BYD’s Atto 2 is on sale now in the UK, priced from £30,850 and ready to do battle in the compact electric SUV space.

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Positioned between the existing Dolphin hatchback and the larger Atto 3 SUV, it’s the Chinese carmaker’s answer to the Vauxhall Frontera Electric and Škoda Elroq but also to more premium rivals such as the Kia EV3 and Volvo EX30.

Priced keenly against peers, it’s pitched as “a smart and agile urban electric car, with no compromise on comfort and ‘big-car’ features”.

It’s available in two grades. The entry-level Boost model, open for orders now, teams up a 177hp front-mounted motor and a 51.1kWh version of BYD’s Blade Battery, delivering a WLTP combined range of 214 miles. It’s fitted with an 82kW DC onboard charger which means it can charge from 30 to 80% in just 30 minutes.

The Comfort spec arrives later this year, priced from £34,950, and gains a larger 64.8kWh battery, which can deliver up to 261 miles of range. It also gets a 155kW onboard DC charger as standard, enabling a charge from 30 to 80% in as little as 21 minutes.

Standard equipment includes items such as 12.8-inch rotatable touchscreen, wireless smartphone charging, high-tech audio system with eight speakers, ‘Hi BYD’ intelligent voice control and vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology, which enables owners to power external devices such as a coffee machine or lawnmower.

The Atto 2 is also BYD’s first compact model to use its cell-to-body (CTB) construction, whereby the battery is integrated completely into the vehicle chassis, with the top cover of the pack acting as the floor for the passenger compartment. This delivers improved packaging and body rigidity.

First deliveries of the Atto 2 are due from September.