Gary Zhou 
BYD recently launched its best-selling all-electric ATTO 3 in Italy alongside the pure electric BYD Han. The BYD ATTO 3 is a top-selling pure electric vehicle worldwide. It is earning a name for itself among the likes of Tesla’s Model Y vehicle.
BYD Europe announced that the ATTO 3 and Han will be available in Milan, Brescia, Verona, Turin, and Florence. The ATTO 3 is already featured on BYD Europe’s website, showing that the all-electric 7-seater SUV has 420 KM (261 miles) of range according to the WLTP standard.
The Tesla Model Y and the BYD ATTO 3 have many similarities. A quick glance through BYD Europe’s ATTO 3 website shows that the Chinese automaker uses similar technology in the 7-seater SUV. For example, the ATTO 3 also has a heat pump.
The electrified SUV uses the BYD Blade Battery, consisting of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells–similar to some of Tesla’s battery packs. The Chinese-based company states that its Blade Battery provides a longer range thanks to increased space utilization–by over 50% compared to traditional battery packs– which provide enhanced energy density. BYD’s battery pack reportedly has longer life cycles with more than 5,000 charge and discharge cycles.
The BYD ATTO 3 and the Tesla Model Y frequently make the best-selling lists worldwide. Both all-electric SUVs have also topped sales lists in specific countries. For instance, the BYD ATTO 3 has topped battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales in New Zealand, while the Tesla Model Y topped in Italy.
In May 2023, BYD sold approximately 223 ATTO 3 units in New Zealand compared to 77 Tesla Model Y units. In the last three months, 1,023 BYD ATTO 3 units were sold in New Zealand, while Tesla sold 965 Model Y vehicles. It will be interesting to see BYD ATTO 3 sales results compared to Tesla Model Y sales in Italy.
