Articles by Stephen Corby

Just like passenger cars and SUVs, the world of utes and pick-ups is set for an electric transformation in the coming decade. Medium and heavy-duty trucks and even semis are also set to be a part of this change, with big-name brands such as Freightliner, Kenworth, Peterbilt and Volvo joining Tesla in the electric prime mover market.

This might seem controversial, but really it’s just logical. If the idea of switching to electric vehicles instead of using combustion-engined cars was entirely about reducing the amount of CO2 produced, it stands to reason car companies would design EVs to be as small, and light, as possible, which, at first, they did (witness the Nissan Leaf, which was, for some time, the world’s biggest-selling

Electric cars are seen as sensible, serious and streamlined vehicles; the thinking person’s choice. Convertibles, on the other hand, are for fun, flamboyance and feeling the wind in your hair, somewhat at the expense of aerodynamic efficiency.These two concepts would seem to be at odds, which suggests, unhappily for lovers of drop-top motoring, that the age of electric cars will mean less convertibles for everyone. Wrong.As I’m sure Marie Antoinette would agree, you should be able to you have your cake and eat it too, while driving with the sun on your skin and the wind in your icing, which is why you’ll soon be able to choose a convertible electric car in a variety of shapes and sizes.While slipping through the air as cleanly as possible is a priority for EV, in order to maximise range, car companies know that not everyone buys a car for purely practical reasons. Indeed, the existence of most sports cars and all supercars proves this.Which is why there are a variety of electric convertible cars that Australia and the rest of the world will soon have access to from the likes of Mini, Fiat, Porsche, Maserati and more.At the moment, though, this is still a relatively new part of the EV market, so there are limited models currently available in Australia - and, indeed, globally. The current market for convertibles is relatively small, with drop-top models typically a spin-off of already niche sporty models, like coupes and sports cars.The initial wave of electric convertibles certainly fits that bill, with a combination of sports models and some premium products from Mini and Fiat.However, the market is likely to quickly evolve as EVs become adopted by a more mainstream audience and carmakers look for new ways to make their products appealing to customers.And the idea of driving with the roof down, wind in the hair and just the sound of nature (and not a revving petrol engine) should certainly be appealing to many.Here is a list of the already confirmed or expected electric convertible cars.While it may now be Chinese owned and build SUVs and small cars, the original version of MG was famous for building compact convertibles, like the iconic MGA and MGB.The Cyberster, a portmanteau of cyber and roadster, which combines the present and past, has been created to celebrate the brand’s centenary in 2024. And when you look at it, it’s clearly the most old MG the new MG has come up with.However, the powertrain is all about the future, with the Cyberster expected to be offered in two variants - a 231kW rear-wheel drive version and a 400kW all-wheel drive option.Expect the Cyberster to go on sale in Australia before the end of 2024 with prices to be confirmed, but likely to start north of $100,000. Looks like it might be worth it, for the looks alone.The Italian brand has taken an inclusive approach with its latest generation of GranCabrio sports cars, offering both internal-combustion engines and the all-electric Folgore version.While the petrol-powered cabriolet has a 410kW 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, the Folgore (which is Italian for lightning), has a tri-motor powertrain good for up to 610kW.Technically, that figure is only available for a short period of ‘MaxBoost’ but the ‘regular’ output of 560kW/1350Nm from the one front and two rear mounted electric motors is still very impressive.Despite having space for four, the GranCabrio can launch from 0-100km/h in just 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 290km/h - so you and your friends can get wherever you’re going in a hurry. Yes, really, 2.8 seconds.Maserati also claims the GranCabrio Folgore will have a respectable range of up to 447km on a single charge.This is another Italian electric convertible but a very different proposition to the Maserati. The Fiat 500e is not a sports car and it has a very different roof compared to the other models on this list.Like the petrol-powered 500 convertible, this one has a canvas roof that retracts but leaves the side panels in place, so it’s not quite a true convertible but it does allow for an open-top driving experience and that’s what many people really want.