Articles by Samuel Irvine

Chinese electric car brand XPeng has become the latest player to develop plug-in hybrid (PHEV) capability after its latest SUV was spotted testing in China with an exhaust system.The PHEV SUV was captured by CarNewsChina under heavy camouflage, with the Chinese publication claiming the model will utilise XPeng’s new 'Kunpeng Super Electric System' and a petrol engine.Staggeringly, the configuration is claimed to deliver a pure electric range of 430km and a total hybrid range of 1400km — notably under the more lenient CLTC protocol.If true, that blows anything out of the water currently on offer in Australia. At the moment, Australia’s best plug-in hybrid SUV in terms of pure electric range is a toss up between the BYD Sealion 6 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, both of which offer between 80 and 90km of range.The Outlander PHEV carries a 20kWh battery pack, while the Sealion 6 carries a 18.3kWh unit, which suggests the upcoming XPeng PHEV’s battery pack will be significantly larger in size. In fact, it will likely rival that of most mid-range EVs.Better yet, CarNewsChina is reporting that it will offer 800V battery capacity, which would make it the first PHEV on the Australian market to offer truly fast DC charging — the report indicated 10-80 per cent in a rapid 12 minutes.Even on battery EVs, 800V architecture still remains relatively niche. It is, however, offered on XPeng’s G6 SUV which recently launched in Australia, as well as Hyundai and Kia’s rivalling E-GMP architecture, which underpins models such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.When a battery gets as large as XPeng's new system, the terminology typically changes to become a range extender electric vehicle, or EREV.It's similar technology to what was seen in early electric cars including the Holden Volt and BMW i3 REX. But, like other PHEVs, it still has a combustion engine and a battery that can be charged on mains electricity.CarNewsChina is also reporting that the SUV will be a full-sized, seven-seat offering, with a price tag in China of above 400,000 Yuan ($87,139), suggesting it will be marketed as a high-end luxury model.CarsGuide has contacted XPeng’s local operations asking whether the brand has any more recent plans to introduce range extender technology locally. The brand previously stated electric-only intentions initially.

Tesla has confirmed a Performance variant of its updated Model Y is coming this year.The news was revealed by Tesla executives Franz Von Halzhausen and Lars Moravy on a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, where Moravy confirmed the Model Y would follow the same release cycle of the updated Model 3, which was released in Australia in late 2023.“We’re starting with the Launch Edition. All the other variants – the Dual-Motor base edition, Rear-Wheel Drive, Performance, seven-seater options – those will come later in the year,” said Moravy.Deliveries of the updated Model 3 commenced in Australia in late December 2023 before deliveries of the Performance version commenced in July 2024. That suggests we're likely to see the Model Y Performance in Australian showrooms before the end of the year, following the Launch Edition's arrival in May.No new details were spilt on the Performance variant aside from some minor upgrades across the rang, such as a retuned suspension, an upgraded audio system, a front-facing camera, new acoustic glass, a UV-resistant roof and a drain plug in the frunk that allows it to be used as a cooler.If the updates handed down to the Model 3 Performance are anything to go by, though, we can expect the Model Y Performance's new drive unit to deliver a circa 22 per cent increase in continuous power, a 32 per cent increase in peak power and a 16 per cent increase in peak torque over its predecessor.That should see power and torque rise by somewhere in the region of 45kW and 102Nm, as was the case with the updated Model 3 Performance, which also benefited from a 0.3 reduction second in its 0-100km/h time.As such, we’d expect total outputs on the new Model Y Performance to jump to north of 450kW/750Nm, with a new 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.4 seconds, down from 3.7 seconds.A seven-seater version of the standard Model Y remains unconfirmed for Australia, however, rumours of a family-sized model going into production have persisted in China – where Australia-bound Tesla’s are built – since last year.It could be on the cards as Tesla looks to increase its appeal in the face of increasing competition in the mid-size SUV segment from Chinese rivals in BYD, Xpeng, Deepal and Geely.Tesla sold 465 units of the Model Y last month, an increase of 21 per cent on the previous year as the outgoing version goes into a run-out sale. The entire brand recorded a 33.2 per cent sales decline, however, offloading just 739 cars for the month.Expect more information on the upcoming Performance and a prospective seven-seat variant to follow the Model Y’s official Australian launch in May.

