BYD charges around 30,000 euros for Atto 2 in first EU countries

BYD has activated the configurator for the Atto 2 in two European countries: In the Netherlands and France, it is priced at around 30,000 euros. However, there is no price for Germany or the UK yet despite the electric compact SUV launching in the next months in both countries.

The prices of the Atto 2 had been eagerly awaited, as BYD announced the Atto 2 in January as an affordable SUV for the European market. The Atto 3, with which BYD previously launched in Europe, is offered at prices starting at 37,990 euros. The Dolphin compact electric vehicle, on the other hand, is priced at 35,690 euros in the German BYD configurator – both have a 60.5 kWh battery.

As expected, BYD is now pricing the Atto 2 below this. In the Netherlands, the model with a 45 kWh battery on board starts from 31,690 euros, in France from 29,990 euros. The Atto 2 is not yet available on the German and Norwegian websites. It is also present on the UK website, but not yet in the configurator.

The Atto 2 is 4.31 metres long, 1.83 metres wide and 1.68 metres high – around five centimetres longer, but over ten centimetres higher than a VW. ID.3, to give a rough classification. BYD itself states that the Atto 2 is 14.5 centimetres shorter and 4.5 centimetres narrower than the Atto 3. The new model is intended to combine ‘characteristic SUV design features with compact dimensions’. BYD writes of a “comparatively long wheelbase of 2,620 mm in order to increase the space available in the interior.” Although the ID.3 we used as a reference is shorter, it has a wheelbase of 2.77 metres.

Like the larger Atto 3, the Atto 2 is also based on BYD’s e-Platform 3.0. However, the more modern Atto 2 is the first compact BYD model to utilise a cell-to-body (CTB) design. This means that the battery is fully integrated into the vehicle chassis – as a load-bearing component. To give a concrete example: The cover of the battery housing is also the floor of the interior. “This saves space and
ensures exceptionally high body rigidity. The CTB design is unique to BYD and a novelty in the compact SUV segment,” the press release states.

The battery pack uses BYD’s well-known blade batteries, i.e. relatively large cells with the robust LFP cell chemistry. At market launch, the Chinese manufacturer is only offering a relatively small pack with a nominal capacity of 45.1 kWh. With the 130 kW front-wheel drive, this should provide a range of 312 kilometres according to WLTP. BYD has announced that a version with a larger battery will follow ‘in the course of the year’. Further information on this will be available at the market launch of the Atto 2 in Germany, which is planned for 11 March. Until then, it is unclear how much the Atto 2 will cost and how big the larger battery will be.

The fact that there will be an additional battery option gives hope for better fast charging capability. As our driving report on the BYD Atto 2 shows, the Chinese electric car currently only manages 312 standard kilometres and can only draw power from the nearest charging station with a maximum output of 65 kW. So while the drive and driving performance with 133 kW, 7.9 seconds from 0 to 100 and a top speed of 160 kph are still upmarket, the small LFP battery built in-house in the Atto 2 currently demands concessions. Only the Leapmotor T03, the Fiat 500E and the Dacia Spring take more time at the fast-charging station.

Meanwhile, with the Atto 2, BYD is targeting a segment that is in demand in Europe. The manufacturer has opted for a more conventional design approach, with classic headlights and a black element between the front lights that is almost reminiscent of a radiator grille. Narrow LED headlights and a continuous light strip at the front are not to be found here. However, there is an LED strip at the rear, which connects the two rear lights.

For the time being, the Atto 2 is likely to be imported from China to Europe, but probably not for long. BYD plans to start production at its European plant in Hungary at the end of 2025, initially with the Atto 3 and Dolphin. The Atto 2 will then be the third model to roll off the production line in Hungary – presumably in the course of 2026. The Seagull small car is then likely to be the fourth model to be built in Hungary – although this model will probably be renamed the Dolphin Mini for Europe. At 3.90 metres, the Dolphin Mini will also be slightly larger than the Seagull from China – roughly the same length as a Renault 5.

bydauto.nl (configurator Netherlands), byd.com (configurator France)