BYD's Atto 8 flagship SUV debuts in Paris with 9-minute Flash Charging, up to 405 miles of WLTP range and 764 hp. Here are the specs and launch timing.
Photo by: BYD
BYD just set a new benchmark for charging speed in a family SUV. At the Paris Motor Show, the company revealed the Atto 8, a seven-seat flagship electric SUV for Europe. BYD says it can charge from 10% to 97% in nine minutes, about the time it takes to grab a coffee. It's BYD's first car in Europe with both its second-generation Blade Battery and Flash Charging, and it's meant to take on three-row EVs like the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9.
That's how BYD sums up the Atto 8's charging. Plugged into one of BYD's Flash Charging stations, the SUV goes from 10% to 70% in about five minutes and from 10% to 97% in nine. (Some outlets reported the five-minute figure as 10–80%. BYD's own materials say 70%.) Even in extreme cold, BYD says charging only slows by about three minutes: at -30°C (-22°F), going from 20% to 97% takes around 12 minutes.
For comparison, most EVs today quote 10–80% times of 18 to 30 minutes on the fastest public chargers. BYD says the Atto 8 needs about a third of the time rival SUVs take for that 10–80% stretch. Getting to 97% in nine minutes matters even more: nearly every EV slows down sharply above 80%, which is why most automakers stop their charging claims there.
The Atto 8 comes in two versions, both using the same 115 kWh Blade Battery. The Design RWD has a single rear motor and is built for range. The Excellence AWD adds a front motor and has more power than most performance sedans.
| Spec | Design RWD | Excellence AWD |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 340 kW (456 hp) | 570 kW (764 hp) |
| Torque | 365 Nm (269 lb-ft) | 775 Nm (572 lb-ft) |
| 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) | 8.0 s | 4.6 s |
| WLTP range | Up to 653 km (~405 mi) | Up to 602 km (~374 mi) |
| Battery | 115 kWh second-gen Blade Battery | |
| Charging | 10–70% ~5 min, 10–97% 9 min (Flash Charging) |
Keep in mind that WLTP, the European test, usually gives higher range numbers than the EPA test used in the US. Under EPA testing, the RWD's 405 miles would likely come out closer to the low 300s.
At 5,040 mm (198.4 in) long and about 2,000 mm wide, the Atto 8 is roughly the same size as the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9. With all three rows up, there's 270 liters of cargo space; with the second and third rows folded, that grows to 1,960 liters. There's also a 136-liter front trunk.
Inside, there's a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, a 26-inch head-up display, and a 15.6-inch center touchscreen with Google built in (Maps, Assistant and the Play Store). The front seats and the outer second-row seats are heated, ventilated and have a massage function, and a 2.39-square-meter panoramic glass roof covers the cabin. The Excellence AWD adds a 21-speaker sound system and a front-seat refrigerator.
BYD hasn't announced pricing yet. As a reference, the Tang, the seven-seater it replaces as BYD's European flagship, launched in Germany at €75,000 and is now discounted to €47,990. Electrek estimates the Atto 8 will start a little above £47,995 in the UK, which is about $65,000. We'll know for sure closer to its Q1 2027 launch.
"As a technology company, BYD is all about turning intelligence into reality."
— Stella Li, Executive Vice President, BYDNo. BYD doesn't sell passenger cars in the United States, and tariffs on Chinese-built EVs make that very unlikely to change soon. Still, the Atto 8 is worth watching for US buyers. Nine-minute charging sets a new bar that Tesla, GM, Hyundai and Kia will be measured against, and it shows how quickly Chinese automakers are moving on battery and charging tech. BYD is already rolling out similar fast-charging technology at home, including on the Da Han flagship sedan.
How fast does the BYD Atto 8 charge?
BYD says 10% to 97% in nine minutes and 10% to 70% in about five minutes on a BYD Flash Charging station.
What is the BYD Atto 8's range?
Up to 653 km (about 405 miles) WLTP for the Design RWD, and up to 602 km (about 374 miles) for the Excellence AWD.
How many seats does the BYD Atto 8 have?
Up to seven, in three rows.
When does the BYD Atto 8 go on sale?
European dealers begin sales in the first quarter of 2027.
Is the BYD Atto 8 coming to the US?
No. BYD does not currently sell passenger vehicles in the United States.
The bottom line: The Atto 8 makes charging take about as long as a gas station stop, at least on paper and at BYD's own stations. Whether that matters in daily life depends on how quickly BYD builds its 3,000 Flash Charging stations across Europe. The bar has still been raised: a three-row family SUV that adds about 400 miles of range in under ten minutes is what every other automaker now has to match.
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