BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) cost to own in New Zealand — the true 5-year total
The BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) starts at $29,990. Over 5 years, owning one (EV) costs about $42,884 in New Zealand as of July 9, 2026 — $715/month, $0.61/km — including depreciation, charging (with the ~12% charging loss most calculators ignore), maintenance, insurance, financing and rego + road-user charges. That's $6,685 more than a comparable Suzuki Swift Hybrid over the same 5 years.
BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) incentives & grants
No EV purchase rebate in NZ (the Clean Car Discount ended Dec 2023), and EVs now pay Road User Charges (~NZ$76/1,000 km). Both are reflected honestly — the RUC is included in the totals above. Source: NZTA.
BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) · NZ · 5-year estimate$42,884 total · $715/mo · $0.61/km
Where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · BYD Atto 1 | Hybrid · Suzuki Swift Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $17,394 (41%) | $11,970 (33%) |
| Charging / fuel | $4,922 (11%) | $8,316 (23%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$591) | — |
| Maintenance | $2,247 (5%) | $3,752 (10%) |
| Insurance | $7,000 (16%) | $6,500 (18%) |
| Financing interest | $5,076 (12%) | $4,796 (13%) |
| Registration & fees | $6,245 (15%) | $865 (2%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $42,884 | $36,199 |
BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) specs & assumptions
- Starting price
- $29,990manufacturer
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 14 kWh/100kmWLTP/EECA
- Range
- 220 kmWLTP/EECA
- NZ electricity
- 34.00c/kWhEA / MBIE
- Annual km (assumed)
- 14,000NZ average
Compare the BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) against any car, your km & your scenario
What the numbers say
The BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) costs about $42,884 to own over 5 years in New Zealand — $715/month, $0.61/km at 14,000 km/yr — and depreciation is the biggest line: $17,394, 41% of the total (as of July 9, 2026).
- The Suzuki Swift Hybrid wins decisively here — $6,685 cheaper over 5 years; at typical assumptions this isn't a close call.
- Only heavy drivers flip this one: the BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) needs more than about 33,000 km/yr to beat the Suzuki Swift Hybrid.
- Where the BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf)'s $42,884 actually goes: depreciation $17,394 (41%), insurance $7,000 (16%), registration & fees $6,245 (15%), financing interest $5,076 (12%), charging $4,922 (11%), maintenance $2,247 (5%).
- Per km, that is $0.25 of depreciation and $0.07 of charging, with $0.29 for everything else — $0.61/km all-in.
- Charging vs the fleet: the BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf)'s 5-year charging bill ($4,922) runs $528 below the $5,450 median of the 23 EVs we price at the same rates.
What we assume for maintenance
Assumed $449/yr for an EV at 14,000 km/yr — about $2,247 of the 5-year total above. On this market's assumptions an EV runs about $451/yr less in maintenance than a petrol car ($449 vs $900). See the methodology for sources; adjustable in the calculator.
Cost to charge the BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) at home
The BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) runs about $5.41 per 100 km at home — versus about $20.79 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
- $5.4114 kWh/100km + 12% charging loss × $0.34/kWh
- A typical 7 L/100km petrol car
- $20.79/100kmat $2.97/L — for comparison