2023 BYD Atto 3 EV Arrives in Malaysia – Up to 480 KM Range, From RM149,800!

Sime Darby Motor (SDM), under its new subsidiary Sime Darby Beyond Auto (SDBA), has officially launched the all-new BYD Atto 3 EV SUV in Malaysia. Possibly the most highly anticipated new EV to launch into our local market, the Atto 3 comes in two trim levels, and it’s set to take on the likes of GWM Ora Good Cat and Hyundai Kona Electric in the reasonably-priced EV segments.

The Atto 3 underpins BYD’s proprietary e-platform 3.0, being the first crossover SUV to be built upon it. Said dedicated EV platform houses its unique blade battery pack that requires less space compared to other conventional battery pack layout.

The difference in the Atto 3’s variants stems from the differing battery capacities and travel ranges offered in each variant. The baseline ‘Standard Range’ variant comes with a 49.9-kWh battery pack that is capable of a travel range up to 410 KM. Meanwhile, the ‘Extended Range’ variant boasts a higher capacity battery pack rated at 60.4-kWh, thus offering longer travel range of 480 KM.

As for charging, the Atto 3 supports both AC and DC charging, as well as domestic three-pin plug charging. For DC fast charging, the baseline Atto 3 Standard Range can support up to 70 kW of charging capacity, while the range-topper Extended Range spec is capable of a 80 kW fast charging capacity.

Both Atto 3 variants are primed with a front-mounted, permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. In spite of boasting different battery capacities, both also share similar power output of 203 HP and 310 NM. All in, this five-seater EV SUV is capable of completing a 0-100 KM/H sprint in about 7.3 seconds.

Moving to its looks, the Atto 3 features a rather safe yet sleek design, while boasting the typical SUV silhouette. Its front fascia comes with a pair of sharp LED headlights with adaptive functions. Aside from the roof rails, the Atto 3’s side part is also donned with a set of sporty alloy wheels – 17-inch for Standard spec and 18-inch for Extended spec – featuring a unique, propeller-style spoke design.

The rear part houses LED taillights with an elongated light bar integrated with a chrome strip that spans across the car’s width. Sitting atop said light is a chrome embossing that spells BYD's abbreviation – “Build Your Dreams”. Being a practical EV SUV, both the Atto 3 variants come standard with powered tailgates.

The Atto 3’s exterior hue comes in five flavours, ranging from Surf Blue, Ski White, Parkour Red, Boulder Grey and Forest Green.

Measuring 4,455 MM in length, the Atto 3 slots perfectly between the B-segment and C-segment SUVs. For comparison, its rival the Hyundai Kona Electric only measures 4,205 long – a good 250 MM shorter than the Atto 3.

Inside the Atto 3 lies a sleek and retro-futuristic cabin space. Dominating its front dash is the massive 12.8-inch rotatable infotainment display, fully-booted with voice assistant function, built-in sat-nav, as well as Apple Carplay and Android Auto mobile connectivity. Both front and rear passengers will get two USB ports each – one Type-C, one Type-A.

The driver gets a 5-inch digital instrument display, while multiple control buttons are mounted at the steering wheel. All five seats are finished with synthetic leather upholstery, with both front seats are power-adjustable.

Apart from wireless charging pad, the range-topping Extended spec also comes exclusively primed with an eight-speaker Dirac HD sound system, while the Standard spec comes with only six speakers in total. Other additional features included in both are automatic air cond, ambient cabin lighting, as well as keyless entry and ignition with portable card key.

Being a family-friendly EV SUV, the Atto 3 comes with a full-swing of safety features, both active and passive. Its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features are quite comprehensive, highlights include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Front and Rear Collision Warning (FCW & RCW) and many more.

Set to further expand the EV’s local market share, the baseline BYD Atto 3 Standard Range is priced at RM149,800, while the range-topping Extended Range will cost around RM167,800. For said prices, SDBA offers a six-year or 150,000 KM vehicle warranty as well as eight-year or 160,000 KM battery warranty. 

On top of that, an additional eight-year or 150,000 KM warranty is also available for the EV driving unit components such as the motor and its controller, DC assembly, high voltage electric control assembly and more.

First service will commence at either three months or 5,000 KM mark, while subsequent ‘preventive maintenance’ services are scheduled at a much longer 12-month or 20,000 KM intervals.

In conjunction with its Malaysian debut, SDBA and BYD are offering special grand launch promotions. For a limited time, customers purchasing the BYD Atto 3 will get a complimentary portable home charger and V2L extension cable, as well as free charging credit worth RM1,000. 

Folks, what do you think of the recently-debuted BYD Atto 3? Better than other Chinese EVs we’ve seen so far? Compared to its closest rivals, the recently-launched GWM Ora Good Cat comes with a lower price, starting from RM139,800 for the baseline trim with up to 400 Km range. On the other hand, the RM156,538-priced Hyundai Kona Electric is only capable of 305 KM travel range.