Are EVs safe? There’s no reason to doubt their crashworthiness as electric cars undergo the same safety tests as their internal combustion engined counterparts. The BYD Atto 3 has now received the maximum five stars in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).
The Atto 3 was introduced Down Under in July 2022 and the ANCAP safety rating applies to both Standard Range and Extended Range variants. ANCAP required some changes though – Australian-supplied cars built from May 2022 received brand-initiated updates to the centre rear seating position to expose the top-tether child restraint anchorage and the removal of the front passenger seat airbag disabling switch.
Dual front, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard, and so are AEB, lane support system with lane keep assist, lane departure warning and emergency lane keeping, and speed sign recognition.
The Atto 3 scored 91% (34.68 out of 38 points) in the Adult Occupant Protection test, 84% (41.62 out of 49 points) in the Child Occupant Protection test, 69% (37.54 out of 54 points) in the Vulnerable Road User Protection category and 80% (12.89 out of 16 points) in the Safety Assist department.
The Atto 3, also known as the Yuan Plus in its home market, is a crossover that features a front-mounted electric motor rated at 204 PS/310 Nm. Two in-house Blade EV batteries are available – a 49.92 kWh unit offering 345 km of range (WLTP, 410 km NEDC), and a 60.48 kWh unit rated for 420 km (WLTP, 480 km NEDC). Both battery options will be available in Malaysia when it is launched here next month.
The electric crossover supports AC charging (Type 2) up to 7 kW as well as DC fast charging (CCS2); the latter at a max rate of either 70 kW or 80 kW according to battery capacity – the higher input allows for a 0-80% state of charge to be reached in 45 minutes.
As mentioned, the BYD Atto 3 will be one of the two models for the EV brand’s Malaysian launch next month, along with the e6 MPV. The Dolphin and Seal EVs are being targeted for Q4 2023 by distributor BYD SD Motors Malaysia.
2022 BYD Atto 3
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No vehicle should really be allowed in until extensive testing has been carried out & completed. Why? How would anyone know if its a death trap or not??