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The small-to-medium EV SUV space is getting crowded fast, and that is good news for buyers. The latest Chinese EV to join pack though comes from Leapmotor via auto giant Stellantis, which apparently has so much faith in its Chinese subsidiary it is now looking to use its EV tech for European brands such as Fiat, Opel and Peugeot.
Put the Leapmotor B10 and BYD Atto 3 side by side and they are close enough on price to end up on the same shortlist, but they take different routes on battery size, charging speeds, cabin equipment and ownership costs. The short version, based on the figures here, is that the B10 looks stronger on value, range and charging, while the Atto 3 still makes a case with towing ability and a quicker Premium variant.
For those wanting to know about the BYD Atto 3 and Leapmotor B10 battery chemistry: all variants have LFP (lithium-ion phosphate) batteries, which is good news for range as you can charge them up to 100 per cent regularly.
The BYD Atto 3.
One caveat worth flagging before you dive into the tables: recent documents from the government’s vehicle compliance unit ROVER show that the Atto 3 is about to get a huge bump up in charging capacity to 230kW. The current Atto 3 has copped some criticism due to its lacklustre 70-88kW DC top charge speed and this improvement could turn the tables significantly. An arrival date is not yet confirmed though – so for now, stay tuned and read on.
Both the Leapmotor B10 and BYD Atto 3 are available in a shorter-range entry-level and a longer range premium variant, which is convenient when comparing the two.
At entry level, the Leapmotor B10 Style undercuts the BYD Atto 3 Essential by $1000 before on-road costs. The BYD Atto 3 Essential is listed at $39,990 plus on-road costs, while the Leapmotor B10 Style is $38,990 plus on-road costs.
At the upper end of this comparison, the Leapmotor B10 Design LR also comes in lower on sticker price. It is listed at $41,990 plus on-road costs, against $44,990 for the BYD Atto 3 Premium.
That said, price alone is only part of the story here, because the BYD and Leapmotor cars split the field on range, charging rates, and equipment.
| Model | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 |
| Variants | Style | Essential | Design LR | Premium |
|
Price (before |
$38,990 | $39,990 | $41,990 | $44,990 |
Both BYD Atto 3 variants in this comparison use the same 150kW/310Nm front-wheel-drive setup. The Essential is listed at 7.9 seconds for 0 to 100km/h, and the Premium trims that to 7.3 seconds via its larger battery providing better power management.
Likewise, both Leapmotor B10 variants here are rear-wheel drive and share a 160kW/240Nm setup. The B10 Style and B10 Design LR are both listed at eight seconds for 0 to 100km/h.
So, on the sheet figures alone, the B10 has a small edge in peak power at 160kW versus 150kW, while the Atto 3 has more torque at 310Nm versus 240Nm. The Atto 3 Premium is also the quickest of the four on the quoted 0 to 100km/h numbers, though some may prefer the rear-wheel drive handling of the B10.
The Atto 3 Essential uses a 49.92kWh battery for a WLTP range of 345km. The B10 Style uses a larger 56.2kWh battery and is listed at 361km WLTP. Step up a grade, and the Atto 3 Premium carries a 60.4kWh LFP pack with 420km WLTP, while the B10 Design LR moves to a 67.1kWh LFP battery and 434km WLTP.
In other words, the Leapmotor B10 variants have the longer WLTP range in both price pairings, but they also have the larger battery packs.
| Model | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 |
| Variants | Style | Essential | Design LR | Premium |
| Battery (kWh) | 56.2 | 49.92 | 67.1 | 60.4 |
| Drive | RWD | FWD | RWD | FWD |
| WLTP range (km) | 361 | 345 | 434 | 420 |
| Power output (kW) | 160 | 150 | 160 | 150 |
| Torque (Nm) | 240 | 310 | 240 | 310 |
| 0-100km/h (secs) | 8 | 7.9 | 8 | 7.3 |
Charging speeds also split in Leapmotor’s favour currently, but keep in mind the Atto 3 could soon come with 230kW DC charging, possibly for an upper range model:
If you’re thinking about where you’re going to charge it, the Atto 3 is listed with a driver-side charge port at the front, while both B10 variants are listed with a driver-side charge port at the rear – neither being the greatest spots for kerbside and pole charging.