\Naturally, it shares the same underpinnings as the hardtop 500e, which means an 87kW/200Nm single electric motor that drives the front wheels.Stellantis Australia hasn’t officially confirmed when (or even if) the 500e Convertible will be offered locally, but it’s a likely addition to the range in the next year or two.This is an unusual scenario because Mini has already discontinued its original electric cabriolet. The brand offered just 999 examples of the Electric Convertible back in 2023 and, as of publication, had yet to officially commit to reintroducing it with the new-generation Mini Cooper.There are a few reasons to be optimistic, however, with the Mini Convertible (the petrol one) the best-selling drop-top in the world and the limited-edition version from last year was (assuming you discount the Targa-top original Tesla Roadster) the first electric convertible offered by any brand.So, don’t be surprised if the this one re-enters the market in the near-future.Who else would build an electric sports car? The German brand has confirmed its next-generation 718 range, both Cayman coupe and Boxster convertible, will be all-electric.While likely to be (yet another) dagger to the heart of Porsche purists, the electric Boxster is crucial for the brand’s sustained success in the Chinese market.Due to arrive in 2026, Porsche has already previewed what we can expect with the Mission R Concept giving an insight into the styling of the new model, while the track-tested, Cayman-based GT4 e-Performance is serving as a rolling test lab for the powertrain technology.Putting the battery behind the seats rather than beneath the car, for mid-engine-like balance, is just one of the clever ideas Porsche will unveil here.It won’t be for sale in Australia for a few years yet, likely in 2026 or 2027, but those looking for an alternative to the Porsche should look to the production version of the Polestar O2 Concept.Make no mistake, this Volvo spin-off will take direct aim at the German sports car. Power is tipped to be in the range of 650kW, with up to 900Nm of torque, so it will be an extremely quick convertible.Not only will this be the high-performance hero model for Polestar, it’s expected to debut a new-generation 800-volt architecture.It will undoubtedly look the part, too, with Polestar indicating the final production design will stay as close as possible to the striking O2 Concept, which was revealed at the 2021 Los Angeles Motor Show.What’s less likely is the “autonomous cinematic drone” that was featured on the concept, which could be deployed on the move to take photos and videos of you enjoying your drive. Although, in our social-media-obsessed world, perhaps we shouldn’t count it out.

Electric cars come in all shapes and sizes these days, but arguably the most logical shape is the hatchback. Why? Well, as much as Australians love SUVs and bigger luxury cars, the humble hatch makes the most efficient use of space. And if you’re going to buy an electric car, it makes sense to be concerned about efficiency.Thankfully, in contrast with an overall decline in the small-car market, there is an increasingly diverse range of battery-powered hatchbacks to choose from. The list of hatchback electric cars is getting longer each month with new brands jumping into the fray.And while space and size are key attractions of the electric hatch, there is another element that makes them popular - price. At the time of publication the most affordable electric car you can buy is an EV hatchback, opening up the nascent market for more people.One excellent example is the much-praised MG4, which has emerged not only as one of the better selling EVs in the country but is on track to be one of the most popular small cars over all. In 2023, it out sold the likes of the Subaru Impreza and Honda Civic and is trending upwards in 2024.Yet another reason why electric hatches are gaining popularity in Australia is availability, with those willing to look beyond an SUV discovering a good supply of electric hatchbacks in Australia.This is because of the volume of choice and diversity of models, with at least eight examples already in showrooms and more planned to follow in the near future.The biggest questions are what is the future of electric hatchbacks expected to look like in Australia?The answer to the question is more choice for smaller, more affordable EVs, but there is also likely to be more crossover between a true hatchback and a modern crossover. Models like the Renault Megane E-Tech and Volvo EX30 blur the lines between a hatch and an SUV but that appears to be a future trend.One key element missing from the market is a Tesla hatchback, and that would be a potential game changer. The American brand has repeatedly hinted at adding a hatch, likely to be known as the Model 2, as a cheaper offering to sit beneath the Model 3 sedan.In the shorter-term there are several new EV hatches likely to be hitting Australian roads in the not-too-distant future, including the Volkswagen ID.3, Peugeot e-208 and Renault 5 E-Tech.Not that we need to gaze longingly into a crystal ball to look for the next small EV. Below is a list of the best electric hatchbacks on the Australian market at the time of publication.Ranking the list of available electric hatchbacks by price is no easy task thanks to the highly competitive nature of the