BYD Atto 3 Remains Intact After Missile Explosion
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The electric car BYD Atto 3 drew global attention after reportedly surviving the impact of a near-field ballistic missile explosion in Jerusalem, Sunday (1/3/2026). The vehicle reportedly maintained cabin integrity, and the high-voltage battery did not catch fire.
Dikutip dari Carnewschina, Rabu (4/3/2026), authorities’ report said the car was at the edge of a crater fairly deep. Nevertheless, the cabin structure did not collapse and there was no thermal runaway in the high-voltage battery.
Magen David Adom emergency service said there were five people inside the car at the time of the incident. The driver sustained a moderate injury, while four other passengers only suffered minor injuries and shock.
Technically, the vehicle was not struck directly. However, the car remained exposed to a combination of high-pressure shock waves, metal debris, and heat radiation from the explosion.
The A, B, and C pillar structures were reported not to fail. The high-strength steel frame forming about 85 per cent of the chassis is considered capable of absorbing and distributing the energy of the explosion.
Another point of attention was the evacuation access. The door handles and mechanical keys remained usable, so extraction did not require cutting tools.
One of the main focuses was the battery system. The Atto 3 uses a Blade Battery based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) integrated into e-Platform 3.0.
Although the vehicle had partly slipped into the crater several metres deep, the battery pack reportedly did not burn nor emit smoke.
Globally, the Atto 3 has earned five-star safety ratings from Euro NCAP and ANCAP, with a 91 per cent score for adult occupant protection.
In Israel, the model has become one of the best-selling electric cars in 2024 and 2025. The incident is seen as further strengthening the vehicle’s resilience image in the local market.
Business-wise, however, the Atto 3 is now facing price pressure. Competitors like Leapmotor B10 entered the Israeli market in early 2026 with lower price tags.
BYD Atto 3 is also sold in Indonesia in a single variant, Advanced STD (standard range). The Chinese SUV is priced at Rp 390 million on-the-road in Jakarta.