tasting a cleaner, brighter future
A Dream Drive in an all-electric BYD Atto 3 to a world-class hotel teases a better world
Words Anna Silverman | Photography Alex Tapley
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I take my trusty reusable water bottle everywhere I go. I try to boycott fast fashion and I shop sustainably, locally sourced food as much as my bank balance and hectic schedule allows. But there’s one thing that I do almost every day which is probably more damaging to the planet than a thousand single-use plastic cups: I drive an old, exhaust-belching petrol car. I live on a fairly busy London road with my husband and asthma-prone toddler, and the thought of what that polluted air is doing to my daughter’s lungs fills me with guilt and worry. The fact that, every day, I load her into a car that is contributing to the problem is even worse.
For a long time, I’ve been contemplating making the move to an electric vehicle (EV) but I’ve always had so many questions. How do they work? Could I afford to? Would I lose or save money in the long run? Do they last longer than petrol cars? How far can you drive on one charge? Visions of being stranded in the Scottish Highlands as the power runs low immediately come to mind, despite, um … never having been to the Highlands.
we love to escape the smog and chaos of london, but it’s not always smooth sailing
To help me make the decision about whether to make the move from petrol to EV I take a voyage of discovery in the Atto 3 Design, one of the latest cars from BYD, the electric car manufacturer that has Tesla quaking at its charging station. I want to find out whether making the switch will leave me yearning for the petrol stations and unwieldly gear changes of the past (unlikely) or show me just what I’ve been missing out on. As a family, we love to escape the smog and chaos of London for a weekend away, but it’s not always smooth sailing, not least because the car often groans under the weight of our luggage and we need to play Tetris just to get it all in. I struggle to pack conservatively, and that’s just for me.
Yes, even if it’s only two nights I still need every item in my skincare regime, a few outfit options and spare shoes in case the weather changes. And once you’ve added a car seat, a buggy and all the paraphernalia needed for a toddler into the mix, plus a small rucksack for my husband (he has no choice but to pack light) our loaded-up, battered old hatchback can look as though we’re moving country rather than skipping town.
first Atto 3 TEST: SPACIOUSNESS
So, the first test for the Atto 3 is whether it can deliver when it comes to space. Sure enough, my enormous suitcase fits in the boot without issue. The back seats have more than enough room for the car seat and anything else that needs to be thrown in. And in the front, it’s a marvellous novelty not to have bags piled in the footwell.
THE PERfect getaway spot
We’re making our way down from east London to The Pig in The New Forest, a hotel which prides itself on its sustainable credentials, from its home grown or locally sourced menus to the charging station for guests’ electric vehicles. It feels like the perfect getaway spot to test drive the Atto 3 to.
The first thing I notice when I’m on the road is the quietness and ease of the drive. I hadn’t realised just how noisily I’d been chugging along in my old car before driving the Atto 3. When previously I was afraid to reach the speed limit on a motorway, in the Atto 3 I smoothly cruise along without so much as a window rattle. It feels safer, like a protective bubble. There’s no chugging or vibrating, just gliding. Previously, my fear of motorways limited the type of driving I felt I could do, but feeling this safe at the wheel of the Atto 3 feels as though it has opened a new window of opportunities for me on the open road.
at the wheel of the atto 3 the possibilities feel endless
I never realised my fear of motorways actually just boiled down to a fear of driving in a car that doesn’t fill you with confidence. With my newfound conviction, I immediately start mentally planning the next long-haul trip I’ll take: I can see my parents in Leeds more regularly; I’ll visit friends in Newcastle; maybe we really will venture into the Highlands. At the wheel of the Atto 3 the possibilities feel endless; the country is my oyster.
