BYD Atto3 in the test: what can the electric car from China do?

They “chirp” once the systems are up and running – generated electronically, of course. But you feel the real aha effect when driving and the electric car makes the prescribed noise. A melody that always sounds when you are traveling below 30 km/h. In the long run it’s rather annoying. Before we dream about it, we move on to more bearable noises (the trademark wind whistles throughout the house).

In the video: Atto3 sounds

We’re sitting in the Atto3, one of three electric cars that Chinese auto giant BYD started with us. BYD is internally pronounced Biweidi and stands for Build Your Dreams, also boldly written on the back of the vehicle.

In terms of stature, the Atto3 is a compact SUV and at 4.45 meters in length, it is slightly shorter than the VW ID. There is enough space in the Atto3, it sits well in the front and back, the trunk is large enough and the charging cable can be stored in an additional compartment under the trunk. Everything resolved cleanly. The interior looks surprisingly fun when you look at the cool and realistic electric car cockpit design. It features a drive mode lever like the onboard throttle, a (heavy duty) flat bottom steering wheel and door vents that blend in with the speaker. The seats are made of vegan leather and are comfortable to sit on. And to top it all off, the workmanship looks flawless.

A good solution is the small screen for the driver, which displays all the important information, and there is also a large touchscreen in the center that can be rotated. Many functions are controlled here – and some must be found first. An example of heated seats. BUT: You can also buy something for the system with a voice command (with Hi BYD) and that works just as well for seat heating.

Atto3 also surprises with its cautious advertising. We tried something similar with another Chinese car, the Nio. The fact that the school district is indicated makes sense. Atto3 also disciplines you if you’re a few kilometers per hour too fast. We excuse that he spoke of a “railway crossing” when approaching a tramway railway crossing as we still lacked local knowledge of Vienna.

The shelving solution in the doors is also very interesting. The rubber bands (red) are stretched here. Not only do they keep stored items in check, they are also good for plucking. Trials are reported here Smoke on water or Seven Nations Army get it.

How does Atto3 drive? Basically what you would expect from an electric car. With 150 kW, the BYD drives harmoniously, accelerates quickly, but you don’t get a kick in the back. Steering remains on the soft side, but you can opt for Sport mode if you want it firmer. There are two recreation settings—but the difference is marginal, and there is no single pedal characteristic. BYD specifies a range of 420 kilometers for the Atto3 and an average consumption of 15.6 kWh. We used 16.5 kWh in our test, which is good value for a 1.7 ton car.

BYD still has to improve its charging performance. With alternating current, you can charge three phases with 11 kW, but with direct current, a maximum of 88 kW is possible.

The heat pump is standard. BYD Atto3 is offered in two configurations. Comfort cost 45,000 euros, Design 47,400 euros. The Austria bundle with bottom seal, charging cable and V2L adapter is recommended. By the way, BYD offers a warranty of 48 months / 120,000 km on the vehicle and 96 months / 200,000 km on the battery.