BYD Atto 3 Evaluations — 5 Months On The Highway In Australia

The BYD Atto 3 was launched in Australia final quarter of final yr. At the moment, I spoke with Caleb Gittins, who advised me that ordering his automotive was like putting a takeaway order on-line — it was that simple. He not too long ago knowledgeable me that the automotive is due for its complimentary 5000 km service, and so I requested him what it has been like driving the Atto 3 in Australia.

Caleb’s BYD Atto 3. Picture courtesy of Caleb Gittins.

The Atto 3 is a big addition to the electrical automobile choices in Australia and is presently the best promoting non-Tesla on this nation.

Caleb tells me the service went effectively. I’m wanting ahead to understanding what must be performed for an Atto 3 at a 5000 km service go to. Simply checking the whole lot over, I suppose? The automotive was serviced by Eagers at Albion in Brisbane. Eagers additionally attended to the BYD security recall. Someway, the manufacturing unit carpeted over the anchor level for the kid seats. Though the Atto 3 has over-the-air replace functionality, Eagers wanted to put in up to date software program.

Caleb is loving the automotive. He fees at residence. He generally has to commute over 300 km to work within the rural metropolis of Toowoomba — a couple of 300 km spherical journey — however that’s not an issue within the Atto 3 with its said vary of 480 km. (Although, Caleb tells me it’s nearer to 420 km in actual life.) Toowoomba is up on the highest of the Nice Dividing Vary, however regardless of the hill climb, he nonetheless arrives residence with 25% cost left in his battery. The drive is made simpler with adaptive cruise management and lane holding enabled.

He’s wanting ahead to Android Auto popping out quickly to combine his automotive and cellphone extra carefully. BYD is within the technique of adapting its software program to go well with Android Auto.

I requested about reactions to the automotive from co-workers and buddies. He stated he will get plenty of feedback concerning the inside — it’s fairly distinctive, particularly the door handles and the banjo strings. He has given plenty of take a look at drives. Each time he parks, strangers come as much as him and ask him what it’s. He’s considering of taking off the “Construct Your Desires” that labels the automotive throughout the again. “It doesn’t imply something,” he says. After main the way in which, Caleb is now seeing just a few BYDs in his residence suburb within the north of Brisbane.

One commentator has been Caleb’s postie. “You’ve obtained two Teslas now?” he asks. (Caleb’s housemate drives a Mannequin 3.) “No. It’s a BYD.” In fact, a proof needed to observe. In addition they had put in an additional wall charger. They now have one within the storage and one exterior. “I save a whole lot of {dollars} on petrol, so I don’t thoughts spending additional for the charger. It’s extra handy,” he tells me.

Caleb’s Wallbox charger. Picture courtesy Caleb Gittins.

Caleb says he has been educating individuals and the general response is constructive. Many individuals don’t realise that it’s electrical.

Since Caleb’s housemate owns a Mannequin 3 and I do know that they focus on their automobiles, I couldn’t resist asking for a comparability. The 2 automobiles reside facet by facet. What is healthier about every? The Tesla Mannequin 3 doesn’t have a 360-degree digicam, automobile to load, a retractable sunroof, or Android Auto. Nevertheless, the Tesla has automated wipers, the automotive will be managed with an app, and it has driver profiles. Apparently, BYD has a automotive app in different nations, it simply hasn’t gotten to Australia but.

I requested concerning the BYD assist teams on Fb — pages that I exploit for analysis ceaselessly. He says he checks in often and may reply the straightforward questions for newbies. Caleb not too long ago introduced his automotive to an Association of Independent Retirees gathering to debate EVs and present the contributors some samples. I noticed that he’s greater than able to demonstrating his automotive.

Thanks for sharing, Caleb. We’ll catch up at 10,000 km maybe.

My enquiries on Fb, on the BYD dialogue web page, inspired Xingyu Qiu to share his story.

Xingyu’s BYD Atto 3. Picture courtesy Xingyu Qiu

“I’ve been an proprietor since November 2022 and have pushed over 7000 km in my BYD Atto 3.

The highest 5 pluses I’ve discovered are:

1. Comparatively quiet for the value class. Significantly better than a Tesla Mannequin 3/Y.
2. Very compliant trip on effectively sealed/paved/maintained roads.
3. Very brilliant LED headlights with good attain.
4. Availability of low auto regenerative braking on accelerator elevate off means it looks like a standard automotive. It’s additionally far smoother to function and likewise extra environment friendly than a excessive auto regenerative braking.
5. Very environment friendly drive. Sure it’s only a entrance mounted 150 kW motor, and regardless of weighing almost 2 tons, I’m managing 12.8-14 kWh/100 km and I’m a reasonably engaged driver.

BYD inside. Picture courtesy of Xingyu Qiu.

High 5 minuses:

1. Dealing with. The tyres are objectively unhealthy. Its braking efficiency is probably going one among if not the worst in its value/dimension section. I swapped out the Batman tyres ASAP, to Bridgestone Turanzas and each metric (together with quietness) has improved.
2. Suspension. On sealed/flat roads it can’t get any higher for this section of auto. As quickly as you hit repeated undulations (say, on a freeway), the dearth of management within the suspension is extraordinarily apparent. The automotive bounces up and down far more than some other compact SUV would. That is clearly tuned for low/medium velocity city environments with effectively maintained roads.
3. Headlights don’t venture broad sufficient. They may have added a hard and fast cornering mild, however it’s about 20° narrower than a CX-30 Astina/CX-5 Akera matrix LED headlights.
4. The beeps and bongs are overly delicate, particularly the lane centering help system. Resting your hand on the wheel isn’t sufficient, you want to give it energetic enter each 5–10 seconds or the automotive will suppose you’re not holding the wheel. This turns into an enormous difficulty on very straight roads the place enter is actually not required.
5. Entrance parking sensors are very poorly designed. There is just one sensor for every of the entrance corners, and none straight ahead going through. This implies solely while you get tremendous near one thing in entrance of you, does the nook sensors begin going off.”

BYD is introducing two new fashions this yr and I count on that they’ll climb the gross sales charts simply as shortly because the Atto 3 has. Similar to in China, BYD can be Tesla’s primary competitors in Australia.