Articles by Jack Quick

Sales of new Chinese-made cars in Australia have been on the rise for a number of years now, but 2025 saw it reach new heights.According to VFACTS sales data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, a total of 221,699 new vehicles imported from China were sold in Australia, which is up 25.9 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting that this figure doesn’t include Tesla and Polestar sales. Every Polestar and almost every Tesla (excluding the updated Model Y Performance) sold in Australia are made in China.Combining this Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) sales data, it’s understood more than 252,000 Chinese-made cars were sold in Australia during 2025. An exact figure can’t be determined as Tesla doesn’t provide any data indicating how many of its Australian-delivered cars were made in China and Germany.Even despite this, China has now overtaken Thailand as the second largest new vehicle import market in Australia. A total of 249,958 Thai-made new vehicles were sold in Australia during 2025, which is down 8.2 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting that this is still behind Japan, which has been the largest new vehicle import market in Australia for decades now. A total of 358,981 Japanese-made new vehicles were sold in Australia last year, which is down 5.3 per cent year-on-year.The large jump in Chinese-made new vehicles in Australia is likely attributable to the wealth of new Chinese brands that launched last year. Examples include Deepal, Geely, JAC, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, Omoda, XPeng and Zeekr.These brands are able to scale quickly in Australia as they view it as a test market for further expansion. Plus, there are no import tariffs to hinder potential sales.There was also astronomical growth in a number of existing Chinese brands in Australia. Sales of Chery vehicles were up 176.8 per cent year-on-year and BYD vehicles were up 156.2 per cent year-on-year.Chinese brands GWM, BYD and MG have all cemented their place in the top 10 best sellers and continue to grow.Although Chinese-made car sales rose a considerable amount last year, the top 10 best-selling models were largely imported from Japan or Thailand. The best-selling Chinese-made car last year was the 10th placed Tesla Model Y with a total of 22,239 examples sold.A number of non-Chinese carmakers have been taking note of how Chinese-made cars have been performing in Australia and are quickly pivoting to producing models in that country.As examples, the Cupra Tavascan, Kia EV5, Lotus Eletre and Emeya, as well as the forthcoming Hyundai Elexio, Mazda 6e and Mazda CX-6e are all made in China.For now we'll have to wait and see, but China could soon topple Japan and become the biggest new vehicle import market in Australia if it continues its trajectory.

Many brands are now realising it isn’t feasible to go all-electric for all markets and as a result are pivoting to offer hybrid technology alongside.As reported by Autocar, Renault is the latest and could rework its next generation of electric vehicles (EVs) to also offer range-extender (REEV) powertrain technology, which it is tentatively calling ‘Super Hybrid’.“We’ve got a two-leg approach,” said Renault product boss Bruno Vanel to Autocar.“The direction is towards EVs, so we are focusing on EVs and the efficiency of the vehicles, but it doesn't prevent us from looking at solutions like the one Horse has presented.”At last year’s Munich Motor Show, Horse Powertrain, which is co-owned by Renault Group and Geely, revealed a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that can be installed in an EV and act as a generator to charge the battery pack.“Things which extend the electric range of EVs look to us to be a very interesting and probably relevant solution to go towards an electric world - for the south of Europe, for example, or for people who cannot charge every two or three days,” added Vanel.“It could be a very good solution for the C- and D-segment and the next platform we are developing.”Renault is currently working on a new platform, originally designed to be EV-only, which will underpin its forthcoming mid-size vehicles.At this stage the first vehicle on this new platform will be a production version of the 2024 Embléme concept and it’s reportedly due around 2028.It’s worth noting that Renault has not disclosed any plans to adapt its current EV platforms or models to accommodate REEV powertrain technology.A number of carmakers are using the term ‘Super Hybrid’. Though the exact implementations vary from brand to brand, they largely all encompass some form of plug-in hybrid (PHEV).In Australia MG uses Super Hybrid on the PHEV version of its HS SUV, Chery uses it on the PHEV versions of its Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 SUVs, plus Jaecoo uses it on the PHEV versions of its J7 SUV.Although it doesn’t use the exact term Super Hybrid, Leapmotor is currently the only carmaker in Australia to offer REEV powertrain technology. It’s currently offered in the mid-sized C10 SUV.Previously REEV powertrains featured in a version of the BMW i3, as well as the Holden Volt.“Super Hybrids can help people to get into the electric world with less anxiety than they have today,” said Vanel to Autocar.“When you are talking about cars with more than 1000km of range, you know that even if you don't find a charge point, you can still drive."

