BYD has confirmed its pioneering role Act 3 The small/medium electric SUV will soon be replaced in its Kiwi range, and its larger new successor is also likely to arrive in Australian showrooms.
The Chinese brand unveiled the second-generation Yuan Plus electric SUV at the opening of the 2026 Beijing Motor Show last week. In its first generation, the Yuan Plus was renamed the Atto 3 in a variety of export markets.
Notably, the first generation Atto 3 was the first BYD model to be launched in both Australia and New Zealand, launching in both markets in late 2022.
However, the second-generation Yuan Plus is significantly larger than its small/mid-size SUV predecessor, prompting New Zealand’s BYD division to call it the Yuan Plus Act 5 rather than retaining the Atto 3 nameplate when it comes over the ditch in 2027, as first reported in the Kiwi publication Car dealer.
We have BYD Australia contacted for comment on whether the local lineup will follow suit.
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The higher number is logical and reflects the growth in size of the SUV. Measuring 4665mm long, 1895mm wide and 1675mm high on a 2770mm wheelbase, the new Yuan Plus is a full 210mm longer, 20mm wider and 60mm taller than the SUV it replaces, with the wheelbase also extended by 50mm.
It will also be based on a new 800V electric architecture, which sees the switch from a front-wheel drive configuration to a rear-wheel drive configuration. Two single-engine powertrains will be available, producing either 200kW or 240kW, both significantly more than the current Atto 3’s 150kW.
Two battery packs will also be available, both based on BYD’s second-generation “Blade” technology. Capacities are quoted as either 57.5kWh for the 200kW option, offering a range of 540km, or 68.8kWh for the 240kW alternative, offering up to 630km of range – both on the milder CLTC test cycle.
Confusingly, this all-new second-generation model was revealed ahead of the Australian debut of the mid-life facelift for the original Atto 3. Dubbed the Atto 3 Evo, it brings significant changes under the skin similar to those of the MkII Yuan Plus/Atto 5.
Of note is the move to a rear-wheel drive layout for the base 230kW single-motor variant, as well as the introduction of a 330kW dual-motor all-wheel drive option. Both use an 800V electrical architecture and offer WLTP ranges of 510 and 470 km respectively with the same 74.8 kWh battery.
The visual changes were far less extensive; A revised exterior design, optimizations to the interior layout and technical updates were the other highlights. The new electrical architecture also allowed for the addition of 110 liters of underhood storage space.
The Atto 3 Evo was launched in the UK in February 2026, but although the model appears in Australian government certification documents, it has not yet arrived in local showrooms and BYD Australia has not yet announced its plans for the Atto 3.
For reference, the current Atto 3 sold in Australia starts at $39,990 before on-road costs and is only available with a 150kW/310Nm motor driving the front wheels and is powered by either a 49.9kWh or 60.5kWh battery pack.
The delay between the launch of the Atto 3 Evo in Europe and Australia suggests that BYD Australia may wait to introduce the Atto 5 even after the first-generation facelift has been released for sale.
This is supported by the fact that the launch of the original Atto 3 was consistent across most major markets, with launches in Australia, New Zealand and Europe all occurring in late 2022, followed by the UK in early 2023.
Due to their geographical proximity, it is possible that the Atto 5 launches in Australia and New Zealand will be synchronized sometime next year.
Sales of the 3.5-year-old Atto 3 plunged nearly 33 percent last year as it was outsold in the midsize SUV segment by the larger plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 and the all-electric Sealion 7 by a factor of nearly three to one and nearly four to one, respectively.
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