Nobody in South Africa could say we’re strapped for choice when it comes to EVs. BYD is a big part of the reason why, having embraced South Africa’s electric ambitions. In June, BYD unveiled the Atto 2 — a plug-in hybrid that was also on the more affordable side. Then last week, BYD quietly confirmed a fully electric Atto 2 derivative.
It’s understandably a tad more expensive than its plug-in hybrid counterpart, but not by much. BYD’s website puts the fully electric Atto 2 at R530,000, making it the automaker’s second-cheapest EV in SA. It’s only beaten out by the Dolphin Surf, which currently demands a reasonable R342,000 price. The Atto 2 is available now.
BYD Atto 2 – Electric Boogaloo
The BYD Atto 2 has all the bits you’d expect from a proper electric car. It’s powered by a single front-mounted electric motor, supplying 130kW of power and 290Nm of torque. Put your foot down, and it’ll take 7.8 seconds, roughly, to reach the 100km/h mark. Venture onto the highway, and BYD reckons it won’t make it past 159km/h.
The battery keeping it all together is a 51.13kWh affair, providing the Atto 2 with 345km on a single charge. That’s using the WLTP cycle, so real-world use should more or less match up with BYD’s estimates. It supports 11kW AC and 65kW DC charging, supposedly allowing the Atto 2 to go from 30% to 80% in approximately 28 minutes.
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17in wheels are on offer, as is the choice of green, white, black, or grey for the Atto 2’s exterior. Open it up, and you’ll find a decent 425L-size boot, though knocking those back seats down extends that to 1,335L. The centre console is home to a 12.8in touchscreen, while a full LCD instrument panel sits behind the steering wheel.
It’s not entirely clear why BYD opted for a stealth rollout, especially when it has the R530,000 price tag to point to. Despite the influx of EVs in the country, few get to brag about a sub-R600,000 price. Perhaps a more elaborate announcement is in the works, by which point a few Saffas may already be cruising in the Atto 2 EV.
