Articles by Stephen Ottley

In the post-Holden era no brand is safe, if the Lion brand can be snuffed out then no brand, regardless of sales or heritage is ever truly safe in the Australian car market.In that context, the recent Investor Day presentation from Stellantis is potentially the beginning of a new era for some of Australia’s most iconic brands - or the beginning of the end. Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugeot and more are all facing a radically different future, and not for the first time.The headline figures are great, Stellantis is investing €60 billion into its product range, introducing 60 new vehicles and 50 updated models across its expansive portfolio of brands. But you should expect nothing less from a presentation to investors, Stellantis needs their support to fund this ambitious plan. The problem is, we’ve seen this before, multiple times, from many of these brands and yet these big name brands continue to struggle.It’s clear now the previous leadership pushed too hard, too soon down an electrification strategy, which has hurt sales, particularly for Jeep. As we have previously written, Jeep is a brand that should be thriving in this age of sky-high SUV sales, and yet it is limping along both in Australia and its North American heartland.I won’t get bogged down in the details of Stellantis’ plans (with 110 new or refreshed models it would take some time) but there are some key elements to look at and the impact that they could have on the organisation’s long-term future.Starting with Jeep, there is a clear focus on ‘course correcting’ from its heavy push towards electric vehicles (EVs) with the Recon EV to get a petrol powertrain, while there will also be a new Compass as well as refreshed Grand Cherokee, Wrangler and Gladiator.That’s all positive news, but the first step is to actually execute that plan and then get those cars into the market. The challenge for Jeep in Australia is it has sadly burnt most of its brand equity. Whether it be customers feeling unhappy about recalls, the decision to drop the more premium and more expensive Grand Cherokee or something else, Jeep sales have been in decline for almost a decade.To make matters more difficult, Stellantis Australia also has to contend with the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which will likely lead to hefty fines if the brand completely abandons its electrified models. It’s a Catch-22 for Jeep, and so many other brands: give the people what they want and cop the fines? Or avoid the fines with less-popular models?Which leads to the awkward but fair question to ask: does Jeep have a long-term future in Australia?Officially the company line is it remains committed to Australia, but General Motors was committed to Holden until it wasn’t. No brand is immune from declining sales and at a certain point it no longer becomes viable to remain in the market, as we’ve already seen with Dodge and Chrysler.Jeep sales are down more than 66 per cent in the first five-months of 2026, which puts the brand on course to sell approximately 700 vehicles this year. That is an unsustainable sales volume for a non-ultra-luxury brand.But it’s not just Jeep that has serious question marks over its future in Australia. So many of Stellantis’ brands are struggling - Alfa Romeo is down 46.8%, Fiat is down 24.3% and Peugeot has taken a 35% hit. And all of those are coming off a low result in 2025 too, so the numbers simply don’t look good.Even the ‘great electric hope’, Leapmotor, is struggling compared to its fellow Chinese EV brands. Leapmotor sales are up over 112 per cent, but a total of 529 sales year-to-date in May put it well behind other new Chinese brands. For context, Denza only arrived in showrooms this year and has already chalked up more than 1600 sales.The harsh reality remains that the Australian new car market is only so big and as more new brands come in and take more share of those sales, it means other brands lose out. Stellantis needs to ensure these new generation of Jeep, Peugeot, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and other brands really make a compelling case to would-be buyers or else it will become increasingly difficult to survive.

