Spec battle: 2026 BYD Atto 1 vs Geely EX2

At a Glance 

• The BYD Atto 1 is already on sale in Australia, priced from $23,990 plus on-roads
• The Geely EX2 is confirmed for Australia in 2026, but local pricing and specs are still to come
• Overseas EX2 specs point to a slightly larger, five-seat hatch than BYD Atto 1 

The small electric hatch space in Australia could soon be getting very busy. The BYD Atto 1 broke rank when it arrived in Australia with a sub-$30,000 price tag, while Geely is lining up its EX2 as a compact electric hatch that could make things even more interesting in 2026. 

This is not quite a straight showroom fight yet. The BYD Atto 1 is already on sale in Australia, while the Geely EX2 is confirmed for local launch in the second half of 2026, with Australian pricing and final specifications still to be confirmed.  

But the EX2 is already out in Southeast Asian markets like Indonesia and Thailand, and the Thai launch matters because Thailand is, like Australia, a right-hand-drive market. These overseas specs give us a useful early look at how Geely’s baby EV might line up against BYD’s smallest local electric car. 

Pricing and variants 

The BYD Atto 1 keeps things simple in Australia with two variants. The Atto 1 Essential starts at $23,990 plus on-road costs, while the Atto 1 Premium is priced from $27,990 plus on-road costs.  

Geely has not yet confirmed Australian EX2 pricing. In Thailand, the EX2 has been reported with launch pricing from around the equivalent of $A19,000, making it look like a very serious budget EV contender if Geely can keep local pricing sharp after adding import costs and so on. 

 * Thai specs used

Performance and range 

On paper, the Geely EX2 sits closer to the Atto 1 Premium than the entry Atto 1 Essential for power. 

The Atto 1 Essential uses a 65kW/175Nm front-mounted motor, while the Premium steps up to 115kW/220Nm. The Geely EX2 in Thailand a rear-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor with 85kW and 150Nm.  

The Atto 1 Premium is still the quicker car on the numbers, with a listed 0-100km/h time of 9.1 seconds. The Atto 1 Essential takes 11.1 seconds, while the Geely EX2 is listed at 11.5 seconds. That said, the EX2 uses a rear-wheel drive format while the Atto 1 is front wheel-drive. 

Charging 

The BYD Atto 1 Essential gets 6.6kW AC charging and 65kW DC charging, while the Premium steps up to 11kW AC and 85kW DC. Both models use Type 2 AC and CCS2 DC charging.  

The Geely EX2 Indonesian brochure lists 8.5 hours for AC charging, 25 minutes for DC fast charging from 30-80%, and a 70kW maximum DC charging rate. It also lists vehicle-to-load for the higher-grade Max variant, however its AC charge rate in Thailand is wanting, at just 6.6 kW. 

Size and cargo space 

This is where the Geely EX2 makes a strong case. It is not quite as tiny as the Atto 1. In fact, it is bigger in every main dimension, with a longer wheelbase and five seats instead of four. 

The Atto 1 measures 3990mm long, 1720mm wide and 1590mm high, with a 2500mm wheelbase. The Geely EX2 measures 4135mm long, 1805mm wide and 1580mm high, with a 2650mm wheelbase.

That makes the EX2 145mm longer, 85mm wider and 150mm longer in wheelbase than the Atto 1. It is also a five-seater, which could matter for buyers who like the Atto 1’s price but need one more seatbelt. 

The EX2 also has the luggage numbers to land a punch. The Indonesian brochure lists 375L of rear luggage space, expanding to 1320L, plus a 70L front trunk. The Atto 1 lists 308L of luggage capacity and does not list a frunk. 

Features and safety 

The BYD Atto 1 brings a decent amount of kit for the money. Both variants get a 10.1-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7-inch digital instrument panel, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure assist, emergency lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, traffic sign recognition and intelligent speed limit control.  

The Premium adds the nicer gear, including a sunroof, 360-degree camera, wireless phone charging, synthetic leather seats, heated front seats, power-adjustable front seats, alloy wheels and vehicle-to-load.  

Image: Interior of the BYD Atto 1

The Geely EX2 also looks feature-heavy in overseas form. Thai specs include a 14.6-inch HD touchscreen, 8.8-inch instrument cluster, Flyme Auto infotainment, rear view camera, LED headlights, wireless phone charging, six-way manual seats, four speakers and a 256-colour ambient lighting system on the Max.  

The Max also adds two more speakers, electric seat adjustment, 360-degree panoramic camera and Level 2 ADAS with 12 functions, while it’s unclear if there is a sunroof option. In Thailand, the Geely EX2 includes a broad safety suite, with front, side and side curtain airbags, a rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, electronic stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, brake assist, hill-start assist, hill descent control, tyre pressure monitoring, seatbelt reminders, child safety locks, immobiliser, acoustic vehicle alerting and emergency tailgate release. 

Image: Interior of the Geely EX2 (overseas model shown)

Warranty 

For private use, the BYD Atto 1 gets a five-year/unlimited km warranty for the vehicle and eight-year/160,000 km for the traction battery. Geely in Australia says that all its vehicles get a 7 years/unlimited km warranty for the vehicle and eight-year/160,000 km for the traction, which we expect will be applied to the EX2 also. 

Verdict: Which one should you buy? 

Right now, the BYD Atto 1 is the easy answer because it is already on sale in Australia. It is very affordable, compact, uses BYD’s Blade battery and gives buyers the choice of a budget Essential or a better-equipped Premium with more power, longer WLTP range and V2L. 

But the Geely EX2 is the one to watch. Based on overseas specs, it is larger, roomier, has five seats, rear-wheel drive, a bigger boot, a 70L frunk and a larger touchscreen. It also sits on a 39.4kWh battery for both variants in the Thai spec sheet, with WLTP range listed at 325km – more than the BYD Atto 1’s 310km for the Premium variant. 

On the numbers we have, the Atto 1 Premium remains the stronger known quantity for performance and charging speed. The EX2, however, looks like it could bring more space and a more flexible layout, particularly for buyers who need five seats but still want a small, affordable EV. 

For now, the Atto 1 wins on availability. But if Geely can land the EX2 in Australia with sharp pricing and an improvement on charging specs, BYD’s baby EV may have a proper fight on its hands.