BYD Atto 3
Chinese brand has designs on the electric SUV market as its first model hits the UK On sale Now Price from £36,490
Lawrence Cheung lawrence.cheung@haymarket.com
THE ATTO 3 IS from a brand you’re unlikely to know yet. Founded in 1995 as a battery manufacturer, Chinese company BYD has since grown to build all sorts of electric products, from buses to forklifts. And now it’s here with a rival to the Kia Niro EV and MG ZS EV, hoping to make a splash in the fast-growing electric SUV market.
Officially, the Atto 3 will cover 260 miles on a full battery, trailing the Niro EV’s 285 miles and the 273 miles managed by the MG ZS EV Long Range. With a maximum charging rate of 88kW, its 60.5kWh battery can be topped up from 10-80% in about three-quarters of an hour. For reference, that’s about the same as the Niro EV’s charging time and a bit longer than the ZS EV’s.