We use cookies and other technologies to understand and improve your browsing experience. By using our site, you agree to us collecting this information and to our Privacy Charter.
You’ll be sent the latest news, exclusive offers and competitions to your inbox.
Review
2026 BYD Atto 1: price, specs and release date in Australia
RACV
October 06, 2025
The new BYD Atto 1 city hatch is due to arrive before the end of 2025 as the cheapest EV in Australia. How low can BYD go and will it be worth it? Here’s everything you need to know.
BYD is preparing to shake up the electric vehicle market in Australia with the launch of the 2026 BYD Atto 1 – a compact hatchback that’s set to become the cheapest EV on the market.
Launching late this year alongside the new 2026 BYD Atto 2 – a likely contender for Australia’s cheapest electric SUV – the Atto 1 will slot in below the larger BYD Dolphin hatchback, which is currently the nation’s most affordable EV at $29,990 plus on-road costs.
Announcing its latest model plans this week, BYD Australia has vowed that the Atto 1 “will be Australia’s most affordable EV by some margin, opening the door for even more Australians to get behind the wheel of their own new energy vehicle”.
The Atto 1 will be joined early next year by two new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), the 2026 BYD Sealion 5 medium SUV and the previously announced BYD Sealion 8 seven-seat family SUV, taking the fast-growing Chinese brand’s Australian range to 10 models.
Each of these new entrants will bolster BYD’s quest to become one of the top-selling car brands in Australia, but all eyes are on the Atto 1 and its potential to spark a significant uptake in EV sales. Let’s take a closer look.
BYD Atto 2 and BYD Sealion 8 preview | 🔎 RACV car reviews video
When does the BYD Atto 1 go on sale in Australia?
Known as the Dolphin Surf in Europe and the Seagull in China, the 2026 BYD Atto 1 will be launched in Australia in November 2025. This is the same time as the previously announced 2026 BYD Atto 2 small SUV, handing the Chinese brand two new highly affordable entrants in the EV segment.
BYD has already sold more than one million units of the compact hatchback overseas and is now asking Australians to “start believing the hype” as pre-orders open for our market ahead of first deliveries in the coming months.
The all-important price attached to the 2026 BYD Atto 1 in Australia is still to be announced, but the carmaker’s promise of undercutting the bigger BYD Dolphin hatch by “some margin” points to a starting point below $25,000 before on-road costs.
As Australia’s cheapest EV today, the BYD Dolphin is currently available from $29,990 plus on-road costs ($32,698 driveaway for Victorian private buyers) for the entry-level Essential variant, rising to $36,990 plus ORCs ($39,992 driveaway) for the top-spec Premium. Other cheap electric hatchbacks include the GWM Ora (from $35,990 driveaway) and MG4 (from $37,990 driveaway).
Expect similar model grades to Dolphin for the Atto 1, with pricing set to reflect different electric motor and battery specifications, as well as equipment levels.
The BYD Atto 1 electric city car features a rotating touchscreen in the middle of the dash.
What is the range of the BYD Atto 1?
The 2026 BYD Atto 1 will be available with a front-mounted electric motor and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, with two combinations anticipated for Australia.
Using the New Zealand market as a guide, the price-leading BYD Atto 1 Essential will feature a 65kW/175Nm electric motor paired with a 30.08kWh LFP battery, enabling a 220km claimed driving range based on the WLTP standard. Overseas specs show the Atto 1 with this combo can accelerate from 0-100km/h in a lacklustre 11.1 seconds.
The NZ-spec BYD Atto 1 Premium has a more powerful 115kW/200Nm e-motor combined with a bigger 43.2kWh LFP battery, extending the range to 310km (WLTP) and reducing the 0-100km/h acceleration time to 9.1 seconds.
In terms of charging, both Atto 1 variants can handle AC charging up to 11kW with an EV home charger. With DC charging at public fast-charge stations, the Atto 1 Essential with the smaller 30.08kWh battery can handle up to 65kW DC, while the Premium model with the 43.2kWh power pack can manage 85kW DC.
With either battery, BYD says the Atto 1 can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes with a DC charger. At 11kW three-phase AC power, a full refill from 0-100% is said to be possible in 3.5 hours with the smaller battery, or five hours with the bigger one.
The BYD Atto 1 is a compact EV suited to city driving.
BYD Atto 1 will claim a driving range up to 310km (WLTP).
Digital instrument panel for the BYD Atto 1 driver.
Four seats only in the BYD Atto 1, with two across the rear.
Compact cargo area for BYD Atto 1, designed for city living.
1 of 5
BYD Atto 1 design and specification
The 2026 BYD Atto 1 is based on the carmaker’s e-Platform 3.0 architecture and is a compact five-door city car that seats only four occupants. It will be easy to manoeuvre around town, measuring 3990mm long, 1720mm wide and 1590mm tall, with a 2500mm wheelbase.
This is quite a bit shorter and narrower than the BYD Dolphin hatchback, which is 4290mm long and 1770mm wide, although the Atto 1 stands 20mm taller than the Dolphin (1570mm).
The five-seater Dolphin has a longer 2700mm wheelbase, which translates to more interior room and luggage volume, the latter at 345 litres with the rear seats upright – extending to 1310L with them folded. The Atto 1 isn’t that far behind, holding 308/1037L with the 50/50-split rear seats up/down.
Aiding practicality, BYD says the Atto 1 also features 20 storage areas throughout the cabin – from cup holders between the front seats to a cargo hold beneath the boot floor that’s ideal for charging cables.
Australian specifications are still to be finalised but expect standard equipment at the base level to include LED daytime running lights, vegan leather seat upholstery, keyless entry/start (with NFC near field communications digital key passes), air-conditioning, power mirrors, a rearview camera and rear parking sensors. See our safety and technology section below for further highlights.
The Premium model is expected to feature LED headlights (up from halogen on the Essential), 16-inch alloy wheels (upgrading from 15-inch steel rims), tinted rear windows, electric front seat adjustment (with heating), rain-sensing windscreen wipers and a 360-degree surround-view camera.
The Atto 1 will come with BYD Australia’s six-year/150,000km factory warranty for the vehicle, extending to eight years/160,000km for the high-voltage battery.
BYD EVs and PHEVs in Australia | 🔎 RACV car reviews video
What safety and technology features on BYD Atto 1?
Australian versions of the 2026 BYD Atto 1 will have dual front airbags, front side airbags and curtain airbags for the front and rear compartments, but a centre airbag between the front occupants is not expected.
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) will include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure assist and automatic headlights with high beam control. A tyre pressure monitoring system will also be offered, but don’t count on a spare wheel in the vehicle – a tyre inflation kit will be used instead.
In Europe, where the Atto 1 is known as the Dolphin Surf, the vehicle has achieved a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating based on testing conducted this year. That is likely to carry over for Australian versions under the closely related ANCAP testing regime.
Technology highlights in the Atto 1 will include a 10.1-inch rotating infotainment touchscreen, 7.0-inch digital driver’s display, voice control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and Vehicle to Load (V2L) functionality that allows for electrical appliances to be plugged into the car (up to 3.3kW).
Wireless phone charging is expected to be offered on the top-spec Premium version, but not on the base Essential.
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