There’s no worse feeling than showing up to the party just as it’s winding down and everyone else is leaving. Well, perhaps showing up a day too early and missing all the fun entirely.I imagine that must be what it feels like for the people that designed the cars on this list. In recent weeks we’ve looked at how timing is crucial in the car industry, with electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid sales spiking as fuel prices soared in March and April, brands like Tesla and BYD have benefited from having the right cars at the right time.And as we’ve also looked at recently, sometimes car makers just completely miss the mark and introduce the wrong car and it was never going to succeed.But today we’re looking at the most unfortunate of vehicles - the cars that had the right concept and had the potential for success, but arrived either too early or too late to make an impact.We took a deep dive into the premature arrival of the Volt, but it’s worth reiterating that Holden was way ahead of the curve when it came to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Unfortunately, too far ahead.Sure, the Volt was overpriced (starting at $59,990 in 2012), but the technology wasn’t far away from what the likes of BYD and GWM are having huge sales success with today. Perhaps if Holden had pursued this technology further, or subsidised it to get more vehicles on the road, things might have turned out differently, but we’ll never know…The arrival of the MG4 Urban is a textbook demonstration of the right car arriving at the right time - a small and affordable EV at a time when people were feeling the pain at the pump. The Chinese brand’s MG7, on the other hand, will likely be a case study in getting the timing wrong.It’s hardly breaking news that sedans (and liftbacks, such as the MG7) are no longer in hot-demand in Australia… or really much demand at all.The BYD Seal and the Toyota Camry are the only exceptions and despite the MG7 looking great, having a punchy turbocharged petrol engine and a competitive asking price, it is likely to sell in very small numbers. MG Australia has sold less than 100 in the first five months of 2026, so it’s likely to be a rare sight on the roads.Buyers are simply too focused on SUVs to consider a sedan.Of course, the sedan was not always an unloved, niche corner of the market. The glory days of Holden and Ford saw Commodores and Falcons dominate Australian driveways. Towards the end, the performance-orientated models, such as the Commodore SS and Falcon XR6/XR8, became beloved, so much so Kia saw an opportunity.The Stinger was a direct rival to the local sports sedans, with a twin-turbo V6, rear-wheel drive layout that gave it solid credentials. The initial ride and handling tuning was slightly off, making it a bit more ‘skid happy’ than a family sedan should be, but overall the Stinger was a good car.Unfortunately its arrival almost perfectly coincided with the beginning of the end of the local sports sedans and the customers Kia was hoping to find had simply moved on.As the likes of Tesla, BYD, MG and Geely dominated the discussion around EVs, it’s easy to forget that Nissan was right at the forefront of this technology. If Nissan launched a small, electric hatch for $39,990 today it would be a great addition for the brand and give its Chinese rivals something to think about.Unfortunately the Leaf arrived too early, before the wider car-buying public had EVs on their radar, and initially launched with a $51,500 price - which was much too much money for a hatchback.In the end, Nissan did give the Leaf plenty of time and opportunity, spending more than a decade on sale, but it was never the right moment for it to find major sales success.A compact SUV, built in India to give it a competitive asking price is arguably exactly what Ford Australia needs now. Unfortunately, they launched the EcoSport way back in 2013.What makes the EcoSport really earn its place on this list is it somehow managed to be both ahead of its time and arrive too soon.When it launched in 2013 it was one of the first compact SUVs on the market, beating the likes of the Hyundai Venue, Kia Stonic, Mazda CX-3 and Suzuki Jimny. But Ford slightly missed the mark with the EcoSport, building a pint-sized SUV rather than a jacked-up hatchback, which is ultimately what the market decided it wanted a decade ago.But Ford would be well-served to have a sub-$30k, fuel-efficient compact SUV at this particular moment in time, especially one that is a bit more rugged and less hatchback, like the EcoSport was, to fit with its Ranger/Everest image.

Genesis is ready to step up - both metaphorically and literally.The Hyundai-owned luxury brand has reaffirmed its plans to introduce an all-new sports car based on the Magma GT concept, unveiling an updated version of the two-door it first showed off in November 2025.The reveal came at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France, where Genesis is competing for the first time, making it the first South Korean brand to take part in the iconic endurance event.This is all part of a wider Genesis strategy to elevate the brand from its current place on the fringe of the luxury market, to a genuine rival to BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche - which are racing at Le Mans.Genesis is remaining tight-lipped on the technical specifications of the Magma GT, as it is being developed in parallel with an entry into the GT3 racing class. This means Genesis will work with the Hyundai Motorsport division to ensure the Magma GT road and race cars are capable of taking on the established sports car names.A concept of the potential new racing version was also unveiled alongside the road car.“The Magma GT Concept and Magma GT3 Concept represent two distinct yet connected expressions of Genesis performance,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis. “The Magma GT Concept embodies our vision of luxury and athleticism on the road, while the Magma GT3 Concept translates that philosophy into the race environment, where every element is driven by performance, efficiency, and purpose. Together, they demonstrate how Genesis is exploring the full spectrum of high performance—from refined grand touring to uncompromising motorsport.”While the road and race cars can have different specifications, one possible solution for the Magma GT production car would be a detuned version of the V8 engine found in Genesis’ Le Mans Hypercar entry. A turbocharged V6 engine is also an option, as Genesis has declared it will be a mid-engine, two-seat car, so a smaller engine may be a possibility - at least in the road car.The new concept reveals an interior for the first time, with Genesis opting for a ‘twin-cockpit’ layout that the company says is “centered around an analog instrument cluster inspired by motor racing timekeeping instruments and complemented by tactile controls that emphasize precision and engagement.”José Muñoz, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, said Genesis’ move into motor racing, in particular the Le Mans Hypercar class where it challenges Ferrari, Aston Martin and BMW, as well as others, is designed to elevate the brand’s standing and help accelerate its growth.“Genesis has grown faster than any other luxury automotive brand and we’re thrilled to be competing in the world’s toughest endurance race where we’ll be able to validate our performance under pressure,” he said. “We’re humble but we’re hungry and we know there is hard work ahead. We’re bringing lessons from the track to our Magma performance vehicles and in how we run the business. In a 24-hour race where anything can happen, the team needs to be seamless in how we support each other and find creative solutions to win. It’s a perfect analogy for how we’re managing uncertainty and focused on delivering exceptional vehicles, technology and service for our customers.”Timing for the Magma GT to hit both the showrooms and the racetrack isn’t confirmed, but likely won’t happen until 2028 at the earliest. In the meantime, Genesis is set to launch its first Magma product in Australia next month, with the GV60 Magma set to go on sale in July.

