If you think Australia doesn’t have enough cars to choose from, then BYD has good news for you. The Chinese automotive giant has confirmed four all-new models are headed down under by early next year.
BYD will launch the Atto 1, Atto 2, Sealion 5 and Sealion 8 by early 2026, offering a range of electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains to try and cement its place as one of the fastest-growing brands. BYD had already confirmed the Atto 2 and Sealion 8, but the other two are new expansion models.
“To release this volume of product at such a rapid pace is really unprecedented in my time in the automotive industry,” claimed Stephen Collins, BYD Australia’s Chief Operating Officer.
“With our growing mix of PHEVs and pure EVs, what it proves is that BYD is committed to providing Australian consumers with choice in starting - or continuing - their new energy automotive journeys.”
Starting from the bottom, the new Atto 1 is the brand’s “city-focused” electric hatchback and the brand promises it will be the cheapest electric car in Australia. That would put the Atto 1 well under the $30k mark, as BYD’s current small car, the Dolphin, is priced from $29,990.
“The Atto 1 will be Australia’s most affordable EV by some margin, opening the door for even more Australians to get behind the wheel of their own new energy vehicle,” Collins said
Next up is the Atto 2, which is another small hatch and will position BYD as a value-leader in the electric vehicle market locally.
The Sealion 5 and Sealion 8 are very different propositions to the Atto pair. These will be SUVs and, as the names imply, will sit alongside the existing Sealion 6 and Sealion 7 in the local range.
The Sealion 5 is a mid-size SUV powered by the brand’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. BYD Australia hasn’t confirmed local details but overseas the Sealion 5 is available with two battery choices - one that provides 75km of range and one that can last up to 115km.
The Sealion 8 will be BYD’s biggest SUV in Australia, adding a much-needed seven-seater to the range. It too will have PHEV power, but with the choice of two outputs with a 141kW front-wheel drive model and a 200kW all-wheel drive option.
Both the Atto 1 and Atto 2 will launch by the end of November, while the Sealion duo are expected to arrive in “early 2026” to finish the expansion. Pricing and specification details will be confirmed closer to them going on sale.
