Geely MK Reviews

Geely is the Chinese powerhouse behind Polestar, Volvo and Zeekr, but its own brand is on track to be bigger than them all.The Chinese brand launched in Australia at the start of 2025, but it hasn’t gone on a model explosion like BYD or Chery, instead it is slowly building out its line-up Down Under.First came the all-electric EX5 mid-size SUV and next the related Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid SUV we are testing here. Both are selling well.The Starray range is simple, with just two variants.First is the Starray Complete starting at $37,490 (before on-road costs) and next is the fully loaded Starray Inspire priced from $39,990. We are living with the latter for three months.That is a sharp price that undercuts the rival 2026 BYD Sealion 6, which starts at $42,990 and rises to $52,990, and is more on par with the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid.The Starray is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder non-turbo petrol engine paired to an electric motor, which combine for 193kW.A hybrid transmission sends power to the front wheels, there is no all-wheel drive option.This is matched to a circa-18kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery that delivers a driving range of up to 83km.That driving range misses the mark against some of its rivals, but luckily Geely is rolling out an update to the Inspire grade this year that will feature a bigger battery capable of delivering a range of up to 136km.Geely claims its current setup uses just 2.4-litres of fuel per 100km, which is excellent but it also requires pricier premium unleaded petrol.You won't get near this figure unless you are very militant about charging the car so it always has a decent amount of energy to allow for electric-only driving for most trips. I've relied mostly on hybrid driving during my stint and I'm averaging double the claimed figure.The Starray can be driven in three modes: Pure (electric-only), Hybrid (petrol-electric) and Power (petrol-only).If driving in Power mode expect fuel use to be much more than the claimed figure. The battery can accept a max DC charge rate of 30kW and can suck up to 6.6kW of juice via an AC connection.It also has a vehicle-to-load function, which means it can power appliances and other items, but you’ll need to buy an adapter to plug into the car’s charging port.One of the Starray’s big selling points is it is packed full of equipment.Outside the Starray Inspire has LED head and tail-lights, auto-folding side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, roof rails and 19-inch alloy wheels.Inside some of the highlights are a big 15.4-inch central display paired with a 10.2-inch digital driver’s screen. A 13.8-inch head-up display projects vital information such as travelling speed and prevailing speed limit onto the windscreen in front of the driver.It has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in-built sat nav, digital radio, wireless device charging and USB-A and -C charging ports throughout.The Inspire grade ditches the basic six-speaker stereo for a 16-speaker stereo from Chinese tech company Meizu, which is owned by Geely.The Starray also runs Meizu’s Flyme operating system for its multimedia.Customers can expect power-adjustable front seats wrapped in synthetic leather and with heating and ventilation functions. The driver’s seat also has a memory function.A giant panoramic sunroof is exclusive to the Inspire grade as is the power tailgate.Boot space is decent at 428 litres and can be expanded to 528L by removing the floor.There is no spare tyre, with owners forced to make do with a fiddly tyre repair kit.Geely ticks all the safety boxes with a wide range of active driver aids and seven airbags covering both rows.The Starray was given a five-star safety score last year with good scores for adult and child occupant protection during crash tests.Paint colour is the only optional extra, with anything but white costing $600. Our test car is finished in a handsome metallic jungle green.Geely covers its cars with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, and the battery is covered for eight years/unlimited km.The Starray is covered by a five-year capped-price servicing program that requires workshop visits every 12 months or 15,000km. It’ll cost almost $2000 over that time, with buyers to be aware of the $691 fourth service price. Next instalment we’ll cover how practical the Starray is in the real world and report back on fuel use figures, EV-only driving range and how it works for a family of four.2026 Geely Starray EM-i InspireAcquired: March, 2026Distance travelled this month: 436kmOdometer: 2776kmAverage fuel this month: 4.8-litres per 100km

Sedans used to be the staple of many brands in Australia, from the Holden Commodore to the Toyota Camry, but the SUV boom has seen numbers drop off significantly.Ten years ago, in 2016, the Toyota Camry was the fifth best-selling car in Australia, followed by the Commodore sedan in sixth.Fast forward to 2025, Toyota's sedan was the 35th best-selling car in the country, and the Commodore was nowhere to be seen.In 2026 there have been less than 10,000 mid-size sedan sales in Australia so far compared to mid-size SUVs, where almost 100,000 have already been sold. The Camry is still the dominant player in the sedan-only segment, owning nearly 70 per cent, but it looks like China’s next battleground in Australia will be a shot at shaking its dominance.BYD has led the way in this respect and it already has a fully-electric Seal and the just-launched plug-in hybrid Seal 6 on the market.The Seal in particular made some successful inroads into the sedan space. It accounts for the majority of sales outside of the Camry and the Tesla Model 3.The brand is not stopping there, with a larger Seal 7 plug-in hybrid sedan