GWM has confirmed pricing, details and the release date of its incoming plug-in hybrid ute, the Cannon Alpha PHEV.Poised to arrive in showrooms by April, the new ute will carry a price tag of $63,990, drive-away, for the entry-level Lux, rising to $68,990, drive-away, for the fully-loaded Ultra.Depending on which state you live in, its starting price puts it at about $2000 to $4000 more expensive than the drive-away pricing of its key competitor in the BYD Shark 6, which starts nationally at $57,900, before on-road costs.Pricing remains unconfirmed on the incoming Ford Ranger PHEV, its next biggest competitor, but Ford Australia has said on record that it is aiming for a price tag of less than $70,000 when it arrives later this year.On both Cannon Alpha variants, power will be sourced from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (180kW/380Nm), with a single electric motor (120kW/400Nm), 37.1kWh ternary lithium battery and a nine-speed automatic transmission.All up, GWM claims total power and torque outputs of 300kW/750Nm, 21kW down on the Shark but with an extra 100Nm. This crucially means a 3500kg braked towing capacity.Under the NEDC cycle, pure electric range is rated at 110km with a total range of 880km. Both figures are 10 per cent higher than the BYD Shark 6.Fuel consumption, which is also certified under NEDC, is 1.7L/100km, exceeding the Shark 6’s 2.0L/100km rating, but falling short of Australia’s top-selling PHEVs in the Mitsubishi Outlander (1.5-litres/100km) and the BYD Sealion 6 (1.4-litres/100km).The Cannon Alpha PHEV provides full-time four-wheel drive, even when driving in EV mode; water wading depth is quoted at 800mm and maximum ground clearance is 224mm.A DC fast-charging rate of up to 50kW allows for a 30 to 80 per cent replenishment in 26 minutes, while a standard AC home charger will do the same charge in 6.5 hours.Vehicle-to-load functionality comes standard with a 3.3kW output, which is enough to power a camp fridge or air compressor.Standard features on the Lux include 18-inch alloy wheels, an electronic centre and rear locking differential, dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch digital driver's display and multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, synthetic leather seats and steering wheel, as well as LED headlights, running lights and taillights.The Ultra adds a front differential lock, a panoramic sunroof, a 14.6-inch multimedia display, a 60/40 split tailgate, a 10-speaker audio system, twin wireless charging pads, a head-up display, leather-accented seats, heated and ventilated front and rear outboard seats, as well as massage functions for the front seats.Both variants carry seven airbags, front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep Assist, hill descent control, rear collision warning and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with junction assist.A seven-year/unlimited km warranty applies to the GWM Cannon Alpha, along with an eight-year/unlimited km battery-pack warranty. Additionally, there is seven years of roadside assist and capped price servicing.Prices listed are national drive-away

Volvo has launched a more rugged Cross Country variant of its electric EX30 SUV.