Sales of light passenger cars in Australia have slowly been dipping further and further over the years but an unlikely new entrant may turn this around.Last year China’s BYD announced the pricing for its new entry-level Atto 1 electric hatchback. With a mind-blowing starting price of $23,990 before on-roads, it’s the cheapest new electric vehicle (EV) in Australia by a strong margin.The BYD Atto 1, despite being an EV, undercuts many similarly sized petrol hatchbacks in terms of entry asking price. Examples include the Mazda 2, MG3, Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris.One of the few cars that undercuts the Atto 1’s competitive starting price is the Kia Picanto, which is still Australia’s cheapest new car. It starts from $19,190 before on-road costs.During 2025 a total of 7166 examples of the Picanto were sold, which is up 23.1 per cent year-on-year.Despite being the cheapest new vehicle in Australia, it’s not the best-selling light passenger car. This crown goes to the MG3, which currently starts from $21,888 drive-away. A total of 8350 examples were sold last year, though this is technically down 33.5 per cent year-on-year.There are clearly still many Australians looking at the budget end of the new car market to make a purchase, especially as cost of living crunches.Many carmakers are now finding it hard to sell such a car profitably while still packaging all the required safety equipment and meeting tightening emission standards.This is where EVs like the BYD Atto 1 could thrive as they don’t emit any CO2 tailpipe emissions.In terms of other small-to-light EV hatchbacks that are due to launch locally over the next 12 months or so, MG has confirmed it’s introducing its new, city-focused MG4 Urban, plus Leapmotor is launching the B05 electric hatchback in the second half of 2026.Many Australians now prefer SUVs over small hatchbacks and sedans.SUV sales in Australia have been going from strength to strength for years now and there are plenty of budget offerings that in some cases are cheaper than hatchbacks and offer more space.Examples include the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion and Mahindra XUV3XO which all start at $23,990 drive-away.Around the same time BYD announced the Atto 1 electric hatchback for Australia, it also confirmed it’s introducing the Atto 2 small electric SUV locally.It’s priced from $31,990 before on-road costs, which makes it Australia’s cheapest electric SUV though it’s still $8000 more than the overall cheapest SUV.There are plenty of other budget-oriented electric SUVs available including the Hyundai Inster which currently starts at $35,990 drive-away thanks to an offer, as well as the Chery E5 and Leapmotor B10 which both currently start at $38,990 drive-away.

This is likely one of the best examples of China speed to date.

Nissan has previewed an update to its Z sports car at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon ahead of its launch in Japan around the middle of 2026.A lot of the stylistic cues of this updated Nissan Z have been inspired by the original S30-generation of the Nissan Fairlady Z, known as the Datsun 240Z and 260Z in Australia.This includes the new Unryu Green exterior paint colour which is inspired by the original Grand Prix Green paint from the Fairlady Z, plus the machine-finished alloy wheel design.Highlighting this update is a revised front bumper which now features a body-colour bar across the grille and a ‘Z’ front badge replacing the standard Nissan badge.Other subtle changes to the front bumper add 30mm to the overall vehicle length, while they are also claimed to reduce front lift by 3.3 per cent and drag by 1.0 per cent.Under the skin there are larger pistons for the shock absorbers which are claimed to improve comfort and stability.It’s worth noting no changes have been made to the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine which continues to produce 298kW and 475Nm, and is mated to either a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission.Inside the changes are minimal. Nissan has introduced a new tan upholstery colourway on the seats, as well as the lower portion of the dash and door cards.In addition to this updated Nissan Z, the Japanese carmaker revealed a manual version of the Z Nismo at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon. To date it has only been offered with the nine-speed automatic transmission.The Z Nismo manual gets a unique engine torque profile aimed to improve the throttle response, as well as a short-throw six-speed manual gear shifter.At this stage it’s unclear if or when this updated Nissan Z or the Z Nismo manual will be coming to Australia. We’ve reached out to Nissan and will update this story once we hear back.

Toyota was late to the game with its first EV, the bZ4X, so let's find out whether this mid-life update has improved the package.

Tesla has finally extended its warranty period in Australia.

