BYD’s Atto 2 DM-i priced from $34,990, NZ’s cheapest plug-in hybrid

BYD has priced the Atto 2 DM-i for New Zealand at $34,990 plus on-road costs, making the compact SUV the cheapest plug-in hybrid on sale in New Zealand, and $6,000 cheaper than its own all-electric sibling.

The pricing lands two days after the model’s existence here was revealed by a cargo manifest, named among BYD’s record 2,750-vehicle shipment arriving at the end of this month as the “never-before-seen Atto 2 DM-i”.

Two grades are offered. The $34,990 Essential pairs a 7.85kWh Blade battery with 40km of WLTP electric range, while the $42,990 Premium carries an 18.03kWh pack good for 90km, enough to make most commutes petrol-free, with a combined range of 1,000km.

“The arrival of the Atto 2 DM-i is another important step in breaking down the barriers to electrification for New Zealanders,” says BYD Auto NZ general manager Warren Willmot, describing the pricing as putting it “well within reach of everyday New Zealand families”.

Both use the same drivetrain: a 1.5-litre Xiaoyun petrol engine and front electric motor producing a combined 145kW and 300Nm through the front wheels. With the battery depleted, fuel use is rated at 5.1L/100km. The lighter Essential is quicker to 100km/h, at 7.8 seconds against the Premium’s 8.9.

Charging is AC only, at 3.3kW through a Type 2 port. There is no DC fast charging. An overnight plug-in fills either battery easily, but topping up the Premium’s 18kWh mid-journey means hours, not minutes. Vehicle-to-load is standard on both.

Every Atto 2 DM-i gets the full BYD driver assistance suite, a 360-degree camera on the Premium, LED lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and V2L. The Premium adds a 12.8-inch rotating screen in place of the Essential’s 10.1-inch unit, imitation leather, heated front seats, a panoramic glass roof and a 50W wireless charger. Five colours are offered, including a new Turquoise Blue and Sailor Blue; Ski White is the no-cost option, with the rest at $990.

The price ladder problem it creates

The DM-i lands $6,000 below the electric Atto 2 Dynamic at $40,990, and the $42,990 Premium sits $3,000 below the electric Atto 2 Premium while carrying twice the equipment argument. It also takes the cheapest plug-in hybrid title outright. The vehicles previously sharing that ground, the Forthing Taikon Super Hybrid and BYD’s own Sealion 5, both sit around $39,990, so the DM-i undercuts them by $5,000, displacing the Sealion 5 as the brand’s own entry point to plugging in.

For a buyer weighing the week’s arrivals: $32,990 buys a Geely EX2 with 345km of electric range, $34,990 buys this with 40km of electric range and no range anxiety at all, and $37,990 buys a Leapmotor B03X. A year ago none of these cars existed here.

The first examples arrive on the Morning Cara and Morning Celesta at the end of August, reaching showrooms for viewing and test drives from early September, with registrations of interest open now.

Specifications: BYD Atto 2 DM-i