The 2025 BYD Atto 3 (sold in China as the Yuan Plus) comes with two batteries: 49.92 kWh for 430 km CLTC and 60.48 kWh for 510 km CLTC. Everything that moves the car is identical: the 150 kW / 310 N·m front motor, 7.3 seconds to 100 km/h, a 160 km/h top speed, the 4455 mm body and the 2720 mm wheelbase. The 510 km version adds 80 km of rated range, 65 kg of weight and a slightly faster DC charge peak (80 kW against 70 kW). Choose by daily distance and charging access, not by performance — there is no performance difference to choose by.
👉 We have both Atto 3 versions already landed in Djibouti. Tell us which one and where in Ethiopia it’s going. Ask us on WhatsApp · See the Djibouti stock →
The two versions side by side
All figures are from BYD’s published configuration sheet for the 2025 model year Yuan Plus / Atto 3.
| Spec | Atto 3 430 km | Atto 3 510 km |
|---|---|---|
| CLTC range | 430 km | 510 km |
| Battery | 49.92 kWh LFP Blade | 60.48 kWh LFP Blade |
| Rated consumption | 12.2 kWh/100 km | 12.5 kWh/100 km |
| Motor | 150 kW / 204 Ps, front | 150 kW / 204 Ps, front |
| Torque | 310 N·m | 310 N·m |
| 0–100 km/h | 7.3 s | 7.3 s |
| Top speed | 160 km/h | 160 km/h |
| DC fast-charge peak | 70 kW | 80 kW |
| DC 30–80% | about 30 min | about 30 min |
| Curb weight | 1625 kg | 1690 kg |
| Length × width × height | 4455 × 1875 × 1615 mm | 4455 × 1875 × 1615 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2720 mm | 2720 mm |
| Boot | 434 L (1338 L seats folded) | 434 L (1338 L seats folded) |
| Rear suspension | Multi-link independent | Multi-link independent |
| Tyres | 215/60 R17 | 215/60 R17 or 215/55 R18 by trim |
| Platform voltage | 400 V | 400 V |
Read the table from the top and the pattern is obvious. The first two rows differ. A handful of rows in the middle differ slightly. Everything else is the same car.
What the extra 10.56 kWh buys you
The 510 km battery is 21% bigger and delivers 19% more rated range. The gap is a little smaller than the battery gap because the bigger pack weighs 65 kg more, which nudges consumption from 12.2 to 12.5 kWh per 100 km.
Put that against a working week rather than a spec sheet. A private owner in Addis Ababa covering 60 km a day will plug in roughly once a week with either version. A ride-hailing driver doing 200 km a day will plug in every day or two with either version. The 80 km gap only changes behaviour for drivers in between, and for anyone making trips out of the city.
That last group is the one to ask about. Public charging in Ethiopia is concentrated in Addis Ababa: roughly 100 stations against an estimated 2,300 or more needed nationwide. Inside the city, a 430 km Atto 3 is never far from a charger. On a trip to a regional town, the extra 80 km is the margin between arriving with a buffer and arriving worried. Our Ethiopia EV import guide covers the charging gap in more detail.
CLTC is China’s test cycle, and it is generous. Real-world range will be lower on both cars, especially at sustained highway speed. The ratio between the two holds, though: whatever your customer gets from the 430, the 510 gets about a fifth more.
Charging: a small difference, not a deciding one
Both versions take a DC fast charge from 30% to 80% in about 30 minutes. The 510 km car peaks at 80 kW against 70 kW, which is how it fills a bigger battery in the same time.
In practice, that 10 kW gap rarely shows. A car can only charge as fast as the charger allows, so on a slower public charger the difference disappears. Over 30 minutes, the 510 km version puts more kilometres into the battery, but nobody should buy it for charge speed.
Most owners will charge at home or at a depot overnight. For that pattern, both versions start every morning full, and the only question is whether one day’s driving fits inside 430 km or 510 km of rated range.
Weight, tyres and ride
The 65 kg weight difference is roughly one adult passenger. It is not something a driver will feel day to day.
Tyres are a slightly bigger point for after-sales. The 430 km trims run 215/60 R17. The 510 km trims run 215/60 R17 or 215/55 R18 depending on trim level. A 17-inch tyre with a taller sidewall is cheaper to replace, easier to find in more markets, and more forgiving on broken road surfaces and speed bumps. If your customers drive on rough roads, check which wheel size a specific unit carries before you quote it.
Both versions share the multi-link independent rear suspension. That is one of the clearer upgrades over the smaller Yuan UP / Atto 2, which uses a torsion beam (see Yuan UP vs Yuan Plus for that comparison).
Equipment differences come from trim, not battery
BYD sells the 2025 Atto 3 in five trims across the two batteries, and equipment varies by trim more than by battery. On the published sheet, every 2025 trim carries curtain airbags, front side airbags, full-speed adaptive cruise, lane keeping and automatic emergency braking. The differences are smaller items:
- Centre screen: 15.6-inch on the top 510 km trim, 12.8-inch on the others.
- Vehicle-to-load (V2L) output: 3.3 kW on most trims; the published sheet lists it as absent on the entry 430 km trim.