It’s not just confidence-building – when it comes to comforts, the Atto 3 has everything at my fingertips. A wireless charging pad for my phone. A 15.6-inch screen for maps and, importantly, Spotify. When the rain moves in and the temperature drops, I flick on the in-seat heating (a year-round requirement in the UK) and am immediately warmed.
confidence building and comfortable too
The sophisticated air conditioning system is easy to navigate when things heat up again. There’s also the sunroof and blind you can open for fresh air and to catch rays. When the sun does emerge, winding through the country lanes with the blind open and roof up gives the feel of an open top car.
the car takes much of the strain off driving too
Comfortable, leather-free and heated too
Charging is easy and makes long-term financial sense
Good looking, good to drive, good for the planet
The car takes much of the strain off driving, too. Blind-spot detection looks down the side of the vehicle for me and cameras relay the speed limit in the instrument panel. It never occurred to me that driving didn’t need to be stressful. After 68-odd miles, I approach Moto Chieveley services for a charge and a sandwich, not that I’d need to refuel just yet. Leaving home with a full charge could easily get me the 80 odd miles to the New Forest, but I want to take advantage of the EV chargers here and test how easy it is. There’s plenty of charging points and no queue, so I pull in and plug in.
260 miles of ATTO 3 RANGE
Unlike a petrol pump there’s no need to be hands on, so I use the time to catch up on WhatsApp admin, buy something on Vinted and eat lunch. In just over half an hour, I charged the car from 24 to 85 per cent, which cost just over £32. And a nearly full battery means the driver’s instrument panel shows 226 miles of range – the Atto 3’s maximum range when fully charged is 260 miles. I realise how unfounded my worries about being stranded without charge were. You’d have to plan badly – or be very unlucky – for this to happen.
By early evening we reach the picturesque, forested plains surrounding The Pig and pull up the driveway to the stunning house. We settle into our spacious, rustic room over-looking the gardens. A pot of The Pig homemade honey awaits, as does a king-size bed and a bath big enough for three. It strikes me how I’m not even tired. Usually after a day’s driving I’d feel knackered, but something about the Atto 3 is so straightforward, so easy, and such a joy to drive, I feel relaxed and – dare I say it – excited to get back in to continue cruising around tomorrow.
I can see how running an ev around town and charging at home makes it very cost efficient
After a dinner to write home about (think plant-based dishes that were mostly picked from the gardens that morning, exquisite monkfish, and a portion of Angus beef so generous we needed doggy bags), the bath beckons. Overnight at The Pig I charged the Atto 3 on the AC (alternating current) charger. Slower domestic charging is much cheaper (you don’t have to pay VAT for starters). I can see how running an EV around town and charging it at home makes it very cost efficient. Overall, the Atto 3 travelled 2.87 miles for every kWh of electricity on my trip, which isn’t bad for a trip with various stops, speeds and terrains.
What does the Atto 3 cost?
Over a breakfast of fresh trout and poached eggs the next morning I mull it over. The entry level Atto 3 Comfort costs £37,695, or £289 per month on three-year PCP finance after a £7356 deposit. Our flagship Design model is £39,695 or £309 per month. But after weighing up those monthly finance options and buying it to run for seven years (the battery and motor warranties are eight-years for starters) I’d start to reap the benefits if I consider all the petrol I’d be cutting out. And that’s exactly the point – cutting out petrol to help keep the air clean is what’s most important for me, and an expense I’m prepared to dig deep in my pockets to fund.
We pack up and do one final lap of the grounds, past the EV charging points and beautiful gardens where so much of the Pig’s produce is grown. I click the door handle to unlock it, watch the powered rear hatch swing upward to load up the boot, and slide into the vegan-leather seats. Then I slot my trusty reusable water bottle firmly in the drinks holder. And that’s when I knew – I was never going back. I’ve had a sneak peek under the bonnet at a cleaner ride in the fast, smooth, sustainable lane, where I can feel good after a long drive, not riddled with guilt. It’s decided: I’m an electric vehicle convert and the Atto 3 is a dream drive.
i can feel good after a long drive, not riddled with guilt
OUR ROAD TRIP route
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The capital’s busy, polluted streets are the Atto 3’s start point
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Time to celebrate our London escape with some caffeine!
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We know the BYD’s quiet on the motorway, but how’s it feel on our favourite rural roads?
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Blessed with 15 chargers, it’s time to recharge the Atto 3 – and us!
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Our sustainably-minded destination, with homegrown produce and EV chargers
