BYD Auto Co., Ltd was established in 2003 and is a subsidiary of BYD Company Limited, a publicly listed Chinese conglomerate headquartered in Shenzhen, China. BYD Company Limited is vertically integrated and active across a number of sectors. Though BYD is not an automotive brand widely recognised in our market to date, expect brand awareness and recognition to grown rapidly, given the accelerated rise in the prominence of Chinese electric car companies globally. Interestingly, BYD pure electric buses have been prevalent in the western markets since 2013.
BYD, an acronym for ‘Build Your Dreams’ manufacturers passenger cars, buses, trucks, forklifts, electric bikes and automotive components. The company also manufactures EV batteries and is the third largest manufacturer of EV batteries in the world. In fact, the company has more than 29 years experience in battery research & development (R&D). Apart from the BYD brand, the vehicles are sold under other brand names, to include: Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang.
In relation to electric vehicles (EVs), BYD is now the largest EV manufacturer in the world. BYD ended the production of conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in 2022, to focus on the development and manufacturer of electric cars. The company currently has the following battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs):
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
Though, the all-electric BYD ATTO 3, has much to offer, it is competing in an already fiercely competitive mid-sized (C-Segment SUV) pure electric SUV segment. Unlike some of its competitors, the BYD automotive brand is little known by passenger car consumers in the UK, except, if you have spotted the brand on your local public e-bus!
The exterior styling of the BYD ATTO 3 is attractive, though not unique. However, it is the interior styling that is unique, and like Marmite, you are either going to love it or hate it! The company describes it as a ‘playful interior’. The EV has been designed by Wolfang Egger, with the European customer in mind. The interior quality is decent and the EV has much technology on offer. Some standard, some as options. The EV is available in three grades: Active, Comfort and Design.
The ATTO 3 is developed on the BYD e-Platform 3.0, an EV dedicated platform. It is the first SUV to use this ‘ultra-intelligent’, next-generation EV platform. The company claims that the platform enables an electric range exceeding 1,000 km (620 miles) via the world’s first 8-in-1 electric powertrain.
The platform also uses blade batteries, which it claims is ‘one of the world’s safest batteries’. According to the company, the Blade Battery has surpassed the Nail Penetration Test. The Ocean-X concept car also uses the same EV dedicated platform.
The ATTO 3 electric SUV has a 60.48 kWh onboard Blade EV battery, with a claimed WLTP zero-emission electric range up to 260 miles. The cobalt-free EV battery uses Lithium Iron-Phosphate (LFP). Most EVs currently available in the market use the more conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Given the size of the electric vehicle (EV), the EV battery size and electric range are appropriate. As is the case in most pure electric cars, the Blade EV battery (420 kg) in the ATTO 3 is placed on the floor of the EV, further increasing the internal cabin space. The company claims its EV battery is an industry first, incorporating a ‘direct cooling and heating system, increasing thermal efficiency by up to 20% in the winter’.
Given, BYD’s vertical integration, to include, the manufacturer of EV batteries, we would encourage the automotive manufacturer to offer electric cars with multiple EV battery size options. This further increases the appeal of the EV.
The real-world electric range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors. Expect a zero-emission e-range closer to 220 miles on a full charge. This is ample for both, city trips and motorway driving. The electric SUV incorporates a high-efficiency heat pump. For those new to electric driving, a heat pump is a ‘efficiency enhancing’ innovation i.e. helps with better electric range performance.
It is disappointing to note that pure electric ATTO 3 offers DC charging capability up to only 150 kW DC. Useful, but not class-leading. Competitors are offering faster DC charging capability. A good example is the all-electric Genesis GV60 SUV (another Chinese manufacturer). The GV60 offers DC charging up to a whopping 350 kW DC.
Having said that, the majority of the time (over 80%), electric cars are charged at home. So public DC charging, though important, is not as vital as home AC charging. According to BYD, the ATTO 3 can be charged 10% – 80% at 150 kW DC in 44 minutes.
The EV incorporates a 7 kW (single-phase) AC onboard charger as standard, with the 11 kW AC onboard charger available on the more expensive variants. However, given that most homes in the UK are powered by single-phase power supply, a 7 kW AC onboard charger is just fine.
The e-SUV can be charged 0%-100% in 9 hours and 42 minutes. At 11 kW (3-phase) EV charging, the EV can be fully charged in 6 hours and 30 minutes. We recommend a ‘topping up’ approach to electric car charging. This way, charging times are shorter! We also recommend combining an on-site PV system and battery storage, to truly leverage the benefits of zero-tailpipe emission electric driving.
The BEV has a 0.29 Cd Drag Coefficient. To put this into context, the sleek all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 6 has 0.21 Cd Drag Coefficient. Of course, the lower the aerodynamic coefficient, the higher the efficiency of the vehicle. In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive (FWD) ATTO 3 can deliver 0-62 mph in 7.3 seconds (maximum power: 204 PS (150 kW)/ Torque: 310 Nm). The top speed of the EV is 99 mph.
In terms of safety, the EV has been awarded a Five-Star Euro NCAP rating. The electric SUV has a host of standard safety features, to include: forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear collision warning, rear cross traffic alert, rear cross traffic brake, lane keep assistance, lane change assist and emergency lane keep. The company also offers more driver aids and technology.
The EV incorporates vehicle-to-load (V2L). Using the onboard bidirectional charger, V2L can be used to charge certain electric appliances, like a laptop, smartphone etc. It can also be used to charge another EV.
Other features on offer, include: a 12.8 – 15.6 inch rotatable touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, over-the-air updates, smartphone wireless charging, voice control and more. In terms of practicality, the EV offers ample headroom and legroom for passengers. However, for taller adults seated in the rear, the headroom can be limited. The EV has a 440 L boot.
Company-car drivers can take advantage of the lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-2%) tax rate, given the zero-tailpipe emissions. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet. You can lease electric vehicles at very competitive prices via e-zoomed!
The All-Electric BYD ATTO 3 SUV (credit: BYD)
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