Product profile: The cheapest EV in Australia!

As more models hit the market, EV prices just keep going down. Up until now, the lowest cost EV has been the BYD Dolphin, but BYD have just upped the ante with the release of the Atto 1 (the international version of the Seagull) which is now by far the cheapest EV available here, and one of the cheapest cars of any type.

Available in two models, the Essential and Premium, the Atto 1 comes with a 30kWh or 43.2kWh battery respectively. The battery powers a 65kW/175Nm motor in the Essential or a beefier 115kW/220Nm unit in the Premium. Range is listed as 220km or 310km respectively, on the WLTP test cycle.

Both models feature 11kW AC charging, while DC charging provides a 10–80% charge in 30 minutes. Other features include a 5-Star safety rating, over-the-air (OTA) updates, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, and 4G connectivity with Android Auto and Apple Carplay.

The Atto 1 is BYDs smallest vehicle in Australia, measuring just 3990 x 1720 x 1590mm and weighing in at 1294kg or 1390kg respectively. Despite its diminutive size, it has space for four adult passengers and 308L of boot space. It also has a full range of ADAS and safety features, including a 5-star safety rating.