market at this moment in time.MG announced its small car would be the cheapest EV at $39,990, only for BYD to undercut it within days, and then GWM joined the party. It only gets more confusing thanks to a series of drive-away deals, such as the one GWM is currently (at time of publication) offering on its (not-at-all-a-Mini-why-do-you-ask) Ora small car.Its original asking price of $39,990 drive-away has been slashed to $35,990, making it the cheapest EV you can buy. For the money, you get up to 310km of driving range on a single charge and 126kW of performance.If you’re looking to Build Your Dreams of an electric car on a budget, then the Dolphin is for you. It arrived with a bang, sporting the lowest sticker price of any EV in Australia by starting at $38,890, which undercut the Ora and MG4 by $100 - at least on paper, at the time. However, the Chinese brand is offering a drive-away price of $41,490, which makes it more expensive than the GWM and MG in this current price war.For that money you get a Dolphin Dynamic, a small car with space for five, a 70kW/180Nm electric motor and a battery good for 340km of driving range. There’s a Dolphin Premium, with a 150kW/310Nm motor and 427km of range (plus bigger wheels, two-tone paint and other extras) but that’s an additional $6000.The price of the MG4 is another moving target in the battle for affordability being fought out amongst the three Chinese carmakers. It has floated up and down, reaching as low as $39,990 drive-away for the run-out sale of 2023 examples, but was sitting at $43,131 drive-away for the 2024 model at the time of publication.It’s a spacious and practical small car, with 350km range from its 51kWh battery and a 125kW motor for the entry-level Excite 51 model that has the sharpest price.There are three more variants in the range, the 64kWh and 77kWh standard models and the MG4 XPower electric hot hatch. The latter boasts impressive performance credentials, with 320kW/600Nm and 400km of range for $63,973 drive-away.The fully electric hatchback that arguably started it all, the Leaf was the first mainstream small EV hatchback that was broadly accepted in the local market (with apologies to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV) way back in 2012, when the Tesla Cybertruck wasn’t even a glint in Elon Musk’s mad eyes.Even though a second-generation model was introduced in 2018 (which was largely a makeover) the Leaf is starting to show its age in terms of both design and technology.The standard model is equipped with a 39kWh battery that’s only enough for 270km of range and it powers a 110kW motor. There’s a more powerful Leaf+ available, which gains a 58kWh battery to boost range to 385km.Its official list price is $50,990, but in a bid to keep up with its newer competition, Nissan Australia is offering it for $39,990 drive-away for the standard model and $49,990 drive-away for the Leaf+.If you’re looking for a truly compact electric car then look no further than this pint-sized city runabout. Fiat has managed to keep the tiny dimensions of the petrol-powered 500 and package up an all-electric powertrain inside a stylish small car.It’s not a cheap proposition at $52,500 plus on-road costs, which makes it a premium EV by many standards, but it is well-equipped for the price and does give you a more upmarket feel than most of the cars on this list.It doesn’t have a particularly powerful motor, just 87kW/220Nm, but it certainly feels zippy on the road. Being so small it can’t fit lots of batteries, so the range is limited to just 311km, which does limit it to being more of an urban EV rather than something for long-distance drives.If you like the Fiat but want something sportier, you can consider the Abarth 500e. The Italian brand’s performance division has wound up the power to 113.7kW/235Nm and added a sound generator for a more exciting driving experience.It carries a price premium, too, starting at $58,990 (plus on-road costs) for the Turismo and $60,500 for the Scorpionissima variant.The British brand may not be thought of in the same sentence as Tesla and Polestar, but it is surprisingly ahead of the curve when it comes to EVs. It has just launched its second-generation electric Cooper hatch with an electric Countryman and Aceman to follow soon.It’s arrived with a sharp $59,830 drive-away price for the Cooper E and $65,040 for the more potent Cooper SE, no doubt helped by the brand’s decision to share development and production with GWM.The Cooper E boasts 135kW and a 305km range, with the Cooper SE boosting those numbers to 160kW and 402km.While Volkswagen awaits its first EVs, its Spanish off-shoot is already leading the way with its electric hot hatch. While it’s significantly more expensive than the first cars on this list, it comes with more features, equipment, performance and range to help justify the extra ask.Key amongst its performance credentials is the fact it’s rear-wheel drive, something few other hatches can claim. It’s powered by a 170kW/310Nm motor to provide hot-hatch levels of speed and has a 82kWh battery that provides an impressive 511km of claimed driving range.

