BYD Atto 2 Electric lands in Israel: 430 km, from NIS 149,000

The BYD Atto 3 was the first electric vehicle to become Israel’s best-selling car, leading the market for two years but slowing down this year due to an influx of new competitors targeting it, as well as a decline in demand for EVs. Thirty-three thousand units in three years made it the most common electric vehicle in the country.

BYD launched in Israel the model expected to revive momentum in this segment: The Atto 2, officially the smaller sibling of the 3, though not much smaller in practice. With a length of 4.31 meters, width of 1.83 meters, and height of 1.675 meters, the Atto 2 is shorter by 12.5 cm and narrower by 4.5 cm. The wheelbase is 10 cm shorter, and the height is almost identical.

The 2 has a slightly larger battery, 64.8 kWh compared to 60.5, giving it an official combined range of 430 km, 10 km longer. With the same 204 hp motor, performance is similar. And the price?

The Atto 2 costs NIS149,000, NIS 1,000 cheaper than the larger but lower Deepal 05, and NIS 2,000 cheaper than the electric Jaecoo 5, whose range is shorter. Suddenly, with a price NIS 10,000 lower than a new Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, a category of relatively affordable electric crossovers has emerged that did not exist here before. For the Atto 2, this is only the beginning: Early next year a plug-in hybrid version will also arrive, expected to be a few thousand Shekels more expensive and still the cheapest plug-in hybrid in Israel by a large margin. A separate road test for it will be published soon. Today we are 100% electric.

The Atto 2 looks like an updated Atto 3, slightly tougher but still very mainstream. The front is similar, but the bulging fenders add some character. It is a relatively large crossover, among the largest in the small-SUV segment. The design of BYD’s models is headed by German designer Wolfgang Egger, formerly at the Volkswagen Group, who manages to give them a conservative yet contemporary look, without falling into the oddities seen in other Chinese brands.

The interior design is also in German hands, and it shows. There is a 12.8-inch central screen and beside it a separate 8.8-inch instrument display, continuing BYD’s departure from the fairly boring standard of two identical 12.3-inch screens.

Since our first drive of the Atto 2 with the smaller battery, which will not be imported, the large screen has lost its 180-degree rotating trick, and voice control based on Google has been added. It allows, for example, when using Google Maps, not only address searches but also general requests: “Find me good hummus in Tel Aviv with available parking nearby.” Well, maybe even BYD can’t promise that.

The design is clean, with many storage spaces and higher-quality materials than before, noticeable in the soft plastics and premium leather upholstery. Ergonomics are also impressive: Mirror control, indicators, and wiper control are still operated via physical buttons. Climate control is still operated from the screen, but there is always a fixed row of climate buttons at the bottom of the large display, which does not disappear when switching to Android Auto or CarPlay. Physical buttons also remain for audio volume, drive mode selection, front defrost, and an On/Off switch — what we once called “ignition” in the gasoline era. Seating is high and the seats are comfortable with electric adjustment. Headroom is exceptional thanks to the height.

In the rear, the floor is flat, and although the seat could have been a bit higher, adult comfort is very good. Two passengers will fit easily; a third will be more cramped. But the width of the bench allows seating three children even if two are in child seats. A rear air vent has been added — missing in the early Atto 2 units and absent in some competitors — along with USB-C ports.

The trunk has a volume of 450 liters, 10 liters more than in the Atto 3, and includes two levels. There is no spare wheel here either.

The 2 arrives in Israel in a single trim level, Comfort: 17-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint (with only four options: White, black, gray, and light green), a fixed panoramic roof with an electric sunshade and roof rails, a 12.8-inch multimedia screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an 8.8-inch instrument panel, electric adjustment for the driver and passenger seats, a cooled wireless phone charger, and rain sensors. Aside from an electric tailgate — uncommon in this segment — the equipment list is generous.

204 hp, like the Atto 3, and the weight is only a few dozen kilograms lower. There are Eco, Normal, Sport, and Snow modes, and performance is good in all of them, with Sport offering the most punch. It is not a 0–100 km/h in 6-seconds EV, but it is still quicker than any gasoline or hybrid crossover of this size. Interestingly, the plug-in hybrid (0–100 in 7.5 seconds) is slightly quicker.

Fast-charging speed has been upgraded from 100 kW in the 3 to 155 kW in the 2, allowing charging from 10% to 80%. Slow charging is at 11 kW. There is also V2L for powering external electrical devices — from lighting, a refrigerator, or karaoke on a picnic to charging scooters or e-bikes. The official range is 430 km. The gap between that and real-world range is smaller than in the Atto 3, with 380–400 km achievable.

The Atto 2 outperforms many Chinese EVs in this category. Urban comfort, at least on Barcelona’s roads where we drove it, was good, and suspension operation (with a sophisticated multi-link setup in the rear) was quiet. Noise insulation is very good, except for wind noise around the A-pillars starting at about 110 km/h.

Road handling is good and composed. There is not much feedback, but the 2 handles no worse than a good gasoline crossover, which is an achievement. Still, it is not as enjoyable as the Peugeot e-2008.

When the Atto 3 arrived in Israel, people rushed to showrooms, called their siblings from the sales desk to ask whether to order for them as well, and later were invited in groups of 20 for mass deliveries.

The temperature of the EV market now is much cooler, but cars like the Atto 2 may begin to warm it up again. A crossover larger and more practical than its “small crossover” classification suggests, spacious enough for family use, well-equipped, and high-quality. The range is reasonable, though it is disappointing that in the three years since the Atto 3 launched, this segment has not advanced significantly, remaining around the 400 km mark rather than climbing to the 500–600 km seen in the similarly sized but 40,000-shekel-more-expensive Kia EV3.

And this is what seals the deal: The price tag of NIS 149,000 makes the 2 far more economically accessible, especially at a time when it appears the road-use tax on electric vehicles continues to be delayed, and the falling dollar exchange rate may soften the January EV price hikes expected due to tax increases.

The 2 offers good value for money, and it is encouraging to see how its equipment has improved since we drove it last year, especially with the important addition of rear air vents. BYD continues to maintain its reputation as the advanced mainstream Chinese electric brand, and cars like the 2 are expected to lead its push into Europe, including a new factory in Hungary that will produce the 2 and the smaller Dolphin Surf (which Israel will continue to receive from China for now).