Could this be Australia’s best value EV?

Nobody enjoys wasting money on petrol and taxes.

So, why not choose to lease an electric vehicle like the BYD Atto 3 Extended Range from Maxxia as your next car?

That’s all it takes to vanquish the unpredictable expense of filling up your SUV with dinosaur juice every week and potentially eliminate the need to pay Fringe Benefits Tax at the end of each FBT year. It’s that simple.

So, let’s walk you through the BYD Atto 3 to show you why it should be the first choice for your next car through a novated lease.

The BYD Atto 3 is a fully electric medium-sized SUV that launched in Australia late in 2022 in two model grades – the Standard Range and Extended Range – with recommended retail prices at the time of writing starting at $48,011 (plus on-road costs). The price for the Extended Range starts at an additional $3000.

This positions it as one of the most affordable electric vehicles currently on sale in Australia, and cheaper than some variants of popular alternatives like the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan X-Trail and Mitsubishi Outlander.

For employees who have the opportunity to salary sacrifice a car, getting behind the wheel of a BYD Atto 3 through a novated lease with Maxxia makes it even more affordable.

For starters, the Atto 3 is eligible for the Australian Government’s recently introduced Electric Vehicle Discount, which eliminates Fringe Benefits Tax for low and zero-emission vehicles that cost less than the Luxury Car Tax threshold of $84,916 (or $89,932 from July 1, 2023). The EV Discount alone can deliver thousands in potential tax savings over the term of the lease and potentially makes it cheaper to run the BYD Atto 3 than some petrol-powered alternatives.

Maxxia is currently offering the BYD Atto 3 Extended Range with weekly pricing from just $208. And with vehicles in stock, you won’t have to wait long and can be on the roads in days.

A further incentive to switch to an electric car like the BYD Atto 3 is its low running costs.

While servicing costs are rolled into a Maxxia novated lease, this component is relatively modest for a BYD Atto 3 when compared to many petrol rivals. At the time of writing, and on its Standard servicing plan, BYD quotes service costs of just $1384 to maintain the Atto 3’s regular service schedule over the first five years or 100,000km. BYD’s Light servicing plan, for vehicles that accrue only low annual mileage, costs even less. And for peace of mind, the BYD Atto 3’s warranty runs to six years or 150,000km (whichever comes first) for the vehicle and eight years or 160,000km (whichever comes first) for the patented Blade Technology battery pack.

Considering that electric vehicles have fewer moving parts than a conventional vehicle with a complex internal combustion engine, it is less likely to encounter any unexpected, costly mechanical issues.

As for everyday expenses, an electric car is generally cheaper to refill than a petrol vehicle. This, of course, varies on how – and where – you replenish the battery pack, but it has the potential to be both cost- and carbon-free with the installation of a solar power system and charging infrastructure at home or in the office.

Electric cars can allow for improved packaging and increased interior space compared to conventional vehicles.

Having the battery pack mounted under the floor and a small electric motor under the bonnet eliminates cumbersome intrusions in the cabin for the transmission and tailshaft, which can compromise space and comfort.

Instead, the Atto 3 has a fully flat floor that makes it more convenient for all five occupants, while its cargo area in the boot has a generous capacity of 440L.

The Atto 3 measures 4455mm long, is 1875mm wide and stands 1615mm tall at its highest point, making it slightly shorter, wider and lower compared to the likes of the CX-5, RAV4 and Tucson, while offering comparable levels of interior space.

Those dimensions also make the Atto 3 ideal for navigating the urban jungle, nimble on the open road, and an easy proposition for parking.

The BYD Atto 3 may also deliver more for your money than most rival SUVs that cost around the same.

It comes fitted with a generous list of standard equipment that includes synthetic leather trim, heated front seats, multi-colour ambient interior lighting, air conditioning with an efficient heat pump, one-touch electric windows, keyless entry with pushbutton start and a panoramic sunroof.

It also has the latest in cutting-edge digital technology with a five-inch digital instrument cluster and a unique 12.8-inch infotainment display. The latter rotates between landscape and portrait modes and includes DAB+ digital radio, a voice assistant, an eight-speaker Dirac HD sound system and smartphone mirroring for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The BYD Atto 3 is right at the forefront of safety technology too.

It has a five-star ANCAP safety rating using the latest, most stringent criteria with high scores for both adult and child occupants. Its ultra-strong body sees the battery pack placed low and within the wheelbase, while it also benefits from a full complement of seven airbags, including front, side, and curtain airbags, along with a centre airbag between the driver and passenger.

Additionally, the BYD Atto 3 has a comprehensive suite of active crash avoidance systems. Features include autonomous emergency braking, front and rear collision warnings, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and lane keeping assistance, and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go in heavy traffic.

Both the Standard Range and Extended Range BYD Atto 3 models utilise the same permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. Producing 150kW of power and 310Nm of torque, its output is more powerful than many of its petrol-powered rivals.

This front-drive vehicle is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in just 7.3 seconds and is seamless in its power delivery.

The only difference between the two models is the size of the Lithium Iron Phospate (LFP) battery pack. Both use BYD’s patented Blade Technology, which has successfully passed stringent safety tests.

The Standard Range model has a capacity of 49.92kWh that delivers a Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) driving range of 345km and can be charged at a maximum rate of 70kW.

The Extended Range has a larger 60.48kWh battery that has a WLTP driving range of 420km and can be charged at a maximum rate of 80kW, which takes around 45 minutes to fully replenish.

Both BYD Atto 3 models have a Type 2 charging plug that is compatible with most public charging stations in Australia and comes with an emergency charging cable that allows it to be plugged into any household-style, three-pin electricity outlet.

All in all, the BYD Atto 3 Extended Range is a smart choice as your next car, and especially on novated lease with Maxxia with its affordable weekly payment offer.

It is stylish on the outside, spacious on the inside, engaging to drive, loaded with the latest in technology, has the highest safety rating and, most importantly, has more than enough driving range for the average Australian to commute to work and back each day for an entire week. And it could potentially save you thousands of dollars by eliminating FBT.

Limited stock of the BYD Atto 3 is available now, so move smartly to secure one for yourself – and see just how easy and affordable EV ownership can be.

For more information on the BYD Atto 3 Extended Range, visit the Maxxia web page.