent opted to do so and pay a bit extra.

"A handful of people wanted to stick with the Standard Range and were happy to wait."

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EV Direct has also confirmed its Dolphin hatch and Seal sedan will both be going on sale locally for pre-order later this year, with a first half of 2023 arrival expected – albeit likely with different names. Other models are coming but have not yet been confirmed.

Todd said production numbers for both the Dolphin and Seal models would mirror that of the Atto 3, with 3000 cars being made per month with the ability to increase dependent on demand.