I just had my 05' Holden VZ Commodore One Tonner serviced.At 20 years and 225,000km old, it has seen a lot of change in this world, including the end of the Holden brand itself.But despite its age, it still serves its purpose. “Keep the oil changes regular and you shouldn’t have any issues,” my mechanic told me.It's got two seats, a vinyl dashboard, a droopy headliner, a bullbar and a 2.5m metre steel tray that has moved everything from soil to scrap metal to countless friend's and family member’s furniture.The VZ has paid itself off in a million ways more than one and its endurance is a testament to the Holden brand and the 3.6-litre Alloytec engine that powers it (so long as you keep it up to date on maintenance).As its third owner, I can’t help but think what the first owner might have thought if I told them way back in June 2005, when they bought it from Epsom Holden in Bendigo, that 20 years later it would still be chugging along, now amongst electric cars.And who knows, potentially one day (if I keep up those oil changes) self-driving cars.See, that’s the thing about cars with combustion engines, especially older ones, that makes them so special.An invention like the electric car isn’t like what the smartphone was to the flip phone or Netflix was to the DVD; it can’t simply send old cars like mine to the trash heap.No, a good combustion-engine car is built to last. It might demand regular attention and maintenance, but look after it, and it will last generations.And that makes me wonder, can EVs, which are still in their relative infancy on the mainstream market, provide the same level of longevity?Frankly, we don’t know, and the reality is we aren’t likely to know for some time.In Australia, the average age of a car is 10.4 years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Car census, which is far longer than most electric cars have even been on sale.Take Australia’s best-selling electric car for example, the Tesla Model Y, which has only been on sale here since 2022.Some clues, however, can be found in the original EV models that do surpass that age bracket. Namely, the Nissan Leaf, BMW i3, Tesla Model S and Mitsubishi i:MiEV, which all landed here between 2012 and 2014.A small volume of second-hand listings of those cars on Autotrader, Gumtree Cars, CarsGuide and competitor’s websites show the vast majority of those models with less than 100,000km on the odometer, which, in fairness, is likely a product of them being city cars.The Model S, on the other hand, has a couple of notable exceptions exceeding 200,000km, despite most sitting comfortably under.Using Telematics company GEOTAB’s recent findings that lithium-ion batteries deplete at a rate of about 1.8 per cent per year under moderate conditions, that means most of those cars would have spent about 18 to 21.6 per cent of their battery capacity.However, that depreciation figure assumes they are being charged at a rate of between 20 to 80 per cent, abstaining from DC fast-charging charging and limiting exposure to extreme heat, which is not always possible in Australia.For argument's sake, though, let's just say all of those conditions have been adhered to. On a mid-range Tesla Model S 85, that might mean you only have 412km of the 502km worth of range left from when you bought it, which is less than what I yield out of a 70-litre tank in the VZ.In theory, however, you would only be able to use 80 per cent of that amount, meaning real range is about 329km, which isn’t shocking, but it certainly isn’t great either.Thankfully, EVs have come a long way since their early days and range is gradually ticking upwards. So are warranties, which is a direct result of a brand’s growing confidence in their products.Tesla currently offers a Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty of four-years/80,000km, which covers everything aside from the battery and drive unit.Those are covered by a much better eight-year/160,000km battery warranty, or 192,000km on its Long Range and Performance variants, along with a 70 per cent battery retention guarantee over that period.Despite the relatively low Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty, overall it is hard to deny it is pretty impressive, especially when compared to the original warranty of my VZ, which was a paltry three-years/100,000km.Keep in mind too that Tesla is on the lower end of the warranty spectrum.MG offers a whopping 10-years/250,000km battery warranty on its electric cars such as the MG4 and ZS EV, which is the same deal it offers on its petrol cars.That ought to give EV owners a sense of security that their car won’t all the sudden lose tremendous amounts of range or require a new battery after a short period of time.But whether they prove as reliable as my trusty One Tonner, only time will tell.

Volkswagen is no longer offering a car under $30,000 in Australia after announcing a minor update to its Polo and T-Roc models.For 2025, the base model Polo Life will start at $30,790, before on-road costs, an increase of $1300 on last year’s price.That puts it at $2,290 more than its key rival in the Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport, which starts at $28,500, before on-road costs, while it is nearly $7000 more expensive than the MG 3 Excite, which starts at $23,990 before on-road costs.The T-Roc, meanwhile, gets a $2000 bump in price from last year to $38,990, before on-road costs, meaning it is at least $5090 more than the hybrid-only Toyota Yaris Cross ($33,900) and $6490 more expensive than the petrol Hyundai Kona ($32,500, both at before on-road costs).In exchange of the price increase, Polo buyers will get standard Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane-Keep Assist across the range.The biggest updates are reserved for the mid-spec Polo Style, however, which adds keyless entry, push-button start, satellite navigation and wireless charging.For the base model T-Roc CityLife, there is the addition of Side Assist with Rear Traffic Alert, which combines blind-spot monitor via a mirror-mounted illumination and an audible alert when an object or vehicle is detected behind the T-Roc while reversing.The T-Roc R-Line also gets a new sports leather-appointed steering wheel with buttons for audio, trip computer and adaptive cruise control functions.All new T-Roc customers now have access to VW’s GoConnect smartphone app, which allows five-year access to several functions including live technical status, vehicle location, recent trips, warning light and error notification, plus direct dealer communication.The upgraded Polo and T-Roc are available to order now with deliveries commencing during Q1 2025.Remaining supplies of the existing MY24 T-Roc CityLife are in run-out until March 31, which buyers can nab for $37,990, drive-away. Volkswagen sold 2154 Polos last year, an increase of 132.1 per cent on the previous year, while selling 7777 T-Rocs, a decrease of 13.0 per cent on the year prior.All prices are at before on-road costsAll prices are at before on-road costs

The new Subaru Forester Hybrid has been launched in the US ahead of its Australian debut later this year, marking the first time Subaru has ever equipped the Forester with proper hybrid power.

