BYD Atto 3 is expected to be launched in India during Auto Expo 2023, maximum range is up to 480 km
The EV space in India is slowly heating up with many manufacturers trying their hands out and now Chinese EV maker BYD might launch its Atto 3 electric SUV during Auto Expo 2023. Launched in China earlier this year, the Atto 3 is an interesting proposition for India.
Priced starting from around Rs. 34 lakhs in the international markets, the Atto 3 distantly competes with the Hyundai Kona, MG ZS EV, and, the latest, Tata Nexon EV Max. Though the EV looks costlier than the other 3, it makes up for the price with excellent performance.
It accelerates faster than the other 3 hitting the ton in 7.3 seconds which is the same time taken by the much more costlier Kia EV6 GT Line RWD model. Power comes from a lone PMS motor that puts out 204 HP and 310 Nm.
The EV comes with a choice of 2 battery packs – 49.92 kWh and 60.48 kWh which are not only bigger than the other 3 cars’ units but also take up higher power supply of 80 kW DC thereby fully charging in under an hour.
BYD claims a maximum range of up to 480 km. So, just a 1 hour lunch break on the way is enough to top-up the battery to 100 percent.
The Atto uses what BYD calls as ‘Blade Battery’ technology that makes the battery pack suitable for all kinds of road and weather conditions. Other than the DC fast charging option, the EV can also be charged from regular 3 pin household AC socket or a Type-2 AC charger.
The car gets LED headlamps, panoramic sunroof, 18-inch alloys, electric-assist front seats, digital instrument cluster, 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen, electric tail gate, and ambient lighting.
As far as safety features are concerned, the EV features 7 airbags, ESP, hill descent control, 360-degree camera, and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
The car further sports radar-based ADAS features namely stop-and-go, fully adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, front and rear collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, and rear cross traffic braking.
BYD might bring the Atto 3 via the CBU route at least at the start and the interesting point to note here is that, as per sources, the EV’s starting price here could be as low as Rs. 30 lakhs (ex-showroom) which is cheaper than the international base price.
But, the company might skip some crucial features for the aggressive starting price. Customers who want all the bells and whistles will have to settle with the top variants.
BYD started its Indian innings in 2017 launching electric buses in the CV segment. Later, it also extended its portfolio with the launch of the E6 EV in November 2021, again, in the CV segment targeting the fleet operators.
The Atto 3 will be BYD’s maiden car in the passenger segment. Currently, Tata Nexon EV leads the EV space with more than 60 percent market share. It’s distantly followed by MG ZS EV, Hyundai Kona, and Tata Tigor EV.