BYD Atto 1 tops Australian light‑car sales in May 2026

The BYD Atto 1 electric hatch recorded 768 sales in May 2026, making it the best‑selling light‑car model in Australia and the first electric vehicle to lead the category. It captured a 32.2 % share of the Light Car segment, overtaking the MG 3 which fell to 25.2 %. Year‑to‑date, the Atto 1 has sold 2,383 units, while the MG 3 remains ahead in total deliveries with 3,019.

The model was launched in December 2025 with a price of $23,990 before on‑road costs, positioning it as the cheapest EV in Australian showrooms. BYD’s rapid stock increase – tripling shipments ahead of June – was aided by the arrival of the BYD Zhengzhou, the automaker’s first dedicated ship, which delivered nearly 5,000 BYD vehicles, including the Atto 1, to Australia. Chinese‑made cars now account for more than one‑third of new‑vehicle sales in the country, the highest share for any producing nation. The surge in EV demand followed record fuel price spikes and temporary government cuts to fuel excise.