The Atto 3 Essential misses out on several comfort and convenience items that the B10 Style gets. While both have a 360-degree camera, the Atto 3 Essential misses out on the sunroof (with sunshade), wireless phone charging and Apple/Android smartphone integration.
At the higher grades, the features gap narrows. Both the Atto 3 Premium and B10 Design LR are listed with sunroof with sunshade, heated front seats, 360-degree camera, dashcam, wireless phone charging, and Apple/Android smartphone integration. The B10 Design LR adds ventilated front seats on the sheet, while the Atto 3 Premium shows ventilated seats as not fitted.
Boot space is also listed in the B10’s favour: the Atto 3 offers 440 litres with the seats up and 1340 litres with the seats down, whereas the B10 offers 490/1475 litres. Both the Atto 3 and B10 are listed as having no frunk, but aftermarket options are out there for under $400 a pop. Both have roof rack options ($649 for the B10 and $680 for the Atto 3).
A notable BYD plus here is the towbar option for $1599 and towing figure listed for the Atto 3 Essential (750kg/750kg braked/unbraked), while the B10 Style is not rated for towing. Tyre kits are listed as a tyre repair kit for the Atto 3, and a tyre inflator kit for the B10.
All variants of both models are listed with V2L, which is handy for camping gear, tools, or backup use cases. While the BYD comes with its own external adapter, in the case of the Leapmotor, you will have to buy the external adapter for an additional $239.
| Model | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 |
| Variants | Style | Essential | Design LR | Premium |
| Plug types (AC/DC) | Type 2/CCS2 | Type 2/CCS2 | Type 2/CCS2 | Type 2/CCS2 |
| Max. charge rate kW (AC/DC) |
11/140 | 7/70 | 11/168 | 7/88 |
| Cargo space (litres) | 490/1475 | 440/1340 | 490/1475 | 440/1340 |
| Frunk cargo space | No | No | No | No |
| Towbar option | No | $1599 | No | $1599 |
| Tow rating kg (braked/unbraked) |
0/0 | 750/750 | 0/0 | 750/750 |
| V2L | Yes | Yes (cable included) | Yes | Yes (cable included) |
| V2L cable | No ($239 extra) | Yes | No ($239 extra) | Yes |
The Leapmotor B10 is the larger vehicle on the dimensions listed. BYD Atto 3 dimensions are 4455mm x 1875mm x 1615mm, while Leapmotor B10 is 4515mm x 1885mm x 1665mm. That makes the B10 longer, wider and taller on paper. It’s also higher off the ground, by all of 2cm, and has a slightly longer wheelbase.
| Model | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 |
| Variants | Style | Essential | Design LR | Premium |
| Length (mm) | 4515 | 4455 | 4515 | 4455 |
| Width (mm) | 1885 | 1875 | 1885 | 1875 |
| Height (mm) | 1665 | 1615 | 1665 | 1615 |
| Running clearance (mm) | 170 | 150 | 170 | 150 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2735 | 2720 | 2969 | 2735 |
The B10 and Atto 3’s warranties are identical, but the devil in the detail are the service schedules – the BYD’s is far more involved and costs $800 more than the Leapmotor’s. The BYD Atto 3 also costs a little more to run, based on figures from the Federal Government’s Green Vehicle Guide.
| Model | Leapmotor B10 | BYD Atto 3 |
| Vehicle warranty |
6 years/150,000km | 6 years/150,00km |
| Battery warranty |
8 years/160,000km | 8 years/160,000km |
| Cost to service | $2954 total/8 services | $3754 total/11 services |
| Annual cost to run* |
$706 (Style) / $711 (Design LR) |
$746 (Essential) / $751 (Premium) |
*Source: Green Vehicle Guide. Assumptions include efficiency according to ADR 81/02 lab tests, driving 14,000km a year, with an average cost of $0.30c/kWh.