now approved for sale in Australia.MG is another brand focussing on sedans, having already brought in its MG5 a few years ago and the MG7 in 2026, both to middling levels of success so far.It’s not just BYD and MG that are getting in on the sedan act, however, with Geely confirming its Emgrand sedan next year initially in plug-in hybrid form, but possibly also plugless at a later date.Additionally the China-built Tesla Model 3 remains one of the best-selling EVs in the country.There are also 'legacy' brands pinning their hopes on a strong-selling sedan. Mazda recently launched its fully-electric 6e sedan, which is based on the Deepal L07 (not yet sold in Australia) - another China-made model. The 6e is a crucial model for Mazda as it looks to turn around extensive fines incurred under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) due to its predominantly petrol-powered range.The electric 6e saw its initiative pre-order allocation run out very quickly, starting from $49,990 (before on-road costs), highlighting early signs of it achieving its potential.Korean brands Kia and Hyundai have also seen solid sales from its hatch/sedan models, with the K4 and i30 plugging along with a decent amount of registrations, which will be bolstered thanks to the arrival of desirable plugless hybrid versions of both.As usual, price is a key factor where Chinese sedans are providing an enticing alternative, bucking the trend of sedans becoming more expensive as buyers focus on SUVs.While the Mazda 2 is the most affordable sedan on sale at just $28,490, it is the sought-after hybrid tech luring buyers to newer options.The plug-in hybrid Seal 6, for example, starts from $34,990, which is $5000 more affordable than the plug-less hybrid-only Camry, and it is both larger and offers genuine EV range over the barely more affordable Hyundai i30 plugless hybrid (from $33,250). It will no doubt be a similar story for Geely's Emgrand EM-i which is set to launch in 2027.While SUVs remain the biggest seller in Australia, this new wave of affordable and electrified sedans could see the once bustling segment reignited.The question remains whether this array of new options will just fragment a shrinking part of the market, or whether buyers are now looking for something different from the SUV trend.

With a flood of new and affordable Chinese automakers hitting the Australian market, Geely’s Australian CEO Alex Gu explained why its strategy is a little different from that of Chery, MG or GAC.Geely, which has such brands as Volvo, Zeekr, and Polestar under its ownership umbrella and ranks as one of China’s top-selling carmakers, said it will continue to approach the Australian market slowly.“This is culture-wise,” Gu said.“Geely is fully committed and we keep patient on the market penetration. Once we decide to enter into each individual global market, we are present to be a success.“Success is not only the volume booming. Success is also customer satisfaction and partner satisfaction.“So, you’ve noticed that for the Australian market, we’ve only launched two models up until today for example other have launched 10 models, five models, six or eight models.“Of course, they have been in the market longer, but Geely, even with two models you can notice from the VFACTs number, we try to bring ‘star’ models into each segment so we can make it successful.“EX5, you can already see, in April it will be a top-three BEV SUV. Starray EM-i? Same story. Now we are aiming to bring in EX2. These days we are taking pre-orders, which are very good figures.“So we’ll focus on our current models, but you can believe that after we bring all new models we will study the segment fully and those models as ‘star’ models for the segment.“We don’t want to make chaos. So we’ll bring each model to a segment in a significant position. This is our target," he said.Despite its more measured model roll out, will Geely have a model in every segment like some of its rivals have recently declared?“It’s a hard thing to do,” said Gu. “Even some mainstream brands, they don’t have a model in every segment. So for Geely, again we will study the market, study what customers want.“So it’s mutual success, for Geely and for our partner, and for the market,” he said.The brand was planning to have a seven-seat SUV, an off-roader (as previewed by the Geely Battleship 700 concept) and a ute, according to Gu.Gu said models need to sell more than 1000 units to be considered a success."From my perspective, 1000 a month is a milestone for a new model, especially in mainstream segments.”Gu said it is well known Geely is “aiming to be top five” globally.“For the Australian market of course we have a target, each market needs to support this goal. At least for the Chinese brands in the market, we are always mentioned as the number one Chinese brand," he said.From there Gu said it becomes a game of “how to challenge the global top three brands”.One area Geely was particularly focused on was consistent parts supply.Gu said it was essential for the brand to properly plan for its parts distribution centres (PDC), so that “when there is an order, we need to guarantee how to get it within 24 hours from the PDC to the customer”.He also noted Geely had an expansive dealer network already, up to 48 locations, with a plan to “exceed 80” despite only having the two models on sale currently.Gu said the brand would sell any purely petrol or diesel models. Instead the brand would focus on EVs, plug-in hybrids and conventional plugless hybrids.Geely’s next model will be the EX2 electric hatchback, which is due to arrive in the third quarter of 2026. The Emgrand plug-in hybrid sedan will arrive in 2027. Gu also confirmed a seven-seat SUV (something similar to the Geely M9 shown at the Melbourne Motor Show recently) is also in the plan for the next 12 to 18 months.

