Watch out, Tesla Model Y rival! New Chinese brand Skywell bringing 2025 EVA 5 electric car to Australia

Yes, the relentless cascade of new car brands landing in Australia continues with Skywell, a Chinese car brand set to be sold under importer EV Automotive.

EV Automotive already brings commercial vehicles to Australia, but the first passenger electric car, the EVA 5 SUV as it’ll be called, is coming next.

While a local arrival isn’t expected until the end of 2024, according to the importer’s most recent relevant updates, the Skywell BE11, as it’s currently known in its home market, has some details that will likely make it here.

Read more

The Chinese ute that's faster than a Ford Ranger Raptor and more powerful than V8 Ram 1500: BYD Shark hybrid dual-cab detailed at last for Australia Cracking the Chinese car code! You know about MG and BYD, but what about all the other new car brands and models? 'There's going to be a clean-out': Xpeng says new car landscape in Australia will look very different in coming years as 'quality' Chinese cars rather than just low-cost ones arrive to upset Tesla Model Y and Polestar 2

The EVA 5 won’t, however, follow its home line-up of two battery sizes with two trim levels each, totalling four variants. There’s a ‘Comfort Version’ and ‘Luxury Version’ with a 520km claimed electric driving range, and the same two variants for a 620km version.

Here instead, EV Automotive says three WLTP ranges (350km, 400km and 490km) will be available, with batteries sized at 52kWh, 72kWh and 86kWh.

The EVA 5 SUV will be 4720mm long, 1908mm wide and 1696mm tall - and so should end up being a more affordable rival to the likes of the Tesla Model Y or Kia EV6.

In fact, the Skywell BE11 was also originally badged as ‘EV6’ in China, as well as being called the ET5. Of course, the former wasn’t going to fly in other markets.

Given EV Automotive’s existence as a commercial vehicle importer, it already has presence in most capital cities around the country where it’s possible customers will be able to collect an EVA 5.

“All of our vehicles can be collected from our capital city depots in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth with no delivery fee applicable,” the importer’s website says.

“For all other locations, the cost of transport from those depots to your location can be arranged at an additional fee.”

CarsGuide has contacted EV Automotive for any further information that may be available at this early stage, including pricing, availability and any plans for the brand going forward.