Haven’t heard of Polestar electric vehicles? Well, there was a time when you hadn’t heard of Tesla, either, but in recent years, Polestar has leaped up the sales charts, which once would've been a difficult task for a newcomer brand in AustraliaRegardless, If your Polestar knowledge is hazier than the Tesla Cybertruck’s release date, here’s all the important things you need to know about the EV brand that hopes to shake up the world, and annoy Elon Musk.This is a case of big (Chinese) fish eats little (Swedish) fish. Flash/Polestar Racing was established in 1996 and was a partner to Volvo, with the Swedish car manufacturer fully acquiring the off-shoot in 2015. Chinese multinational automotive giant Geely bought Volvo in 2010, technically making the Polestar brand Swedish-Chinese (which sounds like a very interesting cuisine). Although headquartered in Torslanda outside Gothenburg, in Sweden, Polestar has its Polestar 2 made in Luqiao, China, at the same factory that builds the Volvo XC40 Recharge EV. The new Polestar 3 SUV, however, will be manufactured in both China and the US, while the Polestar 4 will be built in China and South Korea. If you’re keen to get behind the wheel of a Polestar, Polestar Australia has been selling the popular Polestar 2 hatchback EV since early 2022 (surely you’ve seen them on the road, as many early examples are favoured by rideshare drivers).After a Polestar SUV? Australia will get those in 2024 when the Polestar 3 large SUV lands, and if you want to drive something really different, the Polestar 4 mixes it up with its mid-size crossover coupe styling and complete lack of a rear window.In the next few years the range will also be fleshed out with a Polestar 5 Grand Tourer, and the Polestar 6 convertible.Wondering what happened to the Polestar 1? Australia never saw it, with the plug-in hybrid coupe discontinued from production in 2021. If you’re keen to be the owner of a shiny new Polestar but worried about where to plug it in, charging stations in Australia are now beginning to increase, with various government funding going toward bridging the gap and making it easier for EV drivers to charge their vehicles. Price: $67,400 (Standard Range RWD), $71,400 (Long Range RWD), $76,400 (Long Range dual motor); all plus on-road costs There are two single-motor rear-drive variants of the Polestar 2: the Standard Range (estimated driving range of 532km) and the Long Range (estimated driving range of 654km), with each variant coming with outputs of 200kW/490Nm and the ability to go from zero to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds. There’s also a dual-motor Long Range variant (estimated driving range of 591km) with outputs of 310kW/740Nm and a zero to 100km/h dash of 4.2 seconds. The Standard Range battery pack is 69kWh, while the Long Range is 82kWh. Price: From $132,900Sharing its SPA2 platform with the incoming Volvo EX90, the Polestar 3 large SUV has a dual-motor powertrain and maximum outputs of 380kW and 910Nm, with the estimated driving range provided by the 111kW battery pack at 610km.Local pricing comes in at $132,900 for the single Long Range Dual Motor variant, although the Performance Pack (which unlocks the aforementioned power outputs for a 4.7 second 0-100km/h sprint time) costs a further $9000, while the Plus Pack, which is also a $9000 option adds more luxurious touches like premium audio, noise cancelling, and soft-close doors among other things.From $81,500The Polestar 4 will land in Australia before the end of 2024 offering a different spin on the luxury mid-size SUV formula. Competing both in terms of price and intention to something like Porsche's electric Macan, the Polestar 4 looks more like an up-sized Polestar 2, having a more sedan-like silhouette than your average mid-size SUV.Local pricing starts from $81,500 for the entry-level Single Motor variant which channels 200kW/343Nm to the rear wheels and provides 610km of driving range, while the Dual Motor starts from $92,150 and doubles outputs to 400kW while offering 580km of driving range.Test drives for the Polestar 2 are currently available in Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart, Perth and two locations in Sydney. That’s not the only way to get yourself behind the wheel of a Polestar 2: Hertz has purchased a whopping 65,000 Polestars 2s to add to its fleet of rental cars, giving Aussies the chance to test one out before shelling out their hard-earned. Uber has also made at least 500 Polestars 2s part of its fleet thanks to vehicle subscription company Splend. An electric tier was launched by Uber in 2023, which gives Uber customers the ability to choose to travel in a Polestar 2 or Tesla Model 3 or another fully electric car. It was also joined by a 'green' tier which allows riders to exclusively be picked up in hybrids.Polestar offer a traditional fixed rate loan to customers, as well as a loan with a ‘Guaranteed Future Value agreement’, which is similar to a regular loan with a balloon payment at the end of the term. The difference is that Polestar guarantees the minimum return value of the vehicle to ensure it covers the balloon repayment.Two more models have already been announced by Polestar: The Polestar 5 four-door sedan (outputs: 650kW/900Nm) is pitched as a grand tourer and rides on the same SEA platform as the Polestar 4 and other vehicles under the Geely umbrella, like the Lotus Eletre and Zeekr 001. Its current plan for release seems to have been pushed back to 2027.The Polestar 6, an electric sports car concept, has also been unveiled, with an originally proposed release date of 2026. The dual motor, two-door convertible’s target specifications are a top speed of 250km/h, acceleration from zero to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds, a 600km-plus driving range and a power target of 650kW. That definitely sounds like something you won’t want to miss.

