The BYD Atto 8 arrives as BYD’s range-topping 7-seat SUV with up to 746 bhp, 115kWh battery and range of up to 405 miles.
The Atto 8 joins the Atto 2, Atto 3, Sealion 5 and Seal U in BYD’s offerings, sitting at the top of the range of UK offerings as a seven-seat electric SUV aimed directly at competition like the Skoda Peaq, Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and more, and likely to undercut allcomers on price (we don’t have prices yet).
At 5040mm long and 1996mm wide, the Atto 8 is pretty much the same size as the Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90 and looks that don’t offend but are very generic and derivative, with slim DLRs and matrix LED headlights, a strong shoulder line, an integrated roof spoiler and a full-width light bar at the back with ‘infinity knot’ taillights.
Inside, the Atto 8 comes with a big Panoramic roof, 10.25″ digital instrument panel, 26.0″ HUD, 15.6″ infotainment, heated, ventilated and massage front seats, heated middle-row outer seats, a 10-speaker sound system and wireless phone charging.
Two powertrain options are available, with the entry-level Design model getting RWD with a single 455bhp motor good for 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds (which seems slow for that much power) and promising range of 405 miles, with the Excellence model coming with a motor front and back delivering 764bhp and good for 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, with range dropping to 374 miles.
Both models are powered by BYD’s 115kWh Blade battery which means you can charge from 10-70% in just five minutes, although it’ll be next year before you’ll be able to find a BYD Flash Charging network able to deliver that.
BYD VP Stella Li said:
As a technology company, BYD is all about turning intelligence into reality – and the ATTO 8 is the perfect example of this. It blends our latest powertrain and 2nd Generation Blade Battery to offer more than 600km of range, seven-seat flexibility and our latest innovations in cabin technology. And FLASH Charging is the breakthrough for EVs that everyone has been waiting for – recharging as fast as refuelling, removing range anxiety.
The BYD Atto 8 goes on sale in the UK in the new year. No prices yet.
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