BYD Atto 3 vs Geely Starray EM-iElectric or plug-in hybrid: which costs less?
The Geely Starray EM-i Complete is about $5,375 cheaper to own over 5 years than the BYD Atto 3 Evo Dynamic. Week to week, charging the BYD Atto 3 Evo Dynamic mostly at home in NSW costs about $14.63, against $22.50 in power and petrol, charged at home, for the Geely Starray EM-i Complete, a running saving of about $409 a year for the EV.
Side by side
Comparing the BYD Atto 3 Evo Dynamic and Geely Starray EM-i Complete. Better figure in green. 250 km a week; the EV and plug-in are charged mostly at home and petrol is NSW's average this week.
| BYD Atto 3 Evo Dynamic | Geely Starray EM-i Complete | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $41,990+ on-roads | $37,490+ on-roads |
| Type | Electric | Plug-in hybrid |
| Energy use | 15.6 kWh/100 km | 24.4 kWh/100 km electric, then about 5.5 L/100 km |
| Range | 420 km per charge | 83 km electric |
| Refuel or recharge | Overnight at home, or 110 kW fast charging | Power point overnight, or any servo |
| Charging or fuel per week (NSW) | $14.63 | $22.50 |
| Servicing per year | $341 | $330 |
| Tyres per year | $433 | $260 |
| Home charger (one-off) | $2,000 | Not needed |
| Length | 4.46 m | 4.74 m |
| Warranty | 6 yrs / 150,000 km | 7 yrs / unlimited km |
| 5-year cost to own | $55,665 | $50,291 |
Cost to own = price (plus about $4,000 on-road costs where the price is before on-roads) + a home wallbox for EVs (about $2,000, one-off) + charging or fuel + scheduled servicing + tyres. It leaves out insurance, registration and resale value, which vary too much by person and car to estimate fairly. Resale value is the biggest unknown, especially for newer brands.
Weekly running cost by state
250 km a week. Electricity is each state's 2026–27 default rate; petrol is each capital's average for the week to 21 October 2026.
| State | BYD Atto 3 (charging) | Geely Starray EM-i (power + petrol) |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | $14.63 | $22.50 |
| Victoria | $12.70 | $19.60 |
| Queensland | $12.56 | $19.41 |
| South Australia | $17.44 | $26.54 |
| WA | $14.42 | $22.12 |
| Tasmania | $11.43 | $17.93 |
| ACT | $15.72 | $24.26 |
| NT | $13.30 | $20.66 |
Common questions
Is the BYD Atto 3 or Geely Starray EM-i cheaper to own?
The Geely Starray EM-i Complete is about $5,375 cheaper to own over 5 years than the BYD Atto 3 Evo Dynamic. This counts the price, a home charger for the EV, charging or fuel, servicing and tyres, driving 250 km a week in NSW.
Which is cheaper to run each week, the BYD Atto 3 or Geely Starray EM-i?
In NSW, the BYD Atto 3 Evo Dynamic costs about $14.63 a week to charge mostly at home, and the Geely Starray EM-i Complete about $22.50 a week in power and petrol, charged at home, for 250 km of driving.
Do I need a home charger for the BYD Atto 3?
Not necessarily. A normal power point adds roughly 150 km overnight, which covers most daily driving. A wallbox typically costs $1,000–$3,000 installed and charges about three times faster.
More comparisons
BYD Atto 3 against hybrids and plug-ins
- BYD Atto 3 vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
- BYD Atto 3 vs Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
- BYD Atto 3 vs Toyota Camry Hybrid
- BYD Atto 3 vs GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid
- BYD Atto 3 vs MG ZS Hybrid+
- BYD Atto 3 vs BYD Sealion 6
- BYD Atto 3 vs Jaecoo J7 Super Hybrid
- BYD Atto 3 vs Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid
- BYD Atto 3 vs GWM Haval H6 PHEV
- BYD Atto 3 vs Geely Starray EM-i
How we work it out
Weekly cost is the car's claimed energy use (kWh per 100 km) × your distance × your electricity price. "Per week" figures on this site assume 250 km a week with 90% of charging at home. Petrol comparisons use the fuel use and price you choose. Prices are list prices at October 2026 and change often; check with the dealer.
- Electricity: 2026–27 default or regulated flat rates from the AER Default Market Offer (NSW, SE QLD, SA), Victorian Default Offer, Aurora Energy (TAS), Jacana Energy (NT), Synergy (WA) and ActewAGL (ACT).
- Public charging: Sydney survey of Chargefox, Evie, NRMA, Tesla and BP Pulse prices, July 2026.
- Car specs and prices: manufacturer figures as published by CarExpert, AEVA EV fact sheets, Drive and EV Central's car guide. Some prices are the publisher's estimates; check with a dealer.
- Servicing: published capped-price schedules (BYD Sealion 7, BYD Seal, Geely EX5, Jaecoo J5 EV, Kia EV5, Zeekr 7X). Tesla has no fixed service schedule and CarExpert's EV servicing comparison. Where a model's pricing isn't published yet we use the brand's nearest model and mark it as an estimate.
- Tyres: RACV puts EV tyre life at 20,000–40,000 km; replacement set prices from Gridly's 2026 EV tyre cost guide.
- Petrol: ACCC average retail unleaded prices in each capital city, week to 21 October 2026 (ACCC weekly fuel price monitoring).
- Plug-in hybrids: prices, battery sizes and claimed electric range from CarExpert, Cars24, Zecar and The Beep. Real-world electric range is taken as 80% of the claim; plug-ins charged at home each night are assumed to do up to 85% of driving on electricity. Petrol use with a flat battery is our estimate from reviews where makers don't publish one.
- Hybrids: claimed fuel use, prices and capped-price servicing as published by CarExpert and CarsGuide. Petrol and hybrid tyres usually last 40,000–60,000 km (RACV); we use 50,000 km.
- Home chargers: typically $1,000–$3,000 installed, about $2,000 typical (What's the Damage, October 2026).
- Novated lease rules: PwC summary of the May 2026 FBT changes.