BYD Atto 2 DM-iWhat does it cost to run, and is an EV cheaper?
Plugged in at home each night and driving 250 km a week, the BYD Atto 2 DM-i Essential would do about 85% of its driving on electricity, costing about $20.49 a week in power and petrol in NSW. Never plug it in and it's a 5.1 L/100 km petrol SUV (our estimate), about $30.45 a week. Over 5 years it costs about $37,687 to own, and 1 of the 119 EVs we track work out cheaper.
Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. May show an overseas version or a related model.
What would it cost you to run?
About the solar figure: it doesn't include the cost of buying or installing panels, and it's an average. Cloudy days, winter and charging at night all mean more power from the grid, so your real cost will vary through the year.
Fine-tune the numbers
BYD Atto 2 DM-i running costs by state
BYD Atto 2 DM-i Essential, 250 km a week. Plugged in, about 85% of driving is on home electricity at each state's 2026–27 default rate; the rest uses petrol at this week's capital-city average.
| State | Full charge | Per week, plugged in | Per week, never plugged in |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $2.66 | $20.49 | $30.45 |
| Victoria | $2.23 | $17.85 | $30.12 |
| Queensland | $2.20 | $17.69 | $30.27 |
| South Australia | $3.29 | $24.14 | $29.75 |
| WA | $2.61 | $20.14 | $29.99 |
| Tasmania | $1.95 | $16.35 | $31.34 |
| ACT | $2.90 | $22.09 | $31.40 |
| NT | $2.36 | $18.82 | $31.25 |
Price, battery and range
Electric range is the maker's claim on the test cycle shown. *Petrol use with a flat battery is our estimate from reviews; the makers only publish a figure that assumes a full battery.
| Variant | Price | Battery | Electric range | Full charge, power point | Petrol use, flat battery* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $24,990 + on-roads | 7.85 kWh | 39 km (WLTP) | 3 hours | 5.1 L/100 km |
| Premium | $29,990 + on-roads | 18.03 kWh | 90 km (WLTP) | 8 hours | 5.1 L/100 km |
Road trips in the BYD Atto 2 DM-i
Fuel cost for the Essential at its claimed 5.1 L/100 km and this week's NSW petrol price, starting with a full battery. Under each trip: the same drive in its closest electric rival, with charging stops. Tap a trip for the full charging guide.
BYD Atto 2: $103 in charging, 5 charging stopsSydney to Brisbane908 km · about $110 in petrol and power · 1 refuel
BYD Atto 2: $109 in charging, 5 charging stopsBrisbane to Cairns1693 km · about $206 in petrol and power · 2 refuels
BYD Atto 2: $218 in charging, 11 charging stopsMelbourne to Adelaide726 km · about $88 in petrol and power · no refuel
BYD Atto 2: $84 in charging, 4 charging stopsSydney to Canberra286 km · about $35 in petrol and power · no refuel
BYD Atto 2: $23 in charging, 1 charging stopPerth to Margaret River269 km · about $33 in petrol and power · no refuel
BYD Atto 2: $21 in charging, 1 charging stopMelbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road970 km · about $118 in petrol and power · 1 refuel
BYD Atto 2: $118 in charging, 5 charging stops
BYD Atto 2 DM-i performance
| Variant | 0–100 km/h | Power | Torque | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | – | 122 kW | 300 Nm | FWD |
| Premium | – | 156 kW | 300 Nm | FWD |
Maker's claimed figures, combined petrol and electric output. A dash means the figure isn't published for the Australian version.
Reliability and track record
The BYD Atto 2 DM-i has been on sale here for less than two years, so there isn't enough Australian ownership history to judge. That isn't a bad sign, just an unknown. A long warranty matters more for newer models.
Check official recalls for this car
How we rate: under 2 years on sale here is "Too new to tell". A widely reported fault or repeated recalls is "Known issues". Otherwise it's "Established". We list documented problems with a source, not opinions. Single recalls that were fixed are listed but don't change the rating, as most models have some.
What a BYD Atto 2 DM-i costs to own over 5 years
250 km a week in NSW, plugged in at home most nights. No wall charger needed. Scheduled service every 12 months or 20,000 km, about $414 a visit (estimate, as pricing for this model is not yet published). Warranty: 6 yrs / 150,000 km (battery 8 yrs / 250,000 km).
| Variant | On the road* | Power + petrol / yr | Servicing / yr | Tyres / yr | 5-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $28,990 | $1,065 | $414 | $260 | $37,687 |
| Premium | $33,990 | $1,062 | $414 | $260 | $42,668 |
What do "on the road" and "cost to own" mean?
