For years, the conversation started with the same objection. Electric cars cost too much.
Well, here’s a small problem for that argument.
The BYD Atto 1 Essential is $19,990 drive-away under the current offer. Not just the cheapest EV. It shares the lowest advertised new-car price in Australia with the petrol MG3 Vibe, whose October cashback brings it to the same figure.
Equal-cheapest car. Full stop.
And Essential doesn’t mean a steering wheel, four tyres and a polite “good luck”.
There’s a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a digital driver’s display and six airbags. BYD’s Blade Battery is part of the package too. The boot holds a claimed 308 litres, expanding to 1,037 litres with the rear seats folded.
It also has vehicle-to-load capability. With a compatible adapter, the battery can power appliances outside the car. Plug in a coffee machine and you’ve bought Australia’s cheapest EV and accidentally opened a café.
The important compromise is range. The Essential claims 220km WLTP. The Premium’s 310km figure belongs to a different version at a different price. Neither laboratory rating is a motorway promise.
But does every car need to cross the country? School runs, shopping, commuting, the second-car job. A small EV that you can charge where you park deserves a serious look.
We haven’t road-tested it yet. Comfort, safety performance, insurance and running costs still need scrutiny. Cheap gets our attention. It doesn’t automatically win our vote.
Price check: 5 October 2026. BYD requires an order by 15 December and delivery by 31 December; metallic paint costs extra. MG’s matching offer requires sale and delivery in October. Conditions and stock availability apply.
But the price argument has changed.
The cheapest new car can be electric. Now tell me again why an EV is only for people with money.