BYD Atto 1 Essential becomes Australia’s cheapest new car at $19,990 drive-away
BYD has cut the Atto 1 Essential to $19,990 drive-away in Australia, putting the electric hatch at the top of the cheap-car market and sharpening its budget EV pitch.
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BYD moves the Atto 1 into the budget-car lead
BYD Australia lowered the Atto 1 Essential to $19,990 drive-away, a move that made the small electric hatch the cheapest new vehicle on sale in Australia and, at the time, Australia’s cheapest electric vehicle as well. CarExpert said the price cut reduced the Essential from its previous $23,990 before on-road costs, with a Sydney-based drive-away figure of $26,993 before the special offer. Ground News’ report placed the announcement on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, and said the temporary pricing left the Atto 1 matching the cheapest petrol car then on sale, the MG 3 Vibe. 21
Offer terms and timing
CarExpert reported that the $19,990 drive-away price was a special offer currently set to end on 15 December 2026 unless BYD extends it, and noted that metallic paint remained a $500 option. Ground News likewise described the pricing as a limited-time offer running from 15 September to 15 December, making the lower entry price a temporary campaign rather than a permanent list-price reset. 21
Confirmed specifications and standard equipment
The Atto 1 Essential is fitted with a 30kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, a 65kW/175Nm front-mounted electric motor, a claimed WLTP range of 220km and a maximum DC fast-charge rate of 65kW. CarExpert also listed standard equipment including 15-inch steel wheels on 175/65 R15 Hankook tyres, automatic halogen headlights, keyless entry and start, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leatherette trim, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, front, front-side and curtain airbags, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors. 2
Other Atto 1 pricing and nearby market context
CarExpert said the Atto 1 Premium remained available at $27,990 before on-road costs, adding more equipment, a larger battery and a more powerful motor. In the wider budget-EV field, CarExpert noted the Geely EX2 had arrived at $26,490 before on-roads and the MG4 EV Urban was being offered at $29,990 drive-away after a separate national cashback promotion; Autoevolution separately described that MG4 EV Urban promotion as a limited-time national cashback offer tied to Everything Electric Sydney, with the Urban Essence 43 starting from $29,990 drive-away and the Essence 54 from $32,990 drive-away after the rebate. Savvy’s 16 September 2026 rankings placed the BYD Atto 1 first at $19,990, ahead of the Geely EX2 at $26,490 and the BYD Dolphin at $29,990, and said those figures were the lowest base prices before on-road costs. 234
BYD’s volume position and lineup expansion
CarExpert said BYD had delivered 3,838 Atto 1s so far in 2026, although the cheaper hatch was still outsold by the larger Atto 2 small SUV by more than two-to-one. The publication also placed the pricing move in the context of BYD’s expanding Australian range, saying the brand had added the Atto 1, Atto 2, Sealion 5, Seal 6 and Sealion 8 plug-in hybrids over the previous 12 months and was continuing to broaden its retail network. 2
Manufacturer offers
Current offers related to this story
Selected from Australian manufacturer sources. These are editorial listings, not paid placements. Eligibility and availability depend on the manufacturer’s terms.
BYD · Model match
BYD ATTO 1 Essential
$19,990 driveaway
BYD ATTO 1 Pricing Offer Promotional Driveaway pricing applies to the following variants: Atto 1 Essential – $19,990 Metallic paint is available at an additional cost. Eligibility This offer is available exclusively to retail customers who order an eligible vehicle within the campaign period and take delivery by 31 December 2026. The following customers or transactions are not eligible to receive the promotional Driveaway pricing: Demonstrator vehicles Any transactions involving additional promotional offers or discounts General Conditions Vehicle allocation is subject to availability, and eligibility for this offer is not guaranteed until the vehicle has been delivered. BYD Automotive cannot guarantee delivery within the promotional period. For orders taken within the campaign period that are unable to be delivered by 31 December 2026, BYD will review each case individually and may approve an extension to the delivery period. Offers cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion unless otherwise specified.
- Available in
- Australian offer; confirm pricing for your location.
- Starts
- 15 Sep 2026
- Offer ends
- 15 Dec 2026
- Delivery by
- 31 Dec 2026
- Source checked
- 25 Sep 2026, 12:07 am
BYD · Model match
BYD ATTO 1 Essential
5% novated lease discount on the base vehicle list price — not a finance interest rate.
5% Novated Lease Discount A 5% Novated Lease discount applies to eligible ATTO 1, ATTO 2, DOLPHIN, SEAL and SEALION 7 vehicles. The discount is applied to the base vehicle list price and excludes registration, CTP, stamp duty, dealer delivery and statutory charges. Metallic paint is available at an additional cost. To qualify, vehicles must be ordered between 1 September 2026 and 30 September 2026 and delivered by 31 October 2026. The offer is available to eligible Novated Lease clients only and must be processed through an approved Fleet Management Organisation (FMO). The following are excluded: Fleet customers Demonstrator or Service Loan vehicles Transactions involving additional promotional offers or discounts
- Available in
- Australian offer; confirm pricing for your location.
- Starts
- 1 Sep 2026
- Offer ends
- 30 Sep 2026
- Delivery by
- 31 Oct 2026
- Source checked
- 25 Sep 2026, 12:07 am
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Why these labels?An EV Just Became Australia's Joint-Cheapest New Car, Now Under ...
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Cited in 5 paragraphs: BYD moves the Atto 1 into the budget-car lead; Offer terms and timing; Confirmed specifications and standard equipment; Other Atto 1 pricing and nearby market context; BYD’s volume position and lineup expansion.
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Why these labels?Best Electric Cars Australia: 2026 | From small to large EVs | Savvy
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Keep reading
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BYD Atto 1 Essential drive-away offer set at $19,990 until 15 December
BYD Australia has launched a $19,990 drive-away campaign for the Atto 1 Essential, with the offer running until 15 December 2026 and delivery due by 31 December 2026.
