NEW MODELS | BYD ATTO 3 is one of SA's cheapest electric cars

The Chinese automotive onslaught in South Africa has intensified with the arrival of a new contender.

Build Your Dreams (BYD) might sound like an inspirational mural for an office cubicle but the Shenzen electric automobile firm is a formidable global presence, with interests spanning from commercial vehicles to battery production.

It now hopes to establish roots in the South African market, spearheaded by the fully electric ATTO 3, which plays in the C-segment crossover arena. At an event hosted in Melrose Arch on Thursday evening, the company revealed its baby amid great fanfare; including a show by the Ama Zebra dance group and performance by singer-songwriter Azana.

Marius Roberts, former anchor of the Ignition GT show on Ignition TV, was the master of ceremonies, tackling topics like load-shedding in his typically tongue-in-cheek way.

Ironically, an outage struck and interrupted the flow of the programme, with silence as the back-up power supply kicked in. But the show went on and attendees were curious to get a close look at the ATTO 3 once the black sheet had been peeled back and the confetti had settled.

Pricing starts at R768,000 for the regular model, while the derivative with the extended range costs R835,000. This is inclusive of a five-year/100,000km maintenance plan and warranty. That places it among affordable electric vehicles such as the Ora Funky Cat, which was announced with a starting price of R716,900 last month. The Mini Cooper SE costs upwards of R745,402. 

General manager for BYD Middle East and Africa, AD Huang, broke the ice with remarks about the unexpected strength of our local wine, before expressing high hopes for the firm locally. Unfortunately none of the representatives could give confirmation of the number of dealerships planned for our market.

The product is intriguing, with a modern design that incorporates quirky elements such as a textured C-pillar said to be inspired by the scales of a dragon. With an overall length of 4,455mm, width of 1,875mm and height of 1,615mm, the ATTO 3 has a confident posture.

Slim lighting signatures, 18-inch, diamond-cut alloys and the obligatory dollop of tough black cladding gives the model a persona befitting a youthful crossover. It boasts a luggage capacity of 310l (with a space-saver spare), which opens up to 440l without the spare. Folding the rear seats creates 1,340l.

Equipment levels for both derivatives are the same, with battery size being the only distinguishing factor. The standard version employs a 49.92kWh unit and the extended range derivative uses a 60.48kWh battery.

The lithium-iron phosphate Blade Battery developed by BYD subsidiary FinDreams Battery is purported to be among the most stable and durable of its type. In regular trim, the vehicle weighs 1,680kg and the extended range model is 70kg heavier.

A 150kW/310Nm permanent magnetic synchronous motor powers the ATTO 3, with drive sent to the front axle. In the case of the standard vehicle, the firm claims a range of 345km, while the extended range offering could allow as much as 420km. These are Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) figures.

It supports AC and DC charging connecters. In addition, the vehicle can be used to power appliances via a three-point adapter, as was demonstrated with a coffee machine during the presentation.

With a ground clearance of 175mm, the ATTO 3 is certainly more road-biased, although visuals of the vehicle trekking over light dirt roads were shown. It uses a MacPherson Strut setup at the front, with a multi-link configuration at the rear and disc brakes all around.

We hope to have a proper opportunity to drive the model. For now, sitting in static display units stirred expectations. Perceived quality is good, with soft-touch materials and interesting, unconventional details. The 12.8-inch infotainment screen is able to rotate, switching between horizontal and vertical modes.

Equipment levels are generous. A panoramic sunroof, electric front seat adjustment, heated front seats, wireless smartphone charging, synthetic leather upholstery, full-LED exterior lighting and virtual assistant — say “Hey BYD” — are among standard highlights. Safety kit comprises seven airbags, a 360-view monitor, front collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

The BYD ATTO 3 looks promising on paper. But, of course, we will need to drive it and find out more about the BYD national footprint, before making a conclusive verdict.

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