People who enjoy the taste and sensation of dust in their teeth no doubt get a lot of joy out of tearing over wild terrain in their ATV or UTV, but nothing quite beats the combination of convenience, capability and toughness that you get from a full-sized off-road 4x4. So far, however, if you want a vehicle like this but are determined to save the planet at the same time by choosing an electric powertrain, your options are somewhat limited, at least in Australia. But that will change.There are certain four-wheel-drive (4WD) snobs who’d liken driving an electric 4WD to piloting a battery-operated, remote-controlled Traxxas car, but the prejudice is uncalled for: Electric Vehicles (EVs) have the grunt and torque to match any internal-combustion-engine (ICE) vehicle, and the technology in them is only getting better. All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) is similar to 4WD in that power can be used for both the front and rear wheels for maximum traction, but 4WD is the only one of the two options that has serious off-road capabilities - in this article, we’ll be focusing solely on the latter. Currently if you want an electric 4WD in Australia, your options are quite limited. First, it’s important to know that currently there are two main contenders when it comes to the 4WD electric car: conversions, which are petrol or diesel vehicles that have been modified to EVs thanks to a conversion kit, and ground-up electric 4WD vehicles that are designed as EVs from the get-go. At the moment conversions are only available for commercial use on large private grounds, and not the consumer market. Ground-up 4WD EVs are only for sale from specialist start-ups rather than established car manufacturers at this stage, but this will likely change in the not-too-distant future. With the popularity of EVs set to increase drastically over the coming years, it will only be a matter of time before mainstream car brands are mass-producing electric 4WD vehicles. And indeed, one of the most famous in this field, Hummer, is not far off doing so.Until that time comes, here’s what’s available, globally, and what’s eventually coming to a showroom near you. GMC are throwing down the gauntlet and giving petrol and diesel-powered V8 4x4s a serious run for their money with a Hummer EV pick-up truck with a driving range of more than 560km from a 200kWh battery and an engine that delivers a whopping 2033Nm of torque. Read that again - two Newton kilometres of torque - it should be able to tow any reasonably sized planet. Excellently, the Hummer EV has a ‘crab mode’ that allows it to drive diagonally, and an off-road 'extract mode' can raise the air suspension approximately 15cm, giving the armoured undercarriage extra clearance. It went on sale in the US in 2022 and is currently offered in both pick up and SUV forms - but currently no plans have been announced to release either model in Australia. ​Yep, we know the BYD ute will launch before the end of 2024 with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain the brand dubs DM-i (for dual-motor intelligence), sporting electric motors on both axles supported by a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine. A similar system employed in BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao 5 SUV delivers a whopping 500kW/750Nm.However, this will just be the beginning for the BYD ute, with a fully electric version said to be roughly 12 months behind the plug-in. It has yet to be seen, even overseas, but if it can deliver on the same value and performance which other BYD models have been able to, expect it to be a hit.Toyota might be slow to the EV game, but expect it to make a statement when it finally arrives. While it may be a while off before we see a fully electric equivalent to the best-selling diesel HiLux, the EPU concept is perhaps a first look at what we can expect.To be clear, the EPU is about half a size down from the HiLux, measuring 5070mm long, and rather than a ladder chassis, it will ride on a battery electric platform more akin to a standard car platform. A production version isn’t expected until 2026, and it is unclear whether the EPU will be only for left-hand drive markets, where smaller pick-ups like the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick sell in higher volumes.It may look like something out of a science fiction film, but the Tesla Cybertruck has serious power and off-road capability: 