Some of Australia’s most famous car brands are starting to come under significant sales pressure as Chinese brands win over local customers.According to the latest sales data that covers until the end of May, the biggest movers up the sales charts are the Chinese brands. BYD is up 120 per cent, Chery is up 84 per cent, GWM is up 23 per cent and Geely is up a remarkable 629 per cent.But given the Australian market typically remains at the 1.1-1.2 million mark in any given year, for those brands to experience sales growth, other car makers are taking a hit. And the brands that have suffered noticeable sales declines so far in 2026 are some of the biggest names.Nissan - down 32.8%The Japanese brand has slipped outside the top 10 sellers and it’s hard to pinpoint a particular reason. Nissan is down across its entire line-up, with even its stalwart X-Trail taking a 15.3 per cent sales hit in the first five months of the year.It certainly hasn’t helped that the company has dropped once-popular models, the Juke and Pathfinder, but both were already struggling to find an audience.The arrival of the new Navara may help to pick things up in the second half of the year, while the long-anticipated new-generation Patrol cannot come soon enough. The brand is also pinning a bounce back on a range of new hybrid ‘e-Power’ models due in the near-future to revitalise its line-up. Mitsubishi - down 26.4%In many respects this is an unsurprising result given Mitsubishi culled much of its line-up in 2025, dropping the Pajero Sport and Eclipse Cross, while also changing over to a new-generation ASX.The problem is that aside from the Triton ute, every other model in the current range is in sales decline so far this year. The ASX was the brand’s key model for years, offering an affordable small SUV option to many buyers. But the new, Renault-based ASX is simply failing to have the same results, likely because affordable, small SUVs are a key area of success for the Chinese brands.Mitsubishi has sold just 695 ASX in the first five months of the year, while BYD has sold 2919 Atto 2, Jaecoo has moved 4017 J5 and Chery has found 11,309 buyers - so it’s clear what has hurt the Japanese brands sales.The good news for Mitsubishi is that one of its most beloved models is making a return. An all-new Pajero is set to go on sale by the end of the year and could be a much-needed boost for the brand.Subaru - down 22.1%It was always going to be a tricky period for Subaru, with its two most popular models (Forester and Outback) being replaced within a 12 month period. However, the Forester has been on sale for nearly a year, so the 8.4 per cent sales decline in 2026 is concerning, while the Outback has been met with mixed reviews for its radically different styling.While there is no quantifiable evidence that Subaru is losing buyers to the Chinese brands, looking at the Forester’s mid-size SUV segment it’s clear that Australian buyers have been won over by what the newer brands are offering. The Forester sits behind the BYD Sealion 7 and GWM Haval H6, while the Chery Tiggo Pro 7 and Geely EX5 are closing in. Add to that the arrival of a new Toyota RAV4 and the continued popularity of the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage and it makes for a tough challenge for the Forester.Outback sales are off to a relatively slow start, despite the introduction of the more rugged Wilderness variant, but the competition in the large SUV segment is not easy either, with a diverse group that includes the Toyota Prado, Hyundai Santa Fe and BYD Sealion 8.Subaru will be hoping its new all-electric Uncharted and Trailseeker can make an impact and capitalise on the current demand for EVs, while there is a chance both Forester and Outback sales could pick-up in the second half of the year.Suzuki - down 22.0%The key problem for Suzuki is its legacy is also built on offering affordable small models, so the arrival of so many Chinese brands offering similar (or better) products for similar (or less) money has made life hard for the brand.Sales are down across the board, with even its stalwart Jimny taking a 12 per cent hit in the first five months of the year. The arrival of the new Fronx has helped add new sales, but with so much decline it hasn’t helped the brand’s ultimate sales numbers.Suzuki is hoping that the Jimny Rhino, a new special edition of its beloved compact off-roader can help boost interest. But it will need more than that to reverse its current sales situation, which will be difficult as the competition is only going to get more intense.Volkswagen - down 17.0%It has been a mixed performance for the German brand so far in 2026. Overall sales are down and there