2026 BYD Atto 1 Australia's first sub-$25k EV
The local arm of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) powerhouse BYD has today announced pricing for its upcoming electric Atto 1 hatch and Atto 2 small SUV, delivering on previous claims and smashing records for the cheapest electric cars in Australia.
Priced from just $23,990 before on-roads in entry-level trim, the Atto 1 Essential hatch is now the cheapest electric car in Australia by quite a margin, undercutting its BYD stablemate, the Dolphin (previously Australia’s cheapest EV from $29,990), by a considerable 20 per cent.
In the process, the Atto 1 also becomes the first all-electric car in Australia to be sold with a sub-$25,000 sticker price.
The 2026 BYD Atto 1 is powered by either a 30kWh battery pack in Essential trim, or a 43kWh unit in top-tier Premium ($27,990 before on-roads).
Outputs in the Essential and Premium are 65kW/175Nm and 115kW/220Nm respectively, with WLTP driving ranges claimed at 220km and 310km. DC charge rates grow from 65kW to 85kW between grades.
Even wearing its lean sticker price, standard inclusions in Atto 1 Essential trim notably include seven-inch and 10.1-inch displays, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, keyless entry, and a raft of autonomous safety systems. The Premium trim level adds heating and electric adjustment to front seats, a 360-degree camera, alloy wheels, and rain-sensing wipers, among other niceties.
We drove the Atto 1 (formerly known as the Seagull and even Dolphin Surf) in China earlier this year and gave our thoughts.
Buyers wanting an affordable small electric SUV can soon get into an Atto 2 in base Dynamic trim from $31,990 before on-roads – sliding in almost 15 per cent under the Chery E5 (from $36,990 before on-roads) to claim the title of Australia’s cheapest all-electric SUV.
The top-spec Premium starts at $35,990, with both variants packing a 51kWh battery that provides 345km of WLTP range, and 130kW and 290Nm of performance. Our time with the 2026 BYD Atto 2 in China earlier this year showed it to be a well sorted package.
Going on sale this month, the Atto 1 and Atto 2 form just a small part of a slew of BYD vehicles destined for Australia, with even more models recently confirmed – meaning the brand will soon have a player in every major segment of Australia’s new-car market.
