An electric Chinese SUV designed to conquer European customers. The Byd Atto 3 has all it takes to win over customers in the old continent thanks to qualities such as the range of 420 kilometres, lots of technology on board and a quality level similar to its European rivals. Byd, the fifth Chinese car manufacturer and first in the electrified sector, but also the world’s third largest producer of batteries, is preparing for a landing in the beautiful country which will also see the arrival of the compact Dholpin and the Seal and Han sedans.
Byd Act 3 dimensions
How long is Byd Act 3? The Chinese electric SUV declares a length of 4.46 meters, a width of 1.87 meters, a height of 1.62 meters, a wheelbase of 2.05 meters and a curb weight of 1750 kg. Stylistically, the Atto 3 is a set of lines already seen, as is increasingly the case in the C-segment SUV segment, but overall the result is pleasant. We see the hand of Wolfgang Egger, a German designer capable of designing iconic models such as the Alfa Romeo 8C in the past, capable of associating the Chinese SUV with a style designed to win over European customers starting from the generous LED projectors at the front and rear. Some perplexity on the other hand about the full-width Build Your Dreams writing (or “build your dreams” and extended version of BYD) on the tailgate. Five colors available.
Byd Act 3 Interior
Climbing aboard the Byd Atto 3 Design protagonist of the test, one is greeted by the central maxi 15.6-inch screen (12.8″ on the Active and Comfort versions) capable of rotating 90 degrees via a command on the steering wheel or via the touch screen. Added to this is a small 5-inch screen in front of the driver, replicating what has already been seen on the Volkswagen ID.3. During the first contact we appreciated the speed of use of the infotainment system and the good general quality of the interior. Equipped with Over the air technology for updates, the Atto 3 is able to increase its range of accessories without having to go to the workshop; just during the European presentation of the car, we waited about 30 minutes to complete an update that added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the on-board equipment. Curious is the choice of storage pockets on the seats, made with 3 guitar-effect taut strings
On the other hand, some doubts about the driving position and the type of seat, sporty with integrated headrest, not suitable for all sizes. The space on the second row of seats has been promoted with full marks, while the load capacity starts at 440 litres.
Byd Atto 3 autonomy, recharge and performance
Built on the e-Platform 3.0 modular platform, the Byd Atto 3 is powered by a 60.48 kW iron-lithium-phosphate battery pack capable of guaranteeing a range of 420 kilometres. Worthy of attention is the type of battery, called Blade Battery. It is a cell-to-pack accumulator, not made in modules to be assembled but in the form of blades. There is also a heat pump, present on all versions, capable of quickly bringing the coil to the correct operating temperature. Byd’s 8 in 1 electric powertrain integrates vehicle control unit, battery management system, power distribution unit, drive motor, motor controller, transmission, DC-DC and the on-board charger. This deep integration delivers 89% system efficiency. Moving on to performance, the 204 horsepower unloaded on the front axle ensures acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 160 km/h. As for recharging, the Atto 3 accepts up to 11 kW in alternating current (with 6 hours and 30 minutes for 0-100%) and up to 150 kW in direct current (29 minutes for 30-80% and 80 minutes for 0-100%).
Byd Act 3 as it goes on the road
Driven for about 50 kilometers on a mixed route between hills and highways, the Byd Atto 3 showed good general behavior and performance which confirmed what was stated in the official technical data sheet. Overall, the judgment is more than satisfactory for the first Chinese SUV to land on the old continent, thanks to the European components present such as the braking system developed by Brembo and Bosch. Among the aspects to be reviewed are the setting of the shock absorbers, devoted more (if not excessively) to comfort, and the noise level during motorway journeys. Under Adas, Atto 3 reaches the second level (on the SAE scale from 0 to 5).