have been big drops for some key models, but there has also been some important sales growth.The bad news is the Amarok ute has dropped more than 33 per cent, while its core SUV line-up has also been hit, with the T-Roc down 55.9 per cent, the T-Cross down 49 per cent and the Tiguan down 13 per cent.The good news is the brand is getting some traction with its electric offerings and its updated commercial vehicle line-up. Sales of the ID.4 are up over 455 per cent (only 171 sales behind the Tiguan), the ID.5 is also more popular as is the ID.Buzz van. The new Crafter (up 277%), new Transporter (up 78.1%) and the ID.Buzz Cargo (up 33.7%) are all enjoying a successful start to the year.But VW will need to get the Tiguan and Tayron really firing in the second half of the year - which is possible with the arrival of new hybrid options) if they don’t want to finish in its current position.

Safety has become the latest secret battleground for luxury car makers - you can't see it, but it is very important.As modern cars are required to include more and more active safety technology, both through regulations and pressure from customers, the difference in safety between a mainstream and luxury vehicle has shrunk.Which is why integration of these active safety systems is the new area of focus for premium brands such as Audi, allowing it to separate itself from both direct luxury rivals and mainstream offerings.It’s part of the reason why Audi has undertaken over 10,000km of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) testing in Australia, to ensure it works smoothly and without unnecessary distraction to the driver - something many of these systems are guilty of, particularly in cheaper, more mainstream models.“Almost anyone can build a nice watch for $300, but to get a really good watch you have got to invest quite a lot extra - it's all about the one percenters,” explained Peter Strudwicke, product manager for the new Audi Q3. “And we have a lot of those that we apply to all the cars we develop. Eighty percent good is not good enough.”Strudwicke added that Audi is so serious about ensuring its safety systems aren’t distracting or sub-standard, that it would rather not offer them at all if they cannot be properly calibrated.“It's the depth of engineering. It's integral to the whole company, they won't sign something off if it's just good enough, it needs to meet quite a high standard,” he said. “It's one of the reasons why we didn't have traffic sign recognition. We wanted it for years. We got it quite late because the engineers weren't comfortable with how the technology was and how it read Australian traffic signs. It's still not perfect, but once it got past a certain level of accuracy, then they were happy to turn it on for us.”Matthew Dale, head of product planning for the German brand in Australia, expanded on the level of work that Audi is undertaking to ensure that safety becomes a key separating factor for the brand as the entire market gets more competitive.“We do all local tuning and testing for ADAS systems, and was certainly one of them that we did,” Dale said. “With, say the A5, we brought those cars here, a fleet of them, with the latest ADAS systems, with speed sign recognition and things like that, to refine that for the Australian market. And I think it's that software engineering that goes into the cars as well, specific to the Australian market, because the Australian market is quite a popular test bed globally.“Pete mentioned an example before where we've got some unique scenarios in Australia that the tuning of the ADAS systems has been tuned for the Australian market, but that tuning's gone global. Tuning ADAS systems for tunnels, as an example. We've done over 11,000km of testing quite recently for next generation ADAS systems. “We're importing more cars this year to do significant test bases. And I think the new Q3 benefits from the last time we did the ADAS testing two years ago to refine it for the Australian market. And you can see with the lane guidance and the lane centring and things like that, it's that next generational step that isn't as intrusive.” Dale said ensuring the safety systems not only don’t distract the driver, but also don’t detract from the driving experience is a key tenant for Audi.“When you drive a car, people like me enjoy driving the car,” he said. “For some people it's an A to B, but you've still got to have enjoyment in a comfortable environment without the car taking over the inputs of the driver and making it a very comfortable drive. And that's,  I guess, where a premium product is meant to be, is it's meant to feel like a premium space and something that's not intrusive.”

Is the roof about to close on convertibles? It could be, as demand for open-top cars declines and car makers are forced to devote more resources to electrified powertrains and expanding SUV options.Audi has dropped any plans for a new-generation A5 Cabriolet, and with the R8 Spyder and TT also consigned to history, Audi currently has no convertible models available globally.The four-ring brand discontinued the previous generation A5 Coupe and Cabriolet in 2024, and with the A4/A5 models merging into a single offering, the focus is now on the sedan and wagon variants instead.Audi Australia product planner Peter Strudwicke admitted the demand for convertibles and coupes have dropped significantly in recent years, making the business case to develop two-door and drop-top models more difficult.“ I think if you look globally it varies a little bit by region, but the appetite for coupés and cabriolets, convertibles, whatever you want to call them, has been shrinking,” Strudwicke said. “And the appetite for SUVs has been increasing, and that's where a lot of our investment has gone into, SUVs. But also, the Sportback concept within SUVs to make them kind of coupe-like.” However, the news isn’t so bad for Audi’s arch-rivals, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.The BMW still has the 4-Series and the Z4 Roadster, and Benz has the CLE-Class last year. But none sell in big numbers.Audi didn’t completely rule out the return of a Cabriolet at some point in the future, with Strudwicke admitting: “Never say never.”

The MGS6 AWD Essence is the Chinese brand's new rival to the likes of the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7.Priced from $56,990, drive-away, this range-topping model comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, wireless smartphone charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an 11-speaker sound system, a combination of synthetic leather and synthetic suede trim plus a panoramic glass roof.The AWD Essence has two electric motors, one on each axle, which combine to make a healthy 266kW of power.The motors are powered by a 77kWh NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery, which MG claims is enough to provide 485km of driving range between charging.The MGS6 is well-equipped with all the usual passive and active safety features you’d expect in this day and age. These include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning, blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree parking camera view.MG offers a standard seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with the option to extend to 10 years/250,000km if you get all your servicing done at an MG dealer.Servicing intervals are every 12-months or 25,000km, whichever comes first. The five year service plan totals $1376 and the seven year plan $1987.

The Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and RAV4 are typically Australia’s most popular cars in any given month. But what other cars are having a great 2026?We’ve scoured the latest new car sales data to reveal the cars that are off to a storming start in the first five months of this year. For our list we’ve tried to focus on cars that have shown at least double-digit sales growth and have sold at least four-digit volume, so we avoid niche models that are coming off a very low base.We also deliberately avoided focusing on electric vehicles, as we have previously written about the EVs that are enjoying a sales boom in 2026.This is by no means a comprehensive list, and there are several models that are enjoying huge growth from brands such as BYD and Chery, but we’ve limited it to one entry to highlight more brands.Chery Tiggo 7 Pro - up 200.2%Choosing a Chery to put on this list wasn’t an easy task, as the brand is enjoying a bumper year with total sales up more than 84 per cent. The compact Tiggo 4 Pro remains the brand’s sales leader, with more than 11k sold already, but the Tiggo 7 is the clear star performer in terms of growth.With sales tracking more than 200 per cent up, the Tiggo 7 Pro has moved from also-ran to serious contender in the intensely competitive mid-size SUV market. It’s still well-short of the class-leading Toyota RAV4, but only the related Jaecoo J7 (up 427%) and BYD Sealion 7 (up 297%) have experienced more growth so far this year.Kia K4 - up 103.5%Reports of the demise of the hatchback appear to be exaggerated. While small SUVs remain incredibly popular, Kia has demonstrated that the right small car (as the K4 is both a hatch and sedan now) still has plenty of appeal.The South Korean brand has sold 3850 examples of its Cerato-replacement so far in 2026, more than double what it managed this time last year, when the hatch was not available.BYD Seal - up 92%The Atto 3 and Sealion 7 EVs are also enjoying good years, and the new Sealion 5 and 8 plug-in hybrids are both off to a good start, but for this list we’re highlighting the under-rated Seal EV. Under-rated because, like the hatchback, sedans are supposed to be in terminal decline.And yet, BYD has managed to almost double the sales of its mid-size sedan in 2026, with 1885 sold year-to-date. This actually makes it one of the brand’s worst-performing models, only further highlighting just what a successful year BYD is having.For the record, sales of the Sealion 7 are up 297%, the Dolphin is up 115% and the Atto 3 is up 85% (despite being the brand’s longest tenured model). Everything is looking rosy for BYD so far in 2026.Toyota Camry - up 48.3%It’s not exactly the glory days for the Camry, 5221 sales in five months is small fry compared to its past, but it remains an under-rated sales performer for not just the brand. Combined with the Seal, these two very different sedans have almost single-handedly kept the family car segment afloat in recent years.Every other existing model in the mid-size sedan segment is down in 2026, but the Camry remains the automotive equivalent of a cockroach - impossible to ever count out.Hyundai Palisade - up 37.1%This was a borderline inclusion on the list, as Hyundai introduced a new generation Palisade in late 2025 so the comparison to last year’s sales is against the out-going model. But given the huge price jump from the old model, plus a small range, it suggests Hyundai’s biggest SUV is finding an audience.Aside from the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro and GWM Tank 300 (see below) the Palisade is the only other large SUV to meet our criteria, further underlining its strong sales performance so far this year.The addition of a more-affordable Elite trim grade, to go along with the initial flagship Calligraphy, plus the introduction of the more-rugged XRT Pro variant later this year may help the Palisade to continue its momentum.GWM Tank 300 - up 26.9%As mentioned above, the Tank 300 is another standout performer in the large SUV segment. The Chinese brand’s off-road capable offering has grown in recent times to include a diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) alternative for buyers, which has clearly helped to expand its appeal.The relative struggles of the bigger Tank 500, which has only sold 529 units this year compared to 2228 Tank 300, is a clear demonstration that not all Chinese models sell in big numbers simply because they are cheaper than their rivals.The Tank 300 has therefore done enough to convince buyers to give it a chance and if this growth continues in the second half of the year it could become a key model for GWM.

The MGS6 RWD Essence is the brand’s new mid-size electric SUV offering, sitting above the MGS5.Priced from $49,990, drive-away, it comes well-equipped with 20-inch alloy wheels, wireless smartphone charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an 11-speaker sound system and a combination of synthetic leather and synthetic suede trim.The MGS6 RWD has a single electric motor, mounted on the rear axle, which makes 180kW of power. With its 77kWh battery, MG claims it has a driving range of up to 530km.The MGS6 is fitted with all the usual passive and active safety features you’d expect in this day and age. These include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning, blind-spot warning, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree parking camera.MG offers a standard seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with the option to extend to 10 years/250,000km if you get all your servicing done at an MG dealer.Servicing intervals are every 12-months or 25,000km, whichever comes first. For the RWD model the five year service plan totals $1321 and $1877 for the seven year plan.

It’s the equivalent of Toyota opening its own service station franchise, but BYD Australia has admitted it could open its own public electric vehicle charging network.It’s one of a number of options on the table for the Chinese brand as it introduces its proprietary ‘Flash charging’ system to Australia. The initial rollout will focus on its Denza premium brand dealers in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide before expanding to BYD dealers in the future, but beyond that the options are wide open.“We’re working through that, but we'll have them in public spaces,” explained Stephen Collins, BYD Australia chief operating officer.“Now, whether it's next to a KFC or a shopping centre or a standalone ... the ones in China, for example, are basically standalone, so they're basically like the old petrol station. But it's just electric, a mega charging- electric service station.”Collins said creating standalone charging ‘service stations’ is possible thanks to the Flash charging technology, which can recharge at up to 1500kW and take a compatible battery from zero to 97 per cent capacity in just nine minutes. Currently the most powerful chargers in Australia are 400kW.Because of the speed of charging, Collins said this opens up the possibility of specific charging locations, instead of so-called ‘destination chargers’, such as those at shopping centres and hotels.“ I think that what they've shown in China is… ultimately having a public charging station, like the old petrol station, you literally drive in and in six, seven, eight, nine minutes, bang you're full,” he said.The BYD boss also said that Flash charging should help reduce another factor in buyer hesitation towards electric vehicles.“ I think ‘time to charge’ has been a barrier, and that's what this technology solves,” he explained. “So I think it will be a big factor, next year and into the following years is that time to charge.”The technology is specific to BYD and Denza and requires the company’s latest generation Blade Batteries with 1000V capacity, so cars from other brands will not be able to use the Flash chargers.