Ciro De Siena is currently in China as a guest of BYD and he got a first taste of what will be South Africa’s cheapest EV when it launches in September 2025.
Meet the BYD Atto 1, or Dolphin Mini or Dolphin Surf, depending on which market you’re based in. Arguably, the biggest criticism of electric cars is the pricing as South Africa’s taxes and tariffs are punishingly high. We touched on how new car taxes have hurt consumer pockets here.
But, there’s light at the end of the tunnel as proper electric vehicles are about to get to prices expected to rival Polo Vivo – under R350 000! This is the BYD Dolphin Mini, which will be sold as the Atto 1 in South Africa. Based on what we’ve been told here in Zhengzhou, China and can calculate, this car will be SA’s cheapest EV by some margin and officially goes on sale in September of this year.
BYD Atto 1 Powertrain
It’s a sharp-looking thing, that’s for sure. For scale, it’s about the same size as the Mini Cooper, but offers a surprisingly spacious interior. For the number fanatics, it measures 3 990 mm in length and has a width of 1 720 mm.
The Atto 1 features a single motor which drives the front wheels. The 30 kWh variant offers 65 kW (0-100 kph in 11.1-12.1 seconds), while the 42.2 kWh high-spec offers 115 kW (0-100 kph in 9.1 seconds).
From our understanding, there’ll be two battery sizes offered; 30 kWh and 42.2 kWh. As a reminder, these are BYD’s Blade batteries, renowned for their durability. Based on the CLTC (China Light-duty vehicle Test Cycle), ranges from 220 km to 322 km depending on derivative, while the higher-spec battery has a claimed range of 310 km. Sounds fine for urban commuting then, but interestingly, BYD is claiming 507 km of urban range based on the WLTP cycle.
Most impressive for a budget battery electric car are its fast-charging capabilities which mean you can charge the smaller-battery version (30 kWh) from 20-80% in around 16 minutes at a mall or petrol station, or 2 hours and 34 minutes at home via an AC connection. The bigger battery version can accept up to 85 kW DC charging, while the entry-level model takes 65 kW.
Keep in mind that real-world range is reduced by factors like average speed (highway cruising), temperature (cold is problematic), regeneration, and driving style.
First Impressions
We had the chance to drive the sharp-looking Atto 1 at BYD’s facility and the first concern we had about performance was quickly addressed. All variants felt adequate for SA roads on my quick test drive, especially when I put my foot flat to simulate overtaking.
The interior felt a little plasticky in places, but overall was far more advanced and luxurious than any car you’ll find at this price point in South Africa. Being a BYD, of course it featured the rotating infotainment screen.
EV running costs (especially home charging) are generally much lower, and EVs require far less maintenance. I’m particularly excited by the Atto 1’s potential to transform the used car market; its 8-year battery warranty, expected 12-15 year useful life, low maintenance, and depreciation mean in 3-5 years, we could buy a good used Atto 1 or similar EV for around R200 000 or less, depending on age and mileage. Now that’s exciting for me!
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