First sub-$20,000 EV revealed

BYD has made its electric car cheaper than any other vehicle on sale right now.. The Chinese brand has slashed the price of its Atto 1 electric small hatchback to $19,990, drive-away.. There is no end date to the offer at this point..

BYD Australia's Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins said this would give more Australians a chance to access an electric car during an ongoing period of sky high fuel prices and a cost of living crisis.. "At a time when Australian families are carefully considering every household expense, we're committed to making vehicle ownership more attainable," said Collins.. "The BYD ATTO 1 at $19,990 drive-away demonstrates our commitment to delivering outstanding value without compromising on technology, safety or quality." The deal only applies to the BYD Atto 1 Essential grade, which was previously priced at $23,990 before on-road costs..

This means buyers are saving about $7000 off the full drive-away price.. The Atto 1 is an urban-focused electric car, with a small 30kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery that delivers a modest driving range of up to 220km.. It uses a single electric motor to make 65kW and 175Nm to drive the front wheels..

It is a small unit, measuring 3990mm long, 1720mm wide, 1590mm high and it has a wheelbase of 2500mm.. That puts it in the same ballpark as the Toyota Yaris and Mazda2 hatchbacks.. The current cheapest cars are the petrol-powered Kia Picanto starting from $19,190, before on-road costs, and the the MG3 hatchback is also priced from $19,990, drive-away, for a limited time..