BYD has posted Australian sales figures for the first time, with monthly industry VFACTS data showing 845 units of the Atto 3 were counted as sold during November.
Sales of the Atto 3 only resumed in mid-November after a several-week pause related to an Australian Design Rule compliance issue – specifically around ISOFIX anchor points.
BYD’s Australian importer EVDirect told CarExpert that the year-to-date sales thus far were closer to 1000 units since some were delivered before the delivery pause, and furthermore forecasts a greater number of deliveries for December.
Overall EV sales climbed to 4457 units for the month, equal to 4.7 per cent total market share. However, this figure also represents a 6.5 per cent passenger car and SUV market share.
Assuming the 845 sales claim is accurate – VFACTS is compiled by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and claimed to be checked against registration data – the Atto 3 raced straight into number two spot on the EV charts.
It thereby also accounted for about one-in-five EVs sold.
The Tesla Model Y was far and away the dominant player with 1805 monthly deliveries, while the Model 3 claimed 391 units for November, the Volvo C40 managed 243 sales, and the Polestar 2 claimed 240 sales.
We do not currently have sales data for models sold as both ICE and EV under the same banner, but have enquired with MG about ZS EV sales – the only rival that undercuts the Atto 3 on price.
BYD Atto 3 v MG ZS EV
China’s BYD is growing at pace, expanding its footprint across Europe and into new markets such as Japan this year. It’s now widely viewed as one of the chief rivals to Tesla globally.
It just produced its three-millionth ‘new energy vehicle’ (EV or PHEV) as it scales at exponential pace and rolls into new markets across the globe.
It took the Warren Buffett-backed EV and battery supplier 13 years to sell one million NEVs, one year to hit two million, and just six months to hit three million.
Australian BYD distributor EVDirect says it plans to bring the BYD Seal sedan (a Model 3 rival) and EA1/Dolphin small hatch (potentially opening under $40,000) to market next year. This latter vehicle has already been spotted charging in Sydney wearing light camouflage.
BYD Seal 
BYD EA1 or Dolphin
The company claims it can produce up to 500 EVs for Australia each day if demand gets to that point – which seems a little way down the track…
There are further rumours of an impending BYD electric (and potentially plug-in hybrid) ute, with a camouflaged test vehicle doing the rounds on various Chinese media sites.
It has also released images of a camouflaged prototype of its upcoming off-roader, which will be sold under the new Yangwang sub-brand. The premium SUV will be launched overseas from the first quarter of 2023, with the first model reportedly wearing the R1 nameplate.
