- New compact SUV for Europe
- Featuring BYD’s blade battery tech
BYD has revealed its most affordable SUV yet in Europe, the new Atto 2. Introduced to the public at the Brussels Motor Show, the Atto 2 is for those who want the raised ride height of an SUV but with a compact footprint and a more affordable package than the Atto 3.
The Atto 2 measures 4,310mm in length, 1,830mm in width, and is 1,675mm tall, meaning it is 145mm shorter and 45mm slimmer than the Atto 3. It has a relatively long wheelbase of 2,620mm. The boot measures 400 litres and this capacity can be increased to 1,340 litres when the split folding rear seat is lowered.
The car features BYD’s blade battery technology and it uses cell-to-body (CTB) construction. This process integrates the battery completely into the vehicle chassis, with the top cover of the pack acting as the floor for the passenger compartment. In addition, the battery uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) as a cathode material. LFP has higher levels of safety and durability compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries. It is more resistant to extreme temperatures, less sensitive to fluctuations in temperature, and can withstand more charge and discharge cycles with hardly any loss of capacity, making it durable.
The Atto 2 will be offered with a choice of two battery sizes. At launch the standard range edition will have a rated capacity of 45.1 kWh, delivering a WLTP (combined) range of 312km. Its front-mounted motor produces 130 kW. In the coming months, a larger battery version will arrive, offering more range. Full specifications on this model will be announced before the European launch of the Atto 2 in February 2025.
