BYD Atto 1 - purchase outright or novated lease?

The range is pretty shit imho - you cool with the small battery? The Dolphin’s range is way more practical.

I wrote a full website with >30 articles on pros and cons of novated lease, but if you want the highest yield one, read this article on the [main caveats of novated lease](https://novatedlease.guide/start-here/is-it-worth-it/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=comment&utm_campaign=260319) to see if you are an appropriate candidate. \--- Pasting the more relevant bits here for easy reading. Important factors to check (if you meet more criteria, you are more favourable) * **are on a** [**high marginal tax bracket**](https://novatedlease.guide/start-here/what-is-novated-lease/#why-spending-pre-tax-money-is-functionally-a-discount) the higher your bracket, the larger the effective discount from spending pre-tax income * **have** [**stable employment**](https://novatedlease.guide/risks/early-termination/) moving jobs or losing your job is at best troublesome, and at worst a major financial loss * **have a home loan with an offset account** avoiding a large upfront cash payment can save substantial home-loan interest at today’s rates * **do not need to borrow heavily during the lease term** novated leases significantly reduce borrowing capacity - I have seen estimates where leasing a $70k car reduces borrowing power by $200k or more * **have considered** [**the impact on government subsidies**](https://novatedlease.guide/costs-and-savings/fbt-rfba-ati-explained/) childcare subsidy, HECS/HELP repayments, Division 293 tax, etc, can all be affected via reportable fringe benefits. (This impact is primarily relevant for FBT-exempt EV novated leases; ICE novated leases typically do not worsen eligibility for most government subsidies.) * **have checked** [**how your employer calculates super guarantee**](https://novatedlease.guide/special-and-policy/super-guarantee/) a small but non-trivial number of payroll departments calculate super on *post-novated-lease salary*, which can cost you $1,000+ per year in lost employer contributions. * **have considered and mitigated the** [**possible risk of vehicle write-off**](https://novatedlease.guide/risks/how-bad-can-early-termination-get/#example-2-insufficiently-insured-vehicle-write-off-at-2-year-1-month). if the leased car is written-off and does not have new-for-old or adequate payout to repay all remaining obligation, the default insurance payout amount may leave you significantly out of pocket. * **have a clear exit strategy at the end of the lease** you should be prepared (and able) to pay out the residual if you want to own the car outright at the end of the lease. Otherwise, you risk being stuck perpetually leasing, which may no longer be attractive if FBT exemptions change.

Car sauce on youtube did two detailed reviews on that car, first the good, second the bad… worth a watch

In markets where both the Atto 1 and Geely EX2 exist, the EX2 has been consistently rated as the far better car, largely because it’s significantly roomier inside (5-seater instead of 4, with respectable legroom in the rear), while still being priced more or less the same. Real world efficiency has also shown that the EX2 has the edge, so it’s got much better real world range. If you don’t need it now, it’s worth waiting for the EX2. But if you need one now, have you looked at the Atto 2 instead? It’s a lot more practical for a bit more premium. Novated lease is almost always the better way to buy an EV, unless you’ve got HECS debt or childcare subsidies. In most cases the impact to childcare subsidies isn’t big, but do the necessary math based on your financial situation.

Yeah, I've seen it. :)

I drive less than 10,000kms a year, and almost exclusively in metro areas, so the little battery doesn't worry me too much.

It makes sense, it’s where ev novated makes driving an ev cheaper than almost any other new car option there is. I love the Atto 1, and unless you drive 100’s of k’s a day who cares about range. Put a charge in, always charged!

It's not so much a need it now, but definitely want! We might look to sell our other car by the time the Geely EX2 gets here. No HECS or CCS so I'll crunch the numbers, but leasing certainly seems promising.

Mum has the Atto 1 and I really like it. It’s good for its intended use

I love my Atto 1. I drive 40km daily and it does the job for me.

We're looking at the Leapmotor B10 right now, it's at the top of the shortlist after our research stage. Going for a test drive tomorrow

Which is?

100% novated with cash in offset.

Urban run about

Lots of articles in the comments. My accountant asked a few simple questions that helped me. What are you doing with the cash if you’re going for the lease? For us we didn’t have anything we need that cash for. It wasn’t needed for our offset and it was either sitting in term deposit or in stocks. Might as well just buy the car. My tax bracket would’ve saved a little bit. But it was just easier to just buy the damn car.

Rav4s hybrids have been proven to make it to 750k km on original battery, and other Toyota/Lexus hybrids over a million. Even if the battery needs replacement it's not a huge expense. Highly likely the rav will outlast an atto 1 and it's a lot more car for your money as far as space. Having said that, if you're on a high tax bracket, and have a decent lease provider, there is a compelling case for NL and keeping cash in offset. Rav4 hybrids get excellent fuel economy for the size but the atto will surely be cheaper to run

Have you watched the Attto 1 review by Carsource on YouTube. The things are absolute trash

My smart charging doesn't work: It's supposed to be that you can set when it should start charging and when it should stop. It starts on time but it just charges until I come and unplug it. It doesn't stop. I don't like the shape re: water coming into the car if you have the windows down after its been raining. It just dumps in really easily off the roof if you drive around a corner. I used to have a Mitsubishi I-Miev and it had a lot more glass to headcheck/look at surroundings through. The BYD has cameras but I would have liked more glass. I don't think putting it in drive or reverse using a toggle is a sensible design and I have definitely thought I was in drive or reverse when I was in the other because I failed to toggle perfectly. Not a mistake I ever made with a gearstick. Pretty harsh, but I'm still glad I got it.

The Atto 1 is so cheap that unless you are in the highest tax bracket you'll probably be way better off over the long run just buying it outright if you already have the cash on hand. Remember - novated lease means you'll need to pay whatever the company says the balloon payment is at the end in order to keep the car. Loving my Pine Lime Premium, everything you need and nothing you don't. I'm more than happy getting my Atto 1 right now than waiting 6 months for the other competing cars (Aion UT & Geely EX2) to release to combat the price a few thousand down.

Does your smart charging work?