BYD has revealed the new PHEV version of its Atto 2 small SUV, which is now the smallest plug-in hybrid car on sale in the UK, offering up to 56 miles of range from its 18kWh battery.
The Chinese carmaker says that this means the Atto 2 DM-i can travel more than 620 miles with a charged battery and a full tank of petrol. The standard electric version of the car, which is already on sale, offers two battery sizes and is rated at up to 267 miles of range.
Two versions of the car will be available – the entry version is the Blade model, which comes with a 7.8kWh battery and 166hp, offering a 0–62mph time of 9.1 seconds and electric range of 25 miles. The entry car will charge at up to 3.3kW on an AC plug.
The larger battery will come on the Boost model, which has the 18kWh battery and a higher 212hp output, managing the 0–62mph run in 7.5 seconds. Both have a top speed of 112mph. The charging on this car gets a boost (pun intended) to 6.6kW and it also gets a 3.3kW V2L capability. Both will charge from 15% battery to full in around three hours.
Both versions feature two high speed e-motors paired with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. The combustion engine is used to charge the battery and supply power to the e-motor but will also supply power directly to the front wheels when full power is needed. The Boost model is rated at 156mpg on the WLTP cycle, but BYD says both models are rated at 55mpg in hybrid mode.
The plug-in DM-i car features subtle design tweaks to set it apart from the electric version of the ATTO 2. These changes include a subtly tweaked front end, new badging o the back of the car and a plug-in only new colour called Midnight Blue.
The price of the new PHEV Atto 2 has not been revealed yet, but we expect that the entry Blade model will start below £28,000.
The plug-in hybrid Atto 2 has subtle styling differences to the electric version 
