MOTORS: BYD Atto is one of the most interesting electric cars
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For some people, their car can be a nightmare. But thanks to the as yet little-known Chinese maker, BYD, it can turn out to be a dream.
At least I assume that’s part of the theory behind one of the most interesting electric cars to hit the market this year.
You probably haven’t heard of BYD because it’s a recent arrival in the UK although the company was founded in 1995 and has established a reputation for technological innovation in batteries, electric motors, electronic control systems and semiconductors.
It was inevitable that it should move into making EVs and in just 20 years, it’s become one of the best-selling brands in China.
You could say its success has been a dream, which is appropriate – BYD stands for Build Your Dreams, the slogan plastered across their first model to go on sale here, the Atto 3. It has certainly given the rest of the EV market something to think about, especially with two more electric models, the Dolphin family hatchback and Seal saloon, which will be here before long.
With more than 600,000 employees covering rail transport, new energy and electronics the automotive division is committed to building no fewer than 3.5 million cars a year.
It’s the only car maker to manufacture all the key components of an electric car itself, including, crucially, the semiconductors.
So what can you expect from the Atto3, which enters the C-segment crossover SUV market competing against the likes of VW’s ID4, the Skoda Enyaq and fellow Chinese-built MG4?
First of all the price, not much short of £40,000 for the featured test model, it’s certainly not cheap but in the same range as other EVs on offer.
Outwardly, it looks substantial but it’s when you step inside that you appreciate how much work the designers have done to create something memorable and easy-on-the-eye.
In the cockpit, there are gym-inspired design touches, such as the barbell-style door handles, a kettlebell-look gear selector, and free-weight-style air vents. As a stranger to the interior of a gym I can’t vouch for their accuracy but they are distinctive and quirky.
One unique feature is the huge central touchscreen which at the touch of a button rotates from horizontal to vertical according to your preference, especially when following a map on sat-nav.
A single electric motor drives the front wheels and is powered from BYD’s own space-and-weight-saving blade battery. Its flat and elongated design adds to the structural rigidity of the specially-designed e-platform in the event of a crash.
The claimed range is 260 miles but that depends on conditions and I found that even with a full charge, I was lucky to get just 200 miles. On a damp day, the climate control fan struggled to clear the misting windows and it needed the air-con to do the job, reducing the range even more.
Prices start at £36,490 and there are just three trim levels and five paint colours but the standard specification is high with LED headlights, panoramic sunroof and electric front seats.
On the road it drives well with good balance and stability but I felt it lacked power when needed. With only me on board I found it laboured on some demanding hills and I wonder how it would cope with a full load.
The suspension and steering is light but overall it is very comfortable and easy to live with as long as you’re not looking for first-away-from-the-lights performance.
I was impressed with the time it took to recharge through one of my local 50kW chargers, going from around 30 per cent to the recommended 80 per cent in about an hour and up to 100 per cent in another half-hour, long enough for a refreshing walk and relaxing coffee.
BYD have big expansion plans but at time of writing, there’s only one dedicated dealer in Scotland, at Arnold Clark in Linwood.
BYD Atto 3 Design
ENGINE: electric permanent magnet synchronous/lithium-ion battery/front-wheel-drive
PRICE: £38,990
POWER: 201hp
TORQUE: 229 lb/ft
TOP SPEED: 100mph
0-62mph: 7.3secs
RANGE: 260 miles
