BYD Atto 3: Cars the upcoming electric SUV will rival

The Chinese automaker BYD has officially entered the Malaysian market by signing a distribution agreement with Sime Darby Motors, which will be taking care of its electric vehicles in the country. While it is confirmed that the initial lineup of the brand will include the Atto 3 SUV, the launch timeline of the EV is yet to be announced. 

Once launched, It will be competing in the entry-level full EV arena with a range of other affordable eco–friendly electric cars, including the Hyundai Kona Electric, Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, and the upcoming Ora Good Cat. In this article, we will be discussing the Atto 3 rivals in detail, but before that let’s know some basic information about the upcoming Chinese EV.

Known as the Yuan Plus in China, the Atto 3 is a C-segment SUV equipped with a front-mounted electric motor churning out a maximum power output of 204 PS and a peak torque of 310 Nm. The motor is fed by either a 49.92 kWh or 60.48 kWh Blade EV battery offering a driving range of 345 km and 420 km, respectively. Both battery variants are likely to be offered in the local market.

For charging, the Chinese electric SUV takes 10 hours when using a standard 7 kW AC charger, however, the 80 kW DC completes the 80% task only in 50 minutes. 

Dimensionally, the Atto 3 is 4,455 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, 1,615 mm tall, and spans a 2,720 mm long wheelbase. Equipment kit is likely to include an all-around LED lighting setup, 18-inch alloy wheels, 5.0-inch multi-info instrument cluster display, 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, 8-speaker Dirac sound system, automatic climate control, electronic parking brake, wireless phone charger, multi-coloured ambient lighting, keyless entry and start, powered front seats, a powered sunroof, and several advanced-driver assistance systems.

Time to shed some light on the Atto 3 competitors - 

Hyundai Kona Electric 

Hyundai Sime Darby Motors offers the Kona Electric in three variants - e-Lite, e-Plus, and e-Max, priced between RM 149,888 and RM 199,888. The Lite and Plus trims are powered by the same drivetrain setup comprising a 136 hp/395 Nm electric motor and 39.2 kWh offering a cruising range of 305 km. The top-spec Max, on the other hand, is equipped with a bigger 64 kWh battery, which lets the EV run for 484 km on a single charge, which takes 60 minutes for 80% SoC when using a 50 kW DC socket.

The Korean EV measures 4,180 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, and 1,570 mm in height and carries a wheelbase of 2,600 mm. Depending on the variant, it comes fitted with LED headlamps with DRLs, a blacked-out roof, LED tail lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel, 8.0-inch infotainment unit, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto connectivity, single-zone climate control, leather upholstery, remote start, paddle shifters, powered front seats, head-up display, and wireless charging.  

The safety pack comprises Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Leading Vehicle Departure Alert, High Beam Assist, and several other advanced systems.

Nissan Leaf

First introduced in 2019 in Malaysia, the second-gen Leaf is one of the earliest electric cars available in the local market. Available in a single trim, the Japanese Ev is priced at RM 175,800. It is powered by a 150 PS electric motor and a 40 kWh battery pack, which provides a driving range of 311 km. As for charging, the EV takes 7 hours for full charging when using a 6.6 kW home charging system. However, the 50 KW DC fast charger completes the task in just 60 minutes. 

Against the measuring tape, the Nissan EV measures 4480 mm in length, 1790 mm in width, 1540 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,690 mm. It comes loaded with boomerang-shaped LED DRLs and headlights, 17-inch alloy rims, aerodynamic underbody panels, a 7.0-inch information display, automatic air-conditioning, 5.0-inch infotainment unit, 6 airbags, and Nissan’s Safety Shield 360-degree suite. 

Renault Zoe

Renault introduced its cute Zoe electric car in the Malaysian market back in August. It is on offer in two variants - Zen R110 and Intens R135, priced at RM 163,000 and RM 175,000, respectively. The EV comes equipped with a 52-kWh battery pack offering a WLTP-claimed range of 386 - 395 km. Depending on the variant, the battery system is tied with a 110 PS/225 Nm or 135 PS/245 Nm electric motor. 

As for charging, the French EV takes 70 mins for a 0-80% state of charge with a 50 kW DC charger. However, the 7.4 kW AC outlet takes nine and a half hours for completing the 100% task.

Size-wise, the Renault Zoe is 4087 mm long, 1945 mm wide, 1562 mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 2500 mm. In terms of features, it comes packed with Pure Vision full-LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels, a 10-inch TFT instrument panel, 7.0-inch central touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, Black leather-cloth combination upholstery, automatic climate control, Electrochromic rearview mirror, reverse camera, parking sensors, four airbags, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and more.

Ora Good Cat

The upcoming BYD Atto 3 will also rival the likes of the Ora Good Cat, which is expected to hit the local market soon. The Chinese automaker GWM previewed the EV back in July. It will be on offer in four variants - Tech, Pro, Ultra, and Ultra G with an expected starting price of RM 150k. 

The lower trims are powered by a 47.8 kWh battery that offers 400 km of driving range, which takes 8 hours for a full charge from a 6.6 kW AC outlet and 46 minutes (80% SoC) with DC charging. The Ultra and Ultra G, on the other hand, takes energy from a 63.1 kWh pack that lets the EV run for 500 km. It charges fully in 10 hours with an AC outlet and 40 mins (80% Soc) when using a DC unit.

Dimensionally, the compact Good Cat is 4235 mm long, 1825 mm wide, and 1596 mm tall. The wheelbase is measured at 2,650 mm. The feature list of the EV may include LED headlights and tail lights, 17-or 18-inch wheels, a 7.0-inch driver’s instrument display, a 10.25-inch infotainment unit, faux leather seats, a Panoramic moonroof, automatic air-conditioning, smart voice assistant, connected vehicle features, and a full advanced driver assistance suite.

Which of these electric cars impresses you the most? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: Top five MPVs under RM 100,000