An announcement regarding the Atto 2 could be made soon. Should approval be given, expect it to arrive in 2026.
BYD has released an official teaser image of the Atto 2 DM-i due in Europe later this month.
What is it?
The Atto 2’s DM-i nomenclature refers to BYD’s Dual Mode-intelligent system, otherwise known as a plug-in hybrid.
Accordingly, the Atto DM-i will have a combined range of more than 1 000 km with the electrical system and combustion engine taking into account, plus an EV-only range of 90 km.
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For the moment, no other details pertaining to the DM-i setup is known.
Set to be based on BYD’s Platform 3.0 architecture, the Atto 2, in EV guise, offers either a 51.3-kWh or 64.8-kWh Blade battery pack. It develops up to 150 kW in its most powerful guise.
The claimed range for the latter is reported to be 345km.
Coming to South Africa?
Likely to take aim at the hybrid versions of the Chery Tiggo Cross and Toyota Corolla Cross, the Atto 2, both in EV and DM-i guises, hasn’t yet been confirmed for South Africa.
With the arrival of the plug-in hybrid Sealion 5 later this month, though, expect more details about the Atto 2 to emerge soon.
If subsequently approved, it will be positioned below the Dolphin and above the newly launched Dolphin Surf. It could become the most affordable plug-in hybrid in South Africa.
For reference, pricing for the latter ends at R389 900 and starts at R539 900 for the former.
By comparison, the Sealion 5 is expected to slot in between the Dolphin and Sealion 6. The most expensive version of the former sells for R599 900 and the entry-level latter at R639 900.
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