BYD ATTO 1 & ATTO 2 Bring EV Price Parity to Australia! – CleanTechnica

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BYD recently launched the ATTO 1 (aka Seagull/Dolphin Surf/Dolphin Mini) in Australia, starting at $23,990 AUD ($15,661 USD). This makes it the least expensive EV in Australia. Of note, that does not include on-the-road cost. When you include those taxes and fees for Sydney, the BYD ($26,532 AUD) still prices significantly less than a Toyota Yaris HEV($32,790) or Mazda 2 ICE (on sale for $28,990 AUD).

In addition, BYD also launched the ATTO 2 (aka Yuan Up/Yuan Pro) at a starting price of $31,990 AUD ($20,884 USD). Including taxes and fees, the price of this small SUV ($34,772 AUD) also falls below the smaller Toyota Yaris Cross HEV ($35,741 AUD) and slightly larger ICE CX30 ($35,990 AUD).

In addition, the BYD cars seem to be better equipped. Overall, comparable legacy ICE vehicles no longer have a price advantage in Australia. I would expect BYD to follow similar pricing strategy on its upcoming product launches. And I expect other companies to follow its lead.

EVs being priced at parity with comparable gasoline vehicles has significant implications. The price justification for buying an ICE car goes away. Not just for overall cost of ownership, but also for upfront cost. Purchase subsidies can help, but are no longer necessary. People can make purchase decisions based on what fits their needs and preferences, not just their budgets.

With the affordability barrier largely overcome, not only can mass adoption accelerate, but the market can also evolve to better meet the needs of customers. The competition can shift from focusing on price to providing better value for the money. From there, the competition then can evolve with technology to provide new capabilities and better address the specific use cases and preferences of a wide range of customers.

While these vehicles are still more expensive than in the Chinese market (although, the ATTO 1 appears to reflect the European version), the markup has declined significantly. With prices approaching the kind of parity that exists in China, we could soon see similar levels of adoption. And we could see a similar speed of technological progress in Australia.