BYD's Atto 1 hatch now undercuts every other new car in Australia

The cheapest version of BYD's smallest electric car has received a steep price cut in Australia. The Atto 1 Essential now starts at AU$19,990 drive-away under a promotion scheduled to run until December 15, 2026 unless extended, down from a previous AU$23,990 list price before on-road costs — roughly AU$26,993 drive-away for a Sydney buyer. That places the little EV on par with the petrol MG 3 Vibe's current offer, and both sit below the Kia Picanto Sport manual once that car's on-road costs are added.

The Essential keeps its 30kWh LFP battery, a 65kW/175Nm front-mounted motor, 220km of WLTP range and 65kW DC fast charging. Standard equipment includes a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, leatherette upholstery and a full suite of driver assists such as adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist. The better-equipped Atto 1 Premium continues at AU$27,990 before on-roads with a larger battery and a stronger motor.

The budget EV segment is crowding quickly: the Geely EX2 starts at AU$26,490 before on-roads, the MG 4 EV Urban and GAC Aion UT both launched at AU$31,990 drive-away (the MG is currently AU$29,990), and Chery's Q hatch is due in 2027. BYD has delivered 3,838 Atto 1s locally so far this year, though the pricier Atto 2 small SUV outsells it by more than two to one.

The pricing move comes amid rapid expansion. BYD ranks second in the Australian year-to-date sales chart behind only Toyota, and over the past 12 months it has added the Atto 1, Atto 2 and the Sealion 5, Seal 6 and Sealion 8 plug-in hybrids, with an Atto 2 PHEV and the M9 people mover due next month. The brand says it has opened roughly one new sales and service centre per week since last October, with a focus on regional areas, and plans more than 150 dealerships nationwide by the end of 2027.