There is a big boost coming for a popular budget plug-in hybrid SUV, with Geely revealing the pricing and specifications for its updated Starray EM-i.The mid-size Starray will continue to start from $37,490 (before on-road costs), but the top-spec model will now cost $1500 more, starting at $41,490.The main change for the car is the addition of a significantly bigger battery in the range-topping model.The new 30kWh unit is up from 18kWh, boosting total driving range by 53km to 996km. Electric-only driving range has also increased from 83km to 136km. This battery comes with improved charging times at 60kW, enabling DC charging from 30-80 per cent in 16 minutes. It also has better fuel efficiency when the battery is charged, now offering 1.4L/100km, down from 2.4L/100km. There have been other minor upgrades to the car, such as massaging front seats and towing enhacements.The updated Starray EM-i will continue to take on other Chinese PHEV rivals such as the more expensive BYD Sealion 6 and similarly priced Chery Tiggo 7, as well as the MG HS and the GWM Haval H6. It still gets the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and dual electric motor set-up, producing 160kW and 262Nm as on the previous model.It keeps a 15.4-inch central touchscreen and 10.2-inch digital display, along with wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.The top-spec model receives a 13.6-inch head-up display and wireless phone charging functionality.The car will be available in dealerships from the end of this month.  It comes at a time when Geely continues to grow its lineup Down Under, with the budget-focused EX2 electric hatchback and the Toyota Camry-rivalling Emgrand PHEV sedan coming soon. 2027 Geely Starray EM-i pricing Australia

Geely has spilled some essential information on its coming ute.The boss of Geely’s Australian operation Alex Gu shared some of the brand’s thoughts on its new ute, and how it will come later than rivals but may have some surprises in tow, which he hopes will “exceed” expectations.Gu said “of course” the brand will offer a ute in Australia, but it won’t be for a while.“I hope it will be available within two to three years,” he said.It will be a little bit different from the upcoming Geely Cruiser 4x4 concept shown in 2025 and its off-road architecture shown at the Beijing Motor Show, according to Gu.“Pick-ups in Australia are an off-road pick-up. So this, we will study. It is unique knowledge because Geely, we don’t have those kinds of historic platforms. But, we will study and create to satisfy that ute market,” he said.Gu added the new-from-the-ground-up ute would definitely be a plug-in first.“It will be New Energy first. It could be plug-in but for the next-generation I’m not sure, so far it is being based on studies,” he said.This could come in the form of a unique range-extender style set-up, with one shown at the Horse Powertrain stand at the 2026 Beijing Motor Show.Horse Powertrain, which is an independent spin-off from both Geely and Renault specifically for developing engines, had multiple new powertrain options to show, with two suited for any ute or off-roader.The first is a range-extender style set-up, which Horse Powertrain staff told CarsGuide was developed to either add to a battery electric platform, or with its compact dimensions, sit between the frame-rails of a ladder-frame 4x4.The unit, dubbed C15, is a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, which can be placed upright or lay flat like a boxer engine, with an overall height of just 275mm. In turbocharged form it can produce up to 120kW, and can act either purely in range-extender form or combine with a dual electric motor transmission to provide direct drive to the wheels.There is the possibility of a 3.0-litre V6 from Horse Powertrain to power Geely’s ute, although this would require a platform we’re yet to see, something even more capable than the Geely off-road architecture shown at Beijing.Horse Powertrain’s new engine, dubbed the W30 was specifically referenced by Gu as a possibility.