BYD Atto 1 (Essential) cost to own in Australia — the true 5-year total
The BYD Atto 1 (Essential) starts at $23,990. Over 5 years, owning one (EV) costs about $43,990 in Australia as of July 9, 2026 — $733/month, $0.73/km — including depreciation, charging (with the ~12% charging loss most calculators ignore), maintenance, insurance, financing and rego. That's $26 less than a comparable Toyota Corolla over the same 5 years.
BYD Atto 1 (Essential) incentives & grants
Novated lease (FBT exemption): for a salary-packaged EV the federal FBT exemption can cut the cost substantially — it depends on your income and tax, so it is not in the totals above. Source: ATO.
BYD Atto 1 (Essential) · Australia · 5-year estimate$43,990 total · $733/mo · $0.73/km
Where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · BYD Atto 1 | Petrol · Toyota Corolla |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $14,154 (32%) | $13,795 (31%) |
| Charging / fuel | $4,037 (9%) | $5,868 (13%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$484) | — |
| Maintenance | $4,752 (11%) | $6,402 (15%) |
| Insurance | $12,725 (29%) | $8,500 (19%) |
| Financing interest | $3,948 (9%) | $5,076 (12%) |
| Registration & fees | $4,375 (10%) | $4,375 (10%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $43,990 | $44,016 |
BYD Atto 1 (Essential) specs & assumptions
- Starting price
- $23,990manufacturer
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 13.8 kWh/100kmADR
- Range
- 220 kmADR
- Australia electricity
- 33.00c/kWhAER
- Annual km (assumed)
- 12,000Australia average
Compare the BYD Atto 1 (Essential) against any car, your km & your scenario
What the numbers say
The BYD Atto 1 (Essential) costs about $43,990 to own over 5 years in Australia — $733/month, $0.73/km at 12,000 km/yr — and depreciation is the biggest line: $14,154, 32% of the total (as of July 9, 2026).
- Call it a tie: $26 apart over 5 years is inside the noise of estimates like these — choose on fit and charging access, not on cost.
- The BYD Atto 1 (Essential) pulls ahead of the Toyota Corolla if you drive more than about 12,000 km/yr.
- Where the BYD Atto 1 (Essential)'s $43,990 actually goes: depreciation $14,154 (32%), insurance $12,725 (29%), maintenance $4,752 (11%), registration & fees $4,375 (10%), charging $4,037 (9%), financing interest $3,948 (9%).
- Per km, that is $0.24 of depreciation and $0.07 of charging, with $0.43 for everything else — $0.73/km all-in.
- Charging vs the fleet: the BYD Atto 1 (Essential)'s 5-year charging bill ($4,037) runs $497 below the $4,534 median of the 25 EVs we price at the same rates.
What we assume for maintenance
Assumed $950/yr for an EV at 12,000 km/yr — about $4,752 of the 5-year total above. On this market's assumptions an EV runs about $330/yr less in maintenance than a petrol car ($950 vs $1,280). See the methodology for sources; adjustable in the calculator.
Cost to charge the BYD Atto 1 (Essential) at home
The BYD Atto 1 (Essential) runs about $5.18 per 100 km at home — versus about $11.41 for a typical 7 L/100km petrol car. Home charging only (the ~12% AC charging loss is included); public DC fast-charging is billed per session by each network — often 2–3× the home rate — and isn't in these figures.
- Per 100 km at home
- $5.1813.8 kWh/100km + 12% charging loss × $0.33/kWh
- A typical 7 L/100km petrol car
- $11.41/100kmat $1.63/L — for comparison