547km range, 4990kg towing capacity, a tray of nearly two metres and over 400mm ground clearance. It may or may not make it to Australian shores, but expect it to turn some serious heads if it ever does arrive.We were one of the first Aussie outlets to get a chance to review it overseas, check our story out here.US American electric car start-up Rivian has stepped up to the plate to take on Tesla with two off-road EVs with 4WD capability: the R1T ute and the R1S wagon. Both Ford and Amazon have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the company, which eventually has plans to sell the R1T and the R1S in Australia. The most notable thing is that the R1T will feature Individual Wheel Drive (IWD), essentially assigning a motor to each wheel, which could make it the most capable off-roader to ever hit the market. Canoo is a US-based start up which specialises in light commercial-style vehicles, and plans to launch a ‘lifestyle vehicle’, delivery van, and of course a pick-up truck.While Canoo has been beset with production delays and issues since its inception in 2017 its range of funky but rugged looking vehicles lean fully into the idea of building a van or a ute around a skateboard chassis underneath, making for a particularly cool design formula, which is also very modular.The brand is taking pre-orders in the US at the moment, promising the choice of AWD or RWD, over 370kW of power, at least 320km of driving range and is targeting over 800kg of payload. Time will tell if it can escape its troubled start-up phase, but the brand is already looking to produce right-hand drive versions of its vehicles for use by the USPS.If Bob Dylan going electric back in the ’60s caused controversy, wait till you see what happens now that Ford has created an all-electric version of its iconic F-150 model. Although unlikely to make it to Australia, at least for the time being, the F-150 Lightning arrived in the US in 2022 with two battery options, Standard and Extended Range, with the latter offering 483km of range and the former 370km.In a glimmer of hope for those who would accept nothing else as an electric truck, the F150 Lightning has been spotted in Australia having been converted to right-hand drive by a third-party outfit AusEV.The Silverado EV is an entirely new proposition when compared to the combustion version currently converted to right-hand drive here in Australia.Instead it sits on GM’s new Ultium EV platform which underpins other new fully electric vehicles in its range. Big batteries are matched by long driving ranges (644km+) and powerful electric motors, which combined can produce up to 495kW/1058Nm. It also sports a payload of 505kg and can tow over 3500kg.Unfortunately it seems, despite a renewed push back into Australia with its Cadillac premium arm, General Motors is as yet uninterested in bringing the Silverado EV to Australia as a factory-backed option.With laws making the sale of ICE vehicles illegal in the near-future in some countries as well as Australia’s government finally making moves on emissions, expect everyone from Mitsubishi to Land Rover to have electric 4x4s on the market in the coming years.

Australia’s long-awaited emission laws are set to launch a flurry of adorable cuteness on our roads with Mitsubishi quickly moving to bring the tiny eK X “kei” car to Australia - which would become both our smallest and cheapest EV, at a price of $30,000 to $35,000 - to help it lower its overall CO2 burden.

Tesla's Cybertruck is a divisive vehicle, seen by some as the greatest example of why Tesla is a unique and admirable car company, because it goes where other fear, or wouldn't' even think, to tread. And it is a hell of a piece of engineering. Otherwise would argue, quite fairly, that it's a blot on the landscape and the stupidest thing ever to wear wheels. Let's find out.

Tesla has already defined the term 'electric vehicle' and it's had one previous go at deciding what an 'Electric Performance Car' should be like, with the original Tesla Model 3 Performance, which felt quite a lot like a Model 3 with too much performance, and no subtlety. This time, the company promises, it's taken the mission seriously, and come up with something driving enthusiasts will love.

It’s not breaking news that Australians are buying cars in record numbers, but the kind of cars we’re buying may surprise you because it seems to suggest many of us have too much money.