Before on-road costs (+ on-roads): the car's list price only. You pay extra government charges and dealer fees on top when you buy.
On-road costs: stamp duty, first year's registration, compulsory third party (CTP) insurance, number plates and the dealer's delivery fee. They usually add $3,000–6,000 depending on the car and your state. Where a price is "before on-roads" we add about $4,000. See stamp duty and rego by state.
Drive-away: a price that already includes the on-road costs, so it's what you actually pay to drive the car home.
On the road price: the drive-away price, or the list price plus our on-road estimate.
Cost to own: everything you'd spend over the years you keep the car (5 unless you change it): the on the road price, plus a home wall charger for EVs (about $2,000, one-off), plus charging or fuel, scheduled servicing and tyres for every year. Divide it by the number of weeks to see what the car really costs you each week.
Not included: yearly rego renewals and insurance after the first year, finance interest, and what the car is worth when you sell it. These vary too much by person and car to estimate fairly, and resale value is the biggest unknown, especially for newer brands.
The BYD Atto 2 DM-i against EVs
The eight EVs with the lowest 5-year cost to own, against the BYD Atto 2 DM-i Essential at $37,687. Green means the EV works out cheaper. EV totals include a home charger.
| EV | Charging / week | 5-year total | vs this plug-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| BYDAtto 1 Essential | $14.54 | $37,146 | −$541 |
| LeapmotorB03X Style | $12.75 | $38,462 | +$776 |
| GeelyEX2 Complete | $14.91 | $39,523 | +$1,836 |
| MGMG4 Urban 43 | $15.47 | $42,474 | +$4,788 |
| BYDDolphin Essential | $14.91 | $43,243 | +$5,556 |
| HondaSuper-ONE | $11.72 | $44,541 | +$6,854 |
| GACAion UT Premium | $15.38 | $45,160 | +$7,473 |
| JaecooJ5 EV Track | $13.41 | $45,284 | +$7,597 |
Head-to-head with its closest electric rivals
About BYD
Sells everything from the $24,000 Atto 1 to the Shark 6 ute. Australia's best-selling EV brand. Sister brands: Denza. Who owns which car brand.
Common questions
How much is a BYD Atto 2 DM-i in Australia?
The BYD Atto 2 DM-i starts from $24,990 + on-roads (October 2026). Prices change often, so check with a dealer.
How far can a BYD Atto 2 DM-i go on electricity?
The claimed electric range is up to 90 km. Expect roughly 80% of that in real driving, which still covers most people's daily trips. After that it runs as a petrol hybrid.
Do I need a home charger for a BYD Atto 2 DM-i?
No. Its 7.85 kWh battery refills from a normal power point in about 3 hours, so overnight is plenty. That saves the $2,000 or so a wall charger costs.
What if I don't plug the BYD Atto 2 DM-i in?
Then it's a petrol car using about 5.1 L/100 km (our estimate), or about $30.45 a week for 250 km in NSW. A plug-in hybrid only saves money if you charge it.
Is a BYD Atto 2 DM-i cheaper to own than an EV?
Counting price, running costs, servicing and tyres over 5 years, 1 of the 119 EVs we track cost less to own, led by the BYD Atto 1.
Other plug-in hybrids
How we work it out, and our sources
Weekly cost = the car's energy use × 250 km × your electricity or fuel price, with 90% of charging at home. Prices are list prices at October 2026; check with the dealer.
- Electricity: 2026–27 default rates (AER, Victorian Default Offer, state retailers). Public charging: Sydney network prices, July 2026.
- Petrol and diesel: ACCC capital-city averages, 21 October 2026.
- Cars: maker figures via CarExpert, Drive, CarsGuide and EV Central. Plug-in electric range is taken as 80% of the claim.
- Servicing: published capped prices; marked as an estimate where not yet published (CarExpert comparison).
- Tyres: an EV set lasts about 35,000 km, a petrol or hybrid set 50,000 km (RACV); prices from Gridly.
- Home charger: about $2,000 installed ($1,000–$3,000). Novated leases: PwC summary.
Printed from EV Pick · evpick.com.au. Prices and costs are estimates; check with the dealer. © 2026 EV Pick (T. Crouch). For personal use only; not to be copied, republished or sold without permission.