“The V6 we use two to four electric motors to make even bigger horsepower, so this is a very good upgrade of technology, you can do different things.”Horse says the W30 is is capable of outputting 350 - 400kW of power and up to 700Nm of torque, but is intended to be mated to its 4LDHT transmission, which is a four-speed unit with a huge electric motor on the rear capable of producing an additional 400kW.Horse Powertrain’s product people told CarsGuide this unit was developed specifically for large 4x4 and pick-up truck applications, and the big motor was expressly designed to help with towing and heavy payloads.One reason Geely was taking its time developing a ute was also because it wanted to study how its rivals were going to impact the market. This is part of Geely’s slowly-but-surely strategy to only release what Gu referred to as “star” models in each segment.He noted the brand was aware and studying other players entering the Australian market with ambitious new ute products, like Chery’s diesel hybrid ute, saying the brand was watching if this direction was "feasible".Gu said the current monocoque Geely Radar ute, which is currently sold in New Zealand under Riddara badging, was not the “solution” for the Australian market.“Because just like with some SUVs, it must have four-wheel drive,” he said. “If you don’t have four-wheel drive, you have not satisfied what the customer demands.”“So Geely, we fully study the customer demand, and provide exactly or even beyond what the customer is expecting of them otherwise.”“For the ute, just like Ranger or HiLux or Shark 6, these have a different character, so we must benchmark those ‘star’ models."

Geely Australia’s CEO Alex Gu confirmed the brand was considering the company’s new i-HEV technology for our market.Geely’s i-HEV tech, which is a new-generation hybrid set-up consisting of a 1.5- or 2.0-litre engine mated to a hybrid transmission system (DHT), is claimed to be one of the most fuel efficient production plugless systems on the market.The brand declared at the Beijing Motor Show it had achieved a fuel consumption as low as 2.22L/100km when tested in an Emgrand sedan, and claims it can drive under electric power up to 80 per cent of the time despite not needing to be plugged in.Gu said that unlike its Chinese rival brands, Geely wouldn’t be bringing combustion models to Australia and will instead consider i-HEVs as an option to sit alongside its existing fully electric EX5 and upcoming EX2 SUVs, and its plug-in hybrid Starray SUV and Emgrand sedan, with the latter is due in 2027.“For Geely we don’t have a plan to do ICE , but we are planning for the i-HEV,” he said.“For this, we benchmarked Toyota actually. This is very friendly for emissions. It will be in a sedan, SUV, and so on,” said Gu.Gu said it was Geely’s attitude that plug-in systems will be able to “move forward together” in global markets, rather than have plug-ins outright replace ICE and HEVs as they have in some other markets.“This will be the entire way to enter the market. We’re making it very balanced,” he said.Gu wouldn't confirm when the first hybrid models would arrive in Australia.“So far I’m not sure.” he said.“We will have to see what is planned for the global market. So for me, I will push for the Australian market to be the first market to bring i-HEV models,” he said.The Emgrand is not the only car in Geely’s product catalogue that has the new i-HEV hybrid system at the brand’s stand at the Beijing motor show.It also showed off its larger sibling, the Preface sedan, as well as an updated version of its Monjaro mid-size SUV.Both cars, which ride on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, pair a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor driving the front wheels via a hybrid transmission.The Preface sedan consumes 3.98L/100km, while the Monjaro mid-size SUV drinks 4.75L/100km according to the slightly more lenient WLTC method, which cuts fuel consumption nearly in half compared to the turbo dual-clutch versions of both cars.Offering all three levels of electrification will help set Geely apart from its main Chinese rivals, most of which are either plug-in exclusive like BYD, or are also leaning on ultra-affordable combustion models like Chery, MG or GAC.Next for Geely in Australia will be the introduction of the EX2 hatchback, due in the third quarter of 2026, while the Emgrand will join the line-up in 2027. Gu also outlined a seven-seat SUV, something along the lines of the M9 the brand showed at the Melbourne Motor Show, would debut in 2027. In the longer-term Geely has aspirations to offer both a 4x4 and a ute, and would be “studying the market” closely in the meantime.

