REMEMBER the good old Nokia phone, the one with a battery that lasted for weeks?

They were supplied by a Chinese company that now, 28 years on, are very much into producing new energy vehicles.

So much so that BYD (Build Your Dreams) is one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, selling globally in over 70 countries.Last year saw a 212 per cent increase in their passenger car sales with over 1.86 million electric vehicles shifted. The total now stands at five million NEVs.

And now they’re here in the UK with the ATTO 3, a front wheel drive C segment SUV that features their Blade Battery for claimed optimum levels of safety, efficiency and reliability.

Everything about it is ‘in house’ with only the tyres and windscreen bought from outside suppliers.The man responsible for the European look of the ATTO 3, design director Wolfgang Egger, formerly plied his trade with Audi, so you could be forgiven for thinking there’s an external likeness to some of their products.

The inside though, not so. The straightforward and functional interior of his former charges has given way to a funked-up look with gym inspired barbell style door handles, kettlebell style gear selector and other touches. Staid it ain’t.
“We wanted to create a very fresh, spacious and youthful feeling to attract young people and families.” says Egger.

The three model range comprises Active, Comfort and Design, with UK prices starting at £36,490.

ATTO 3 has automatic LED headlights and features High Beam Assist, LED daytime running lights and a rear single-row LED lightbar at the rear extending the width of the car. BUILD YOUR DREAMS lettering spreads across the tailgate, but you can opt not to have it. Electrically folding and heated wing mirrors complete with downlights are standard across all models.

A focal feature inside the ATTO 3 is the 12.8 rotatable touchscreen (15.6 inch on Design versions) and voice recognition to serve up a load of connected experiences.

At the heart of the e- Platform 3.0 are the Blade Battery, the world’s first mass-produced 8-in-1 electric powertrain and the high-efficiency heat pump.Safety is a top priority and the flat elongated design of the Blade Battery improves the structural rigidity of the e-Platform 3.0 in the event of a collision. It also features the industry’s first direct cooling and heating system for power batteries, increasing thermal efficiency by up to 20 per cent in the winter.

The Blade Battery uses Lithium Iron-Phosphate (LFP) as its cathode material, which offers a higher level of safety than conventional lithium-ion batteries. LFP has inherently excellent thermal stability and significantly, is cobalt-free.

During a brief run, the ATTO 3 performed like any other electric car – swift performance off the mark, a comfortable ride and handling on a par with the rest of the pack.

More will follow, notably the BYD Dolphin, a touch smaller but with a highly competitive 25k price tag and due soon.

BYD ATTO 3 Design

Price: £38,990
Engine: permanent magnet synchronous motor, 60kWh battery
Power: 201bhp
Torque: 228lb/ft
Transmission: full electric
Top speed: 99mph
0-62mph: 7.3 seconds
Range: 260 miles
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km

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