Articles by Jack Quick

Lexus has axed its cheapest and first electric vehicle (EV) in Australia, the UX300e crossover. “The UX 300e will no longer be available in Australia due to production restrictions on selected parts,” said a Lexus Australia spokesperson.

Renault has revealed a new concept version of its 4 E-Tech small electric crossover that’s built for going off the beaten path ahead of its in-person debut at the 2025 Roland Garros French Open tennis tournament.

Stellantis has already pushed back the launch of Ram’s first all-electric pick-up, the 1500 REV, and it has reportedly delayed it further as part of a product strategy shuffle.

Despite only being a year old and launching in Australia earlier this year, Leapmotor has upgraded its C10 electric (EV) and range-extender plug-in hybrid (REEV) SUV in China. Dubbed the 2026 Leapmotor C10, it has now been priced for the Chinese market, where it starts from 122,800 RMB (A$26,500) for both the EV and REEV. For context, the Leapmotor C10 range currently opens at $43,888 before on-roads for the C10 REEV Style. This sharp Chinese pricing for the updated model means the C10 range could potentially receive a price cut in Australia to compete with other cut-price electric and plug-in hybrid SUVs like the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV, Chery Omoda E5 and Geely EX5. A Stellantis Australia spokesperson said the brand hasn’t confirmed specifications and pricing, among other further details on the 2026 Leapmotor C10 just yet. A highlight of this update is the C10 EV receives an 800V electrical architecture, up from the 400V of the pre-update model. This has allowed Leapmotor to fit a more powerful electric motor. The C10 EV is now powered by a 220kW electric motor, up from 170kW. This has reduced the 0-100km/h sprint time from 7.3 seconds to 5.9 seconds. It’s worth noting the global version of the C10 EV, which is what we get in Australia, currently is powered by a 160kW/320Nm electric motor and is claimed to be able to sprint from 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds. The 800V architecture has also helped improve charging speeds. As part of this, Leapmotor has fitted a larger 74.9kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which is up from 69.9kWh. Leapmotor claims the updated C10 EV can now travel 605km on a battery charge, according to lenient CLTC testing standards. Its battery can also be charged from 30 to 80 per cent in 16 minutes. Despite all the changes to the C10 EV, the C10 REEV’s powertrain remains unchanged. It retains its 158kW electric motor and 28.4kWh battery, with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine acting as a generator for the battery. Other highlight changes for the 2026 Leapmotor C10 range, as reported by Car News China, include a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P processor for the multimedia system, a new purple exterior paint colour, powered door handles and a 50W wireless charger. At this stage it appears this update doesn’t include Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. As previously reported, the Leapmotor C10’s architecture isn’t currently compatible with this popular technology and it cannot be retrofitted. However, Leapmotor is aware that Apple CarPlay and Android are important to Australian buyers. The reason it was omitted is because its founder Zhu Jiangming had an ambition to model Tesla, which notably also doesn’t offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Leapmotor has confirmed, however, its forthcoming B10 small SUV is being marketed as a “globally developed” model and will carry the technology thanks to its newer architecture. According to the brand, it’s working on an alternative wireless solution for the C10 to be rolled out in the second half of 2025 through an over-the-air update that will allow for screen-mirroring functionality, although he didn’t go into detail on how this technology would look.

China’s GWM has made an array of upgrades to its Tank 300 off-roader range that aligns it with the recently introduced turbodiesel variants. The Tank 300 petrol and hybrid variants have now been upgraded to get a maximum braked towing capacity of 3000kg, which is up from the previous 2500kg. This means the entire Tank 300 range is now capable of towing a braked trailer of up to 3000kg. While this is more than the Jeep Wrangler can tow (2495kg), it’s still down on the 3500kg benchmark the Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X and Toyota Prado achieves. Payload has also been increased to 600kg for the hybrid and 610kg for the petrol. In order to increase the braked towing capacity and payload, GWM made more than 20 engineering enhancements to the Tank 300. These include larger front brakes and calipers, strengthened front knuckles, upgraded wheel bearings, and a reinforced prop shaft. Beyond these upgrades to the Tank 300 petrol and hybrid, GWM has “streamlined” the range down from six variants to four. As part of this it has seen the entry-level Tank 300 Lux petrol and hybrid discontinued from the range. They’re now only offered in the flagship Ultra trim. This comes as the recently introduced turbo-diesel engine option is now accounting for 60 per cent of monthly Tank 300 sales. “These important updates reflect our global team's growing understanding of the Australian market, where towing capability and payload remains a key consideration for buyers in this segment,” said GWM Australia and New Zealand head of marketing and communications Steve Maciver. Despite the towing capacity upgrade, GWM hasn’t increased the asking price of the Tank 300 petrol and hybrid. The range still opens at $47,990 drive-away for the Tank 300 Lux Diesel, and extends to $56,990 drive-away for the Tank 300 Ultra Hybrid.

Chery Australia has confirmed it’ll introduce plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology this July with the updated Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 SUVs.

Mitsubishi plans to launch a new three-row SUV during the next 12 months, but if you’re expecting it to be a new Pajero or Pajero Sport, think again.

