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The latest-generation BYD Atto 3 electric SUV made its global premiere at the Beijing Auto Show in late April. It has now gone on sale in China, and the prices have moved slightly upward. Previously, the Atto 3, known as Yuan Plus in China, used to be priced in the range of 109,800 – 139,800 yuan ( Rs 15.38 lakh- Rs 19.58 lakh). The new model is priced in the range of 119,900- 149,900 (Rs 16.79 lakh- Rs 21 lakh).

Considering the amount of changes that the new e-SUV comes with including the sizable range boost and flash charging, this premium is well-justified.

The latest (third) generation Atto 3 is available in four distinct variants in China- 540km Leading, 540km Beyond, 630km Beyond and 630km Excellence. These are priced at 119,900 yuan (16600 USD or Rs 16.79 lakh), 129,900 Yuan (18000 USD or Rs 18.19 lakh), 142,900 Yuan (19800 USD or Rs 20.02 lakh) and 149,900 Yuan (20800 USD or Rs 21 lakh) respectively.

We cannot, however, expect the India prices to be so low, as CBU (Completely Built Unit) imports are taxed heavily here, making their prices shoot upward.

The new generation continues to be based on the carmaker’s ‘Dragon Face’ design philosophy. It gets a flatter front end, sleek headlights, closed-off grille, redesigned bumpers and more. The SUV also gets new wheels.

Another important detail is the roofline. The new Atto 3 looks more like a conventional SUV. The roof is now flatter and the rear end feels more upright. The previous model, if you remember, had a more coupe-ish design to its roofline. At the rear, the tail lamp cluster has been restyled and now looks more upmarket.

It has now grown significantly in size and measures 4,665 mm in length, 1,895 mm in width, and 1,675 mm in height. It now has a wheelbase of 2770mm. It is 210mm longer, 20 mm wider, and 60 mm taller than the previous model. The wheelbase has increased by 50mm. The revised proportions translate well into added cabin room and improved road presence.

Inside, the overall design and layout remain familiar. The SUV retains a large central touchscreen which has a lot of vehicle functions integrated into it. The digital instrument cluster has also been redesigned. There is now a smarter distribution of cubby holes and storage spaces.

The electric SUV also comes with features like a 256-colour ambient lighting, a panoramic glass roof, powered front seats with a massage function with a powered ottoman for the front passenger, a 16-speaker audio system, level 2 ADAS that uses LiDAR, a powered tailgate and more.

The biggest changes on the new-generation Atto 3 have happened under the skin. The new generation has made a transition into Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) format. Two battery sizes are offered on the Chinese spec- 57.5 kWh and 68.5 kWh.

The former comes mated to a 272hp electric motor and is claimed to deliver a range of 540km per charge. The 68.5 kWh unit comes with a more powerful 327hp electric motor and has a claimed range of 630 km per charge. This is, in fact, a substantial improvement over the previous model’s range figures.

More importantly, the new SUV comes with support for BYD’s flash charging technology. It is claimed to be able to charge from 10% to 97% in just 9 seconds, under ideal conditions.

BYD currently has an all-CBU portfolio in India. The previous-generation Atto 3 is already on sale here. The company will bring the new model to our shores sometime in the near future, backed by the diplomatic reset between New Delhi and Beijing.