Hundreds of BYD Atto 3 EVs for SIXT Australian rental fleet

The Australian outpost of car rental giant SIXT will buy at least 500 BYD Atto 3 electric SUVs over the next 12 months, it said today, with free public charging thrown in.

The first BYDs available for hire through SIXT will arrive from mid-2023, to offer customers “an EV experience at an affordable price point”.

This is on brand for SIXT’s Australian outpost, which says it plans to operate the largest and most wide-ranging EV fleet for hire in the country.

It currently offers the MG ZS EV, Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai Kona, and BMW iX3.

The German company’s Australian operation opened in December 2021, run on a franchisee basis by the NRMA – which has its own charging network and furthermore owns a stake in Chargefox alongside its fellow State motoring clubs.

SIXT says it plans to convert half its 16,000-strong nationwide rental fleet to electric “in the coming years”.

“The BYD Atto 3 is an exclusive offering with SIXT for anyone looking to rent one in Australia. They offer an uncompromising EV experience with a 400km manufacturer advertised charge range,” said SIXT Australia CEO Matthew Beattie.

“Customers who hire any EV from SIXT can take advantage of complimentary charging with NRMA’s EV fast-charging network and the National Chargefox network throughout their hire period,” he added.

Australia’s car rental providers are pivoting to EVs in a big way, with Hertz running Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3 models here. Europcar’s local arm also rents out EVs such as the MG ZS.

MORE: Australia’s biggest public EV charger network changes hands MORE: Hertz adding Polestar 2 to Australian fleets