New cheap electric car in Australia? The 2022 BYD Atto SUV will go on sale at a low price but packed with features, drawing the attention of Chinese upstart MG ZS EV.

If you live in Tasmania, the new Atto 3 is currently the cheapest all-electric car in Australia.

New Chinese electric vehicle (EV) specialist BYD has announced pricing and specifications for its first high-volume model in Australia, the relatively affordable Atto 3 small SUV, with deliveries due in July.

Known as the Yuan Plus in its native China, the Atto 3 is available in two variants, the entry-level Superior starting at $44,381.35 plus travel, and the flagship Superior Extended Range priced at $3000.

However, the Superior can be bought for $44,990 in Tasmania, which puts it on par with the outgoing pre-facelift version of its archrival, the MG ZS EV, which previously enjoyed the exclusive right to brag as the cheapest zero-emission car in Australia. .

However, it's worth noting that the ZS EV's current price of $44,990 is applied nationally, while the Superior tops out at $47,931.54 in Western Australia. For reference, the Superior Extended Range stretches from $47,990 in Tasmania to $51,313.56 in Washington.

Both the Superior and the Superior Extended Range are equipped with a 150kW/310Nm front electric motor that delivers a 100-7.3km/h time of XNUMX seconds.

The 50.1 kWh Superior battery provides 320 km of WLTP driving range, while the 60.4 kWh Superior Extended Range battery covers 420 km on a single charge.

While the Superior and Superior Extended Range currently carry the ZS EV number when it comes to power output (105 kW / 353 Nm) and range (263 km), the latter's updated model will come out mid-year with a new, supposedly more expensive standard range. (130kW/280Nm and 320km) and Long Range (150kW/280Nm and 440km).

New cheap electric car in Australia? The 2022 BYD Atto SUV will go on sale at a low price but packed with features, drawing the attention of Chinese upstart MG ZS EV.

When it comes to charging, both the Superior and Superior Extended Range support AC charging with the Type 2 plug and DC fast charging with the CCS plug, the latter capable of delivering up to 80kW.

Standard equipment on the Atto 3 includes a white paint job (gray or blue costs $700 extra), 18-inch alloy wheels, heated and power side mirrors, roof rails, a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry, and a power tailgate.

Inside: keyless start, 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system, digital radio, eight-speaker Dirac audio system, 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless smartphone charger, power passenger front seats) and two-tone faux leather upholstery .

New cheap electric car in Australia? The 2022 BYD Atto SUV will go on sale at a low price but packed with features, drawing the attention of Chinese upstart MG ZS EV.

Advanced driver assistance systems extend to autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, active rear cross traffic alert and safe exit warning, and seven airbags.

With a length of 4455 mm (with a wheelbase of 2720 mm), a width of 1875 mm and a height of 1615 mm, the boot of the Atto 3 takes up to 1330 liters with the 60/40 folding rear sofa folded down.

The Atto 3 comes with a seven-year, unlimited mileage warranty, while its battery is covered by a separate seven-year or 160,000 km warranty. Order books are now open online via EVDirect.com.au with a $US 1000 deposit required.

2022 BYD Atto Pricing Excluding Travel Expenses