What’s this new car all about then?
Atto 1 is the baby BYD EV that’s been creating a big stir in potential export markets since it was launched in China back in 2023 (where it’s called the Seagull). It’s done okay since: in June last year it hit production of 1 million after just 27 months, which BYD claims is an “industry record”. So yeah, it’s been a while coming.
“It’s taken a few years, but there’s a very good reason for that,” says BYD New Zealand general manager Warren Willmot. “The Atto 1 you see here today is not the same model they have in China. For BYD in NZ, safety is of the utmost importance, and we’re very pleased this has got both a 5-star Euro NCAP and 5-star ANCAP rating.
"Safety doesn’t just come out of a box, nor does it develop swiftly. [Pause for pun-effect]. But we will only ever bring in cars that meet that minimum 5-star requirement.
“Some of the new products we’re bringing in this year haven’t been ANCAP tested or won’t be, but that’s because there are physically no more spots available... there are so many new brands and models coming in. But rest assured, everything we bring in meets those minimum requirements.”
Atto 1, variously known as Seagull, Dolphin Mini and Dolphin Surf in other markets, is a properly small hatchback: just 3990mm long, albeit with a long 2500mm wheelbase, made possible by the EV platform. A city car, obviously.
Embrace the weirdness by opting for a striking colour like Apricity White (it’s more beige, really) or Pine Lime.
It’s front-drive, with the choice of two battery sizes: 30kWh for the Essential (220km range) and 43kWh for the Premium (310km). Blade battery technology for both, with the single motor making 65kW/175Nm in the Essential and 115kW/220Nm in the Premium. Both are WLTP figures.
Do we need to talk about the styling? Atto 1 is short, narrow but really quite tall, the odd proportions emphasised by the upward sweep of the windowline and design strakes along the side. We love it, but we get it’s probably a matter of taste. Embrace the weirdness by opting for a striking colour like Apricity White (it’s more beige, really) or Pine Lime.
How much is it?
Price parity with petrol hatchbacks is the idea, so Atto 1 Essential opens at $29,990. The Premium asks quite a bit more in relative terms: $35,990.
The entry-level car’s a loss-leader, then? You could argue that, because it gets virtually the same (comprehensive) safety package as the Premium, with the exception of a 360-degree camera; it has a simple reversing display.
It’s a perky-feeling little thing in either powertrain guise, which tends to be the case with EVs even when the 0-100km/h times aren’t headline material.
Oddly, while both models have rear parking sensors, neither have them up front. You could argue they’re not needed on such a tiny car with a high seating position… but then it is a city car you’ll be squeezing into some tight spots.
The Premium does bring more than the uprated powertrain, though. It upsizes from 15-inch steel wheels to 16-inch alloys, and adds automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, privacy glass at the rear, reach-adjust for the steering wheel (Essential is up/down only), power adjustment for the front seats, a wireless phone charging pad and one-touch operation for the driver’s window.
Have we matured enough as a market to accept that 200km range is fine for a city-EV? If so, we’re fans of the base Atto 1 Essential.
The 43kW battery also DC-charges a bit faster than the 30kWh: 85kW versus 65kW, so total charge times are roughly the same.
By the way, white’s the only free colour; Pine Lime, Cosmos Black and Arctic Blue are $990 extra.
What’s it like to drive?
BYD NZ’s media launch for the Atto 1 was what it called an “E-venture”, with the fleet hopping the ferry from Auckland to Waiheke Island for a day of activities... that didn’t all involve driving. Not a lot of opportunity for clocking up the kilometres.
No matter: as we write this it’s the evening of the event and there’s an Atto 1 in the DRIVEN Car Guide garage that will be the subject of a couple of in-depth stories, including a full road-test review. So stay tuned.
But first impressions: it’s a perky-feeling little thing in either powertrain guise, which tends to be the case with EVs even when the 0-100km/h times aren’t headline material (11.1 seconds for the Essential, 9.1sec for the Premium).
The ride is surprisingly firm for a city car, which is also often the case with the rigid platforms of EVs: more so in the Premium than the Essential, thanks to the difference in wheels and tyres.
Otherwise it feels pretty well-sorted, with decent steering and good turn-in, the electric motor calibrated quite gently to avoid the wheel-spinning and torque-steering antics that so often come with FWD electric power.
You wouldn’t call it sporty, but you can also point the Atto 1 along a winding road quite briskly without the car feeling out of its depth. It does still feel like a fun drive; a happy little car for sure.
What’s the pick of the range?
Have we matured enough as a market to accept that 200km range is fine for a city-EV? If so, we’re fans of the base Atto 1 Essential. It has the full suite of safety and driver-assistance technology, it’s not a whole lot slower and it rides a bit better on its smaller wheels and taller-profile tyres.
Essential feels surprisingly polished and carries the headline sub-$30k price.But we suspect most will opt for the more fully featured Premium, partly because another 100km range provides a bigger security blanket.
You’re getting a nice package of extra equipment, too, and okay - if you have to deal with a lot of big hills, you might appreciate the extra grunt. The Essential does get a bit breathless on the longer climbs.
What other cars should I consider?
The only other pure-EV in the same sub-$30k price bracket is the Dongfeng Box, which is $29,990 under a special launch-price offer, but rising to $32,990 in May. Step up to $34,990 and the slightly larger GWM Ora is also in the frame.
But like we said, price parity with petrol cars is part of the BYD mission, so may we refer you to our recent feature on sub-$30k new cars, including the MG3, Mazda2, Mahindra 3XO and Suzuki Swift.
Up the budget to the $30-40k bracket and you could be looking at the likes of hybrids like the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris.
And if you’re living Island life with an older Nissan Leaf, BYD NZ's Warren Willmot has a message for you: “The reason we came to Waiheke is that it has the highest number of Nissan Leafs per capita in the world. This car should replace every single Nissan Leaf on the island.”