- Wheels: 18-inch on the two upper 510 km trims, 17-inch elsewhere.
Order by VIN, battery capacity and trim, not by “Atto 3 430”. Two cars with the same range figure can differ in screen size and V2L. We send the VIN and photos of the actual unit before you pay a deposit. Our inspection and condition report explains what that covers.
The name: Atto 3, Yuan Plus, or both
In China, this car is the BYD Yuan Plus (元PLUS). In most export markets it has always been called the Atto 3. Expect both names on the paperwork. A Chinese purchase invoice or certificate can say Yuan Plus while your customer knows the car as Atto 3. That is the same vehicle, not a discrepancy. Our guide to Chinese model names vs export names explains how this works across brands.
The smaller BYD Atto 2 is the China-market Yuan UP, a different car one size class down. If a supplier offers you an “Atto 3” at a price that looks too good, check the length: an Atto 3 is 4455 mm, a Yuan UP / Atto 2 is 4310 mm.
Which buyer needs which version
The 430 km Atto 3 fits:
- Private owners in Addis Ababa whose driving stays mostly inside the city.
- Buyers who charge at home or at work every night.
- Customers for whom price is the main decision, since the smaller battery is the cheaper car.
- Dealers who want the most units for a fixed budget.
The 510 km Atto 3 fits:
- Ride-hailing and taxi drivers with long shifts who want to charge once a day, not twice.
- Owners who travel between Addis Ababa and regional towns.
- Fleet and company buyers who cannot control where drivers end the day.
- Customers who are nervous about range on their first EV. For a first-time EV owner, the extra 80 km is reassurance worth paying for.
If you are stocking a dealership and can only pick one, the 510 km version is the easier sale to a nervous first-time EV buyer, and the 430 km version is the easier sale on price. Many dealers take a mix.
Altitude helps both versions equally
Addis Ababa sits at around 2,355 metres. Petrol engines lose power as the air thins; electric motors do not. Both Atto 3 versions deliver the same 150 kW at altitude as at sea level. This doesn’t separate the two batteries, but it does help when your customer is comparing an Atto 3 with an older petrol SUV they drove before the 2024 import ban.
Shipping either version to Ethiopia
Every Ethiopia-bound car moves through the Port of Djibouti, then inland by the Addis Ababa–Djibouti railway or by road. Under the current rules, fully assembled EVs pay 15% customs duty, with VAT, excise and surtax waived. Confirm the current rate with your clearing agent before you finalise a landed-cost figure.
Our Djibouti units are quoted CIF Djibouti. That covers the car, export clearance in China, sea freight and insurance to the port. The inland leg and Ethiopian duties are on the buyer’s side. A unit already sitting in Djibouti also takes the sea voyage out of your timeline, and that voyage is usually the part buyers can least predict.
For factory-fresh orders shipped from China, see how many cars fit in a container and shipping routes to African ports.
Warranty is territorial. BYD’s Chinese warranty terms on the spec sheet (six years for the vehicle, eight for the battery) apply in China. They do not automatically follow a car exported by an independent exporter. Plan after-sales with your customer up front. Our checklist of import traps covers this and other common mistakes.
Related comparisons
- Sealion 05 EV vs Atto 3: the other EV SUV in our Djibouti stock, with rear-wheel drive and much faster DC charging.
- Yuan UP vs Yuan Plus (Atto 2 vs Atto 3): one size class down.
- BYD Atto 2 versions compared: three Yuan UP versions, one trap.
- Sealion 06 EV vs Song Plus EV: one size class up.
- BYD Dolphin vs Seagull: the two BYD hatchbacks.
- Top Chinese SUVs and EVs for export in 2026.
- How to choose a Chinese car exporter.
FAQ
What is the difference between the BYD Atto 3 430 km and 510 km?
Battery size. The 430 km version has a 49.92 kWh battery and the 510 km version has a 60.48 kWh battery. Motor, acceleration, body size and boot space are identical. The 510 km version is 65 kg heavier and charges at up to 80 kW on DC against 70 kW.
Is the 510 km Atto 3 faster than the 430 km?
No. Both use the same 150 kW / 310 N·m front motor and reach 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds, with the same 160 km/h top speed.
How long does the Atto 3 take to fast charge?
Both versions charge from 30% to 80% in about 30 minutes on a DC fast charger that can deliver their peak power (70 kW for the 430 km version, 80 kW for the 510 km version).
Is the BYD Yuan Plus the same car as the Atto 3?
Yes. Yuan Plus is the China-market name and Atto 3 is the export name for the same vehicle. Chinese paperwork may show Yuan Plus.
Which Atto 3 version is better for Ethiopia?
For city driving in Addis Ababa with home charging, the 430 km version is enough and costs less. For ride-hailing, fleet use or regular trips outside Addis Ababa, where public charging is thin, the 510 km version gives a safer margin.
Do you have the Atto 3 in stock for Ethiopian buyers?
Yes. We have both the 430 km and 510 km versions already landed in Djibouti, quoted CIF Djibouti. Ask us on WhatsApp for what is still available.