Sedans aren’t dead, as it turns out, with newcomer brands breathing life into the ailing segment in recent years.The issue for brands like MG, BYD and now Geely, as always, is the venerable Toyota Camry which absolutely dominates the sales charts.How do you knock such a legendary vehicle off its perch? Geely reckons it might be onto something with its hybrid-first Emgrand, set to hit our shores in 2027. Let’s take a look.First up, let's see where the Emgrand sits, and how it might be priced to succeed.At 4806mm long, this offering from Geely is bigger than a traditional small sedan like a Kia K4 or Hyundai i30 sedan, but a little smaller than a Camry. It’s a good format, and with a long wheelbase and seemingly ample interior and boot space, it certainly has the right ingredients.Geely’s people tell us the Emgrand is set to start life in Australia initially as a plug-in hybrid using the brand’s EM-i system, which combines a 1.5-litre engine and hybrid transaxle with a pretty sizeable battery pack under the floor.The version of this car sold in China (from Geely’s hybrid and electric Galaxy arm which also sells the EX5 and Starray SUVs) is priced at the equivalent of $A24,600, reaching up to the low-$30k mark at the more premium end of the spectrum.It's doubtful we’ll see the entry-level car make it to Australia though, so a starting price of around $30k wouldn’t be surprising.For reference, the Kia K4 hybrid is $32,090, the Hyundai i30 sedan hybrid is $33,250, the soon-to-launch BYD Seal 6 starts from $34,990, and the Toyota Camry is priced a little higher, at $39,990, all before on-road costs.As the Emgrand will be a plug-in hybrid first, its closest rival will be the BYD, and this is where things start to get a little technical for the Geely, because it will need to be specified and priced just right to thread the needle between its plugless and plug-in rivals.In my opinion, though, launching with the plug-in isn’t quite the right move, and the Emgrand would be better served using Geely’s new plugless hybrid i-HEV setup instead.This system claims to use as low as 2.2L/100km in the Emgrand (to lenient Chinese measuring standards) and can drive more than 80 per cent of the time in fully electric mode, despite not needing to plug in.Geely’s Australian boss, Alex Gu, told CarsGuide the system was very much on the radar, despite our tough new emissions laws making it difficult for plugless hybrids in the future.What makes more sense for the primary audience of this car though?A ride-share driver would much rather have the convenience of the plugless system doing hundreds of kilometres a day, compared to the inconvenience of needing to plug in.At least the EM-i system this car is set to launch with is claimed to consume as low as 2.9L/100km even when the battery is at the reserve level, so perhaps it won’t matter.The styling is pretty sharp. If you think it looks a little reminiscent of a Volvo S60 with its tall, sharp belt line, distinctive grille, and tidy European proportions, that's because Geely owns Volvo and has no doubt called on its design expertise.Inside things are remarkably restrained compared to some rivals, with an elegant dash layout and nice material choices.It includes a combination of a 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen with the brand’s Flyme software, and 10.25-inch digital dash cluster, both of which are present in the EX5.A big bonus compared to the EX5 though, is the presence of a control dial and a few shortcut toggles on the centre console, which help to reduce the dependence on the touchscreen for everything.For what it’s worth, Geely’s software looks a bit better than some of its rivals, but is still clumsy to use with odd menus and poorly used screen real estate.Despite wielding a decent battery size, the Emgrand had plenty of room for my 182cm frame in both the front and rear seats, even with the front seat set to my comfortable driving position.Unlike plug-in sedans I’ve driven in the past, the Emgrand’s GEA platform places the battery under the cabin floor rather than the boot, so it maintains a generous 609 litre boot space. Great for the airport run, no?Powering the Emgrand is a 1.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder engine (82kW136Nm) mated to a hybrid transaxle with an electric motor producing 120kW/210Nm and driving the front wheels. It is backed by either an 8.5kWh or a 17kWh battery pack which provides either 60km or 125km of pure electric driving range, according to the more lenient CLTC measuring standard.It’s hard to see the 8.5kWh version having much of a run in Australia, but 17kWh is much more appropriate. Charging speed is 35kW on DC for the larger battery, allowing a 30-80 per cent top up in 20 minutes. All versions of the Emgrand are capable of vehicle-to-load at 3kW.How does it drive? In our limited test which involved an agility exercise and a 0-100km/h sprint with a moose test, the Emgrand proved remarkably sharp. Its tidy, lower-riding chassis and surprisingly responsive steering is no doubt helped along by a long wheelbase and firmer suspension to make for a fun jaunt compared to an SUV.It’s also quