BYD's new Atto 2 set to be the cheapest all-electric SUV in Australia, significantly undercutting rivals from Hyundai, Kia, and others.
Electric Cars
The 2026 BYD Atto 2 will not only be the Chinese brand’s most affordable electric SUV, but is expected to severely undercut rivals in the same segment to lure buyer attention.
Speaking to Drive, BYD Australia Head of Product Sajid Hasan said a starting price in the mid-30s is “a very reasonable assumption” slotting it right in between the brand’s Dolphin small hatch and Atto 3 small-to-mid-size SUV.
“It’s a small SUV segment competitor … so in terms of positioning – price-wise, size-wise, customer target – it’s going to be around there,” Hasan said.
If BYD Australia can bring in the Atto 2 – due to arrive in showrooms later this year – at the targeted price point, it would undercut rivals in the same segment such as the Chery E5 (from $39,990 before on-road costs), MG ZS EV-replacing S5 (from $40,490), Hyundai Kona Electric (from $54,000), and Kia EV3 (from $47,600).
It would also undercut rivals in the all-electric light SUV market such as the Hyundai Inster (from $39,000) and Jeep Avenger (from $49,990, but currently on sale for $40,000 drive-away).
For reference, the most affordable electric cars in Australia are currently the BYD Dolphin (from $29,990 before on-road costs) and GWM Ora ($35,990 drive-away).
When asked if price would be enough to stand the Atto 2 apart from an increasingly crowded market, Hasan pointed to BYD’s value equation stacking up more favourably for customers.
“In terms of our position and our offering, as with many of our products we have a unique proposition in that it’s not only our brand, it’s our technology,” Hasan said.
“So, LFP [lithium-iron phosphate] batteries being core to our values, and the standard [equipment] levels are very high with connectivity and advanced features, and ADAS [advanced driving assistance systems].
“I think we have a good opportunity to stand out in a segment that has many entry-level offerings, whereas our product won’t be positioned as such.”
Although BYD Australia is yet to confirm exact specification for the incoming Atto 2, it will be offered in two grades – Essential and Premium.
Both use a single electric motor to drive the wheels, outputting 130kW/290Nm, and both have a 51kWh LFP battery for a driving range rating of 401km in Chinese lab testing – keeping it competitive against its rival set.
In terms of sales performance, it is still too early to predict how popular the Atto 2 will be, and whether it can challenge the hot-selling Shark 6 ute as the best-selling BYD in Australia, but the 320-350 monthly tally in line with the Atto 3, Dolphin, and Seal is likely.
Regardless, Hasan said the Atto 2 will be an important model for BYD as it opens the electric vehicle (EV) market to a new audience not currently served by the brand.
“One our core values is the democratisation of electric vehicles and advanced technologies, and doing that by providing it at very strong value-for-money offerings,” Hasan said.
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Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
