The BYD Atto Three was launched in Australia final quarter of final yr. At the moment, I spoke with Caleb Gittins, who informed me that ordering his car was like placing a takeaway order online — it was that straightforward. He lately knowledgeable me that the automobile is due for its complimentary 5000 km service, and so I requested him what it has been like driving the Atto Three in Australia.
Caleb’s BYD Atto 3. Picture courtesy of Caleb Gittins.
The Atto Three is a major addition to the electrical car choices in Australia and is at the moment the very best promoting non-Tesla on this nation.
Caleb tells me the service went nicely. I’m trying ahead to understanding what must be carried out for an Atto Three at a 5000 km service go to. Simply checking every part over, I suppose? The automobile was serviced by Eagers at Albion in Brisbane. Eagers additionally attended to the BYD security recall. By some means, the manufacturing unit carpeted over the anchor level for the kid seats. Though the Atto Three has over-the-air replace functionality, Eagers wanted to put in up to date software program.
Caleb is loving the automobile. He fees at house. He typically has to commute over 300 km to work within the rural metropolis of Toowoomba — a few 300 km spherical journey — however that’s not an issue within the Atto Three 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 house with 25% cost left in his battery. The drive is made simpler with adaptive cruise management and lane preserving enabled.
He’s trying ahead to Android Auto popping out quickly to combine his automobile and telephone extra carefully. BYD is within the means of adapting its software program to go well with Android Auto.
I requested about reactions to the automobile from co-workers and associates. He stated he will get a variety of feedback concerning the inside — it’s fairly distinctive, particularly the door handles and the banjo strings. He has given a variety of take a look at drives. Every time he parks, strangers come as much as him and ask him what it’s. He’s pondering of taking off the “Construct Your Desires” that labels the automobile throughout the again. “It doesn’t imply something,” he says. After main the best way, Caleb is now seeing a couple of BYDs in his house suburb within the north of Brisbane.
One commentator has been Caleb’s postie. “You’ve acquired two Teslas now?” he asks. (Caleb’s housemate drives a Mannequin 3.) “No. It’s a BYD.” In fact, a proof needed to observe. Additionally they had put in an additional wall charger. They now have one within the storage and one outdoors. “I save tons of 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 folks and the general response is optimistic. Many individuals don’t realise that it’s electrical.
Since Caleb’s housemate owns a Mannequin Three and I do know that they focus on their vehicles, I couldn’t resist asking for a comparability. The 2 vehicles reside aspect by aspect. What is healthier about every? The Tesla Mannequin Three doesn’t have a 360-degree digicam, car to load, a retractable sunroof, or Android Auto. Nevertheless, the Tesla has computerized wipers, the automobile may be managed with an app, and it has driver profiles. Apparently, BYD has a automobile app in different nations, it simply hasn’t gotten to Australia but.
I requested concerning the BYD help teams on Fb — pages that I exploit for analysis often. He says he checks in sometimes and may reply the straightforward questions for newbies. Caleb lately introduced his automobile 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 automobile.
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:
- Comparatively quiet for the worth class. A lot better than a Tesla Mannequin 3/Y.
- Very compliant experience on nicely sealed/paved/maintained roads.
- Very vibrant LED headlights with good attain.
- Availability of low auto regenerative braking on accelerator elevate off means it looks like a standard automobile. It’s additionally far smoother to function and in addition extra environment friendly than a excessive auto regenerative braking.
- Very environment friendly drive. Sure it is just 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.
Prime 5 minuses:
- Dealing with. The tyres are objectively unhealthy. Its braking efficiency is probably going considered one of if not the worst in its worth/measurement section. I swapped out the Batman tyres ASAP, to Bridgestone Turanzas and each metric (together with quietness) has improved.
- 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 automobile bounces up and down far more than some other compact SUV would. That is clearly tuned for low/medium pace city environments with nicely maintained roads.
- Headlights don’t challenge vast 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.
- The beeps and bongs are overly delicate, particularly the lane centering help system. Resting your hand on the wheel shouldn’t be sufficient, that you must give it lively enter each 5–10 seconds or the automobile 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.
- Entrance parking sensors are very poorly designed. There is just one sensor for every of the entrance corners, and none immediately ahead going through. This implies solely if 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 sales charts simply as rapidly because the Atto Three has. Identical to in China, BYD will probably be Tesla’s principal competitors in Australia.