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD is gearing up to bring the fight to Japanese car brands on their home turf. A heavily camouflaged prototype has been spied on Japanese roads, as reported by CarNewsChina, with distinct kei car looks. It has a boxy silhouette with a dual A-pillar layout and sliding rear doors. Everything else is covered by heavy camouflage. Kei cars are a uniquely Japanese segment of vehicles that are ultra-compact. By law, they must not exceed 3400mm in length, 1480mm in width, and 2000mm in height and the engine output is capped at 47kW of power, which would, put it beneath the micro BYD Seagull and BYD Dolphin hatchbacks. This type of vehicle receives tax and parking benefits in Japan, and despite the incentives being cut in 2014, kei cars still account for around 35 per cent of the country’s car market. BYD only produces electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and it is believed this spied prototype will be the former. It will reportedly be built on an all-new platform with Japan in mind, and come with a 20kWh battery pack that will deliver a projected 180km of WLTC range. The car will reportedly offer 100kW fast charging capabilities and feature a heat pump. This means this BYD kei car will likely go head to head with the likes of the Mitsubishi eK X EV and Nissan Sakura, which are two of Japan’s best-selling electric kei cars. It will also be the first ground-up electric kei car developed by a non-Japanese car maker. While there’s the Smart ForTwo and Hyundai Inster, neither of these cars were designed solely with Japan’s kei car standards in mind. According to CarNewsChina, BYD plans to produce this model in China for export to Japan in late 2026. It also reportedly aims for a 40 per cent share of the electric kei car market within a few years. At this stage it’s unclear if BYD plans to sell this model in other markets other than Japan. There have been pushes to introduce kei cars to Australia in the past, including Mitsubishi with its eK X, though unique Australian Design Rules (ADRs) have deemed it uneconomic. BYD already has a presence in the Japanese market and sells the Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal and Sealion 7 EVs. According to Car News China, BYD sold 2223 EVs in Japan during 2024, which was up 54 per cent. This is notably more EVs than Toyota sold in Japan over the same period. The Japanese carmaker giant sold 2038 EVs, though it’s worth noting it only currently offers one EV, the bZ4X.

Volkswagen is reportedly working on rolling out lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry to its electric vehicles (EVs) from 2026 onwards. As reported by Autocar, the first Volkswagen to pick up LFP batteries is the forthcoming Polo-sized ID.2 electric hatchback that’s due to launch in 2026. After this, LFP batteries will reportedly be rolled out to all of Volkswagen’s existing range of ID. EVs as part of a move that will see the vehicles based on an updated platform called MEB Plus. “The upgrade to MEB Plus comes next year, and we will roll out the cell-to-pack battery systems with LFP,” said Volkswagen CEO Thomas Shäfer to Autocar. “That will be a major step forward in terms of cost for us. It's very important, and also in performance. "We're very happy with that. It's all in plan. We will come in with MEB Plus across the models, including ID.3, ID.4, ID.7. They will have LFP. "You can see this move towards LFP across the board, really, except for performance applications on the upper end. In the volume game, LFP is the technology. "It will start with ID. 2 and then roll out through the models." LFP battery chemistry is known to be cheaper to develop and has better thermal stability when compared to nickel metal cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery chemistry. LFP batteries have been popularised by Tesla with its Chinese-made Model 3 electric sedan and Model Y electric SUV, though Chinese companies like BYD and CATL have been working and refining this technology for years. Volkswagen LFP batteries will reportedly be made at a new battery factory in Salzgitter, Germany, which will also build NMC battery packs on a smaller scale until they’re phased out. At this stage Volkswagen is yet to confirm any specifications for the new LFP batteries, though Autocar suggests it could increase range while lowering the vehicle price point. Coinciding with this introduction of LFP battery chemistry to the wider Volkswagen ID. range, it’s reported there will be a design refresh too. Volkswagen research and development (R&D) boss, Kai Grunitz, told Autocar last year this ID. design refresh will bring “huge improvements” that show Volkswagen is “going back to where we came from”. “Design is your first touchpoint. That's what excites people," said Mr Grunitz. "You have to have an iconic design that people connect with, and it doesn't matter what kind of drivetrain is underneath. This fascination with 'is it electric or petrol?' doesn't matter if you have an iconic car. You can see it in many examples." Despite Volkswagen ID. range of EVs dating back to 2020, Australia only started receiving the first model, the ID. Buzz, after many setbacks and delays in late 2024. The ID.4 and ID.5 electric SUVs followed earlier this year. At this stage it’s unclear if Volkswagen Australia intends to introduce any further ID. models.

Overnight Nissan announced its radical Re:Nissan “recovery plan” that hopes to see the company return to profitability by fiscal year 2026, and as part of this it confirmed a range of new models for both the Nissan and Infiniti brands. One of the proposed new models in this plan is a new Skyline. It will be one of the first vehicles for Nissan to be built under a revamped development process that’ll see it reduce engineering costs, complexity and improve development speed. The Skyline nameplate is historic to Nissan and dates all the way back to 1957 when it was called the Prince Skyline. The Nissan Skyline was even produced in Australia in seventh-generation guise from 1986 to 1990. Although Nissan has confirmed a new Skyline is in the works, don’t get your hopes too far up, because this likely isn’t the new R36 GT-R. Japanese outlet, Best Car, known for its industry sources, believes the Skyline will instead be an SUV and will sit above the brand’s current Ariya electric car, and will be a similar size to seven-seat SUVs such as the Toyota Kluger. The rebooted Skyline could borrow tech from the recently announced Ariya Nismo. That car uses two electric motors to make 320kW and 600Nm and provides all-wheel drive grip. Best car's digital render gives a glimpse of what it could look like. The Nissan Skyline currently exists as a four-door sedan, most recently picking up a sportier limited-production Nismo version in Japan. This 13th-generation Nissan Skyline was even sold in Australia as the Infiniti Q50 from 2014 to 2019. Nissan teased the R36 GT-R in 2023 with the radical Hyper Force concept. It was an all-electric supercar with 1000kW of power and a solid-state battery pack. Given Nissan has now paused all new car development beyond 2026, it remains unclear whether the R36 GT-R will actually happen. Previous reports speculated the R36 GT-R would launch in 2028.