Less than two weeks after making its Atto 1, Australia’s cheapest electric vehicle (EV), the (equal) cheapest vehicle on the market, BYD has introduced the country’s cheapest plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – undercutting itself by nearly $10,000.
Pricing for the 2027 BYD Atto 2 DM-i Essential has been locked in at $24,990 before on-road costs, taking the title of Australia’s cheapest PHEV from the larger BYD Sealion 5 Essential, which has been priced at $33,990 before on-road costs since its local launch in December 2025.
In fact, BYD now dominates the affordable PHEV market, with the Seal 6 Essential close behind at $34,990 before on-road costs. The most affordable non-BYD PHEV is currently the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid, which is available for $34,990 drive-away until September 30, 2026.
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The Atto 2 DM-i range is rounded out by the top-spec Premium, available for $29,990 before on-road costs. Both slot below the existing Atto 2 EV, priced at $31,990 or $35,990 before on-road costs, depending on the variant.
The base Essential uses a small 7.85kWh BYD ‘Blade’ lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, with a claimed EV-only WLTP range of just 39km on the WLTP test cycle.
The top-spec Premium, in contrast, gets an 18.03kWh Blade battery, providing a claimed electric-only WLTP range of 90km. Both trims use the same 72kW/122Nm 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine and 145kW/300Nm electric motor.
However, peak power figures vary between the two model grades. BYD quotes a combined output of 122kW for the Essential but 156kW for the Premium, though both have the same combined torque figure of 300Nm.
Three powertrain modes are also standard across the Atto 2 PHEV range. EV Pure Electric drives on electric power alone, HEV Series engages the petrol engine as a generator to charge the battery, and HEV Parallel combines petrol and electric power to drive the wheels in unison.
Both variants offer a peak AC charging speed of 3.3kW, but neither supports DC fast-charging. Vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality is exclusive to the top-spec Premium.
The Atto 2 DM-i Essential features cloth upholstery (instead of synthetic leather like the EV Essential), manual-only seat adjustment, a polyurethane steering wheel, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a four-speaker sound system, and rides on 16-inch alloy wheels.
The Premium, meanwhile, upgrades to synthetic leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, a synthetic leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 12.8-inch touchscreen, an eight-speaker sound system, and 17-inch alloys.
It also adds a power sunroof, roof rails, a wireless phone charger, front parking sensors, and a unique Turquoise Blue hero colour.
Both DM-i grades maintain wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, LED headlights and taillights. As with its electric counterparts, the Atto 2 DM-i is front-wheel drive only.
The Atto 2’s exterior dimensions are identical regardless of the powertrain. It measures 4330mm long, 1830mm wide, 1675mm tall, and rides on a 2620mm wheelbase.
This pricing announcement comes just nine days after the Atto 1 EV became Australia’s cheapest new car – the first time an EV has held that distinction – even if its low drive-away price is only active until December 15, 2026.
2027 BYD Atto 2 pricing:
ModelPrice before on-road costs2027 BYD Atto 2 DM-i Essential$24,9902027 BYD Atto 2 DM-i Premium$29,9902027 BYD Atto 2 EV Dynamic$31,9902027 BYD Atto 2 EV Premium$35,990
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