An EV charging infrastructure revolution could be underway without us even realising.On February 3, Chinese electric car brand Nio and its Onvo sub-brand recorded a staggering 136,748 battery swaps in a single day, according to CarNewsChina.The figure translates to an average of 44 swaps a day across the brand’s 3106 battery-swap stations in China, which doesn’t include the further 59 it operates in Europe.In the lead up to the new milestone, Nio reportedly delivered more than 100,000 swaps a day over a 10 day period from January 23, which is well over one million in total.Owners drive their car into a station like a car wash where their car’s battery unit is then swapped out autonomously from underneath for a fully-charged one.Nio, which is the global leader in battery swap stations, claims the swapping process takes three and a half minutes on its fourth-generation station, roughly one tenth of the time it takes on average to charge an EV from 10 to 80 per cent using a DC fast charger.When purchasing a Nio EV, you are given the option to rent the battery pack – the most expensive part of the vehicle – rather than buying it in combination with the vehicle outright.It significantly reduces the up front cost of an EV, with some Reddit users in China claiming upfront savings of up to 70,000 RMB ($15,043).Owners then sign up to a battery-swap station subscription for a monthly fee.Chinese battery giant CATL, the brand behind batteries powering Tesla, Toyota, Hyundai and BMW EVs, also announced its plans to launch 1000 stations across China in 2025, with the aim of building 30,000 stations in the future.Each station will have a footprint of about three parking spaces, according to CATL, which is also developing specialised ‘Choco-swap’ batteries for the stations. It claims they will be swappable in about 100 seconds.At this stage the technology remains off the table for Australia, where there are more than 2000 EV charging sites in operation.Nio has said that it plans to launch battery-swap stations in the UK, alongside the brand, in 2025.As a fellow right-hand drive market, that would put Australia a step closer, though with a considerably larger EV market in the UK, it could be some time before Nio decides to come here.

Mazda could have an electric SUV to rival the Tesla Model Y on the horizon, and it might be headed here sooner than we think.

Hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles continue to gain serious momentum in Australia as the demise of petrol and diesel appears to be in full swing.The latest data from the Australian Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries shows total hybrid sales increased from 9791 sales last January to 14,836 last month, an increase of 51.5 per cent. Sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles, meanwhile, increased by 88.5 per cent from 1012 to 1908 sales.Australia's best-selling car for 2024, the hybrid-only Toyota RAV4, comprised the bulk of the additional hybrid sales with a 129.6 per cent increase in demand that translated to a staggering 5076 sales, up from 2211 this time last year.The Toyota Yaris Cross and Corolla Cross, two small SUVs also offered in hybrid-only guise, saw their year-on-year sales climb 14.4 per cent and 19.0 per cent, respectively, rounding out January with 845 and 922 sales. Bolstering the plug-in hybrid segment was the BYD Sealion 6, which registered 433 sales and claimed the title of the brand's best-selling car, despite being impacted by ongoing supply issues linked to Australia's ports.Sales of the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Sealion 6's main rival, remained steady at 2090, a 0.6 per cent increase on last year. There is no breakdown of exactly how many sold were PHEV variants, although Mitsubishi has previously claimed they account for about 20 per cent of the predominantly petrol model's total sales, which translates to about 418 units.National diesel sales, meanwhile, fell by 12.3 per cent in January 2025 compared to the previous year, or from 28,923 sales to 25,372.Petrol sales fell in even greater numbers from 42,245 sales last January compared to 38,852 last month, equivalent to an 8.0 per cent decrease year-on-year.The diesel models leading that decline were Australia’s three most popular utes in the Ford Ranger, which fell 10.3 per cent, the Toyota HiLux, which fell 19.3 per cent, and the Isuzu D-Max, which fell 17.9 per cent.Most of that decline was felt among private buyers opposed to businesses and fleets with a decrease in sales by 18.3 per cent, equivalent to 1224 less vehicles purchase in January 2025 compared to last month.No specific petrol models appeared solely responsible for the decline given a growing number of traditionally petrol-only vehicles are now being offered with the choice of hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. National sales also dipped by 3.3 per cent off the back of weak demand in the second half of 2024.