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New BYD Atto 3 2022 review


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We’ll withhold the star rating until we’ve driven longer on the roads – and more details on pricing and specs. But the Atto 3 already feels like a well-engineered product that, if introduced appropriately, could potentially give BYD a head start in the UK. We’ve been told that if you’re going to be in the market for a family EV at some point in the next 12 months, this should be on your radar.

BYD is an unknown brand to UK customers, but that is about to change as the car and battery maker ramps up car sales in Europe over the next few years. And for UK customers, it all starts before the end of the year with this Atto 3 model.

And yes, you read that right: BYD (which stands for Build Your Dreams) doesn’t even have a confirmed dealer network, but the company insists that the Atto 3s will not only be sold, but also delivered to UK buyers by the end of 2022.

A “comprehensive lineup” will be introduced in 2023 to help improve the company’s visibility (and attract fleet buyers). Even more unusual in this day and age, it is clear that there is stock available to support the new product attack; BYD makes everything from battery cells to those nasty semiconductors, so it controls its component supply more than almost any other manufacturer.

Atto 3 (it’s named after a measurement of time) doesn’t seem like a bad place to start BYD in the UK. It is a small family SUV 4.45m long; In EV that makes it 10cm longer than MG‘S ZS EV but shorter VW‘S ID.4. If you’re cross-shopping with combustion engine products, the BYD is a bit longer than it is now Nissan qashqai. It has a slightly elevated driving position of a SUVIt never reaches full off-roader status, and its styling is neat and uncomplicated, although there are some details, especially along the sides, that look similar to the flourishes of ID.3 and ID.4.

The new arrival uses BYD’s latest private EV platform, called e-Platform 3.0. This setup can support front, rear and all-wheel drive, along with up to 800V of power for ultra-fast charging. In the case of this car, however, you get a more conventional recharge rate and a single engine driving the front wheels making just 201bhp and 310Nm of torque. BYD claims there was enough jostling there, for a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds.

The battery uses BYD’s latest ‘blade’ technology – in fact long strips of cells that run from the front to the back of the vehicle, no module found on other vehicles (including the VW ID provided) ). This setup is said to save weight and space, allowing BYD to offer better range from its lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP technology) cells that would otherwise have a lower power density. a bit compared to the NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) technology you’ll find on many other cars. UK customers can only be offered with the Atto 3’s two larger batteries – 60kWh and 48kWh – offering up to 261 miles of range. A standard heat pump will also help the vehicle maintain more of this capacity in cold weather.

Charging speeds seem respectable rather than really fast, at a maximum DC speed of 88kW. BYD claims the system can use the battery from 30 to 80% capacity in 29 minutes.

A short drive around an old Dutch airport wasn’t enough to give us a conclusive view of the Atto 3’s on-road behavior – but it was enough for it to show considerable promise. For starters, the built-in electric motor unit is uniquely calibrated – especially for anyone stepping out of a conventional electric car. That means you’ll have to actually hit the gas pedal for everything to be undone; otherwise Atto 3’s progress is well judged, reasonably linear and pleasant.

So does the brake system. Adapting the energy-recovery transition to conventional discs and cushions is notoriously complicated, but well, BYD has come close to nailing it here. There’s no nasty porosity or step to speak of – though we’d rather have just one setting rather than being able to choose between two levels of left-pedal resistance.

This also applies to the steering system, which is probably the weakest link. You can choose between ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’, but, a weight difference aside, you’re still left with a setting that feels hazy and slow to respond. We’ll argue a bit more going forward, and falling somewhere between the two configurations on offer would be a definite improvement.

The rest of the chassis feels compliant – or at least, it hit a top speed of 50mph in BYD’s test layout. We suspect it might take a little more rolling if you throw the Atto 3 at an angle at higher knots, but around town and in most everyday situations you’ll see it. relaxed and calm. Only the roughest expansion joints between the concrete sections can enter the cabin.

There’s a bit of an electric motor hum when accelerating – but no worse than what you’ll find in many other front-wheel drive EVs. We were more annoyed by a large amount of wind emanating from the side mirrors; it’s noticeable at 40mph, so we expect it to be annoying at highway speeds.

Inside, you might be surprised by how neatly finished the Atto 3 is. There are soft-touch materials in many of the key areas, and while there are some fussy elements – the dashboard vents seem designed to make a statement, and there are flashes of light. of red piping on the seats and ‘guitar strings’ forming the door side pockets – the overall effect is a bit more gimmicky than that of the MG’s cabin.

There’s also a tech tour in the middle of the ribbon, with a 15.6-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system that can rotate between portrait and landscape orientation. BYD suggests that you might want to use the vertical screen for navigation and bring it to a wider layout for the music; we’re less certain that it won’t be used once (you can control it via the display or a button mounted on the handlebars) and then left in a single location afterwards.

Either way, there are strong hints from the BYD team that it will support Android and Apple connectivity, but this could be added via an over-the-air update shortly after launch. As it stands, the interface resembles that of an Android smartphone; it’s nice, but can be a bit difficult to use in a car.

This large, sharp display is one of the areas that proves the car’s Chinese origins in a good way. Western customers may find other elements, such as the Atto 3’s various musical jingle – including the chord indicator bubble sent from hell – a bit worn. It is hoped that BYD will use the upgradability of its own operating system to come up with more sophisticated, sophisticated alternatives in the near future.

It’s very roomy inside with the Atto 3’s footprint. There’s room on board for five feet six, even with a standard panoramic glass roof fitted and a very respectable 440 liter boot capacity. This capacity can be expanded to 1,338 liters when the rear seats (60/4 split) are folded down, and while the floor has a ladder, you can use the adjustable height to create a load compartment. reasonably flat but slightly smaller. .

There’s a bit of storage space underneath – ideal for cables, as there’s no space under the bonnet – but it’s disappointing to see that there isn’t even a molded plastic hook to take out to buy coffee. ri or shopping.

Model: BYD Atto 3
Price: £30,000 (estimated)
Motor/battery: 1x electronic motor, 60.48kWh
Power / Torque: 201bhp / 310Nm
Transmission process: Single-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
0-62mph: 7.3 seconds
Max speed: 99mph
Range: 261 miles (WLTP comb)
Maximum charge: 88kW DC (29 minutes for 30-80%)
On sale: Fall



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