BYD Atto 2 Preview at Setia City Convention Centre On July 19 & 20

BYD Cars Malaysia is offering the public an early look at its upcoming Atto 2 compact EV SUV this weekend at Setia City Convention Centre. The two-day preview, happening on July 19 and 20, marks the model’s first public appearance in the country despite camouflaged, ahead of its official launch on July 24.

Positioned between the Dolphin and Atto 3, the Atto 2 is built on BYD’s latest e-Platform 3.0 and brings a more compact, youthful option for urban drivers. Known as the Yuan Up in China, it has also been teased in other right-hand drive markets like Thailand and Australia, but Malaysia will be the first in the region to introduce it.

While the preview event allows visitors to explore the vehicle’s design up close, key details such as interior, specifications and pricing will only be revealed after the official launch.

Based on global offerings, the Malaysian Atto 2 is expected to feature either a 45 or 51 kWh battery, both offering more than 300 KM of WLTP range. A smaller 32 kilowatt-hour version exists in China but is unlikely to be offered here due to range limitations.

The Atto 2 features a front-mounted electric motor producing 174 HP and 290 NM of torque. It accelerates from 0-100 KM/H in 7.9 secs, delivering a zippy performance ideal for daily city use.

Inside, the cabin is designed for space and practicality with 400 liters of boot space that expands to 1,340 liters when the rear seats are folded. Higher-spec variants feature larger 12.8-inch rotating infotainment screen, ambient lighting, wireless charging, heated seats and a surround-view camera.

In China, the Atto 2 is priced from around RM62,000, but due to Malaysia’s current EV pricing policy, which imposes a minimum threshold of RM100,000 for fully imported EVs, pricing here will not be so favourable. Despite this, it is expected to become BYD’s most affordable SUV offering below the Atto 3.

With no direct electric rivals currently on sale in this segment, since models like the Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona Electric are not available in our market, the Atto 2 will likely compete against ICE and hybrid models such as the Proton X50, Omoda 5 and Honda HR-V.

This gives BYD a strong opportunity to appeal to younger buyers seeking an accessible and stylish entry point into the EV space.

The Setia City showcase offers a first taste of what’s to come, but the full story unfolds on July 24. A three-day public test drive and brand experience event will follow from July 25 to 27 at Heritage Valley in Kuala Lumpur.