China’s Zeekr has confirmed it has a new high-performance flagship SUV in the works and it’s reportedly set to launch in its domestic market during the first half of 2026.The Zeekr 8X is set to slot between the 7X electric mid-size SUV and the 9X plug-in hybrid large SUV.The Chinese carmaker has shared a few photos of the 8X with camouflage giving us an indication of what the exterior design looks like.While the 9X is clearly inspired by the Rolls-Royce Cullinan in terms of exterior design, the forthcoming 8X shrinks the form factor and brings a sportier, almost Range Rover Sport-esque look.There are C-shaped daytime running lights with a split-level headlight setup, C-shaped tail-lights with a lightbar connecting them, a roof-mounted LiDAR sensor, plus traditional pull-style door handles.As reported by Car News China, it’s expected the Zeekr 8X will be based on a version of the same SEA-S hybrid platform, which underpins the 9X. It’ll likely only offer five seats, however three-row versions might still be on the cards.Technical details haven’t been revealed yet, though the powertrains are expected to mirror what’s already offered in the 9X.This likely means there will be two or three electric motors, depending on the configuration, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine acting as a range extender. Total system outputs could go all the way up to 1030kW and 1410Nm.The Zeekr 9X is already claimed to go from 0-100km/h in 3.1 seconds and it’s expected the 8X could be a little faster again given it’s a tad smaller.It’s expected the 9X’s 900V high-voltage battery packs will also carry over to the 8X. There are 55kWh and 70kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery packs offered with the latter offering up to 380km of electric range in the 9X, according to the lenient CLTC cycle.If this is the case, expect a little more range for the 8X given it’s smaller than the 9X.It’s claimed you can charge the battery pack from 20 to 80 per cent in as little as nine minutes.At this stage it’s unclear whether the Zeekr 8X will be coming to Australia.Zeekr has been selling vehicles in the Australian market for over 12 months now, launching initially with the X electric small SUV and the 009 electric people mover.The Chinese carmaker recently launched the 7X electric mid-size SUV in Australia, also confirming it won’t receive any updates for the next 12-18 months.

We’ve been calling for it and it’s finally here!

There’s a new king in the global electric vehicle (EV) sales race.China’s BYD has officially dethroned Tesla as the best-selling EV carmaker in the world based on sales data from 2025.BYD claims to have sold a total of 2.26 million EVs during 2025, which is up 27.9 per cent year-on-year.For context, Tesla claims to have sold a total of 1.64 million cars during 2025, which is down 8.3 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting BYD’s EV sales now make up just under half of the Chinese carmaker’s total vehicle sales. A total of 2.29 million BYD plug-in hybrids (PHEV) were sold during 2025, which is down 7.9 per cent year-on-year.During 2025 BYD sold a total of 4.6 million vehicles globally, including 57,000 commercial vehicles like buses and trucks.BYD’s sales rise comes as Tesla growth has slowed due to incremental updates, changes or additions to existing models, weaker demand for the Cybertruck than originally projected, plus a slower rollout of its robotaxi service.Additionally, it’s likely Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s brief foray into US politics and aligning himself with US President Donald Trump soured the relationship some existing Tesla buyers had with the company.Despite this, Tesla rolled out its 'Full Self-Driving (Supervised)' semi-autonomous driving software to its vehicles in Australia during 2025. It was the first right-hand drive market to do so.Locally, full 2025 vehicle sales data hasn’t been released yet, however until November BYD has sold a total of 45,672 vehicles which is up 147.3 per cent year-on-year.The company’s best-selling vehicle in Australia is the Shark 6 PHEV dual-cab ute with a total of 16,398 examples sold until the end of November, followed by the Sealion 7 mid-size electric SUV.Tesla on the other hand sold a total of 26,271 vehicles in Australia until the end of November, which is down 24.4 per cent year-on-year.Although the Model Y mid-size electric SUV is still the best-selling EV in Australia with a total of 20,241 examples sold until end-November, sales of the Model 3 electric sedan tanked in comparison.Only 6030 examples of the Model 3 were sold until the end of November, which is down 60.7 per cent year-on-year. This is one of the steepest sales declines in terms of outright sales volume in Australia during 2025.Looking to 2026, BYD appears set to extend its lead and potentially become a top-three best-selling brand. It has a number of new vehicles launching in Australia, plus its new premium (and separate) Denza brand.It’s unclear what Tesla has in the pipeline for Australia during 2026. It just launched the updated Model Y Performance locally which is made in Germany unlike the rest of the local line-up which is made in China.The company has been rolling out the stripped-back Standard versions of its Model 3 and Model Y to more markets and it’s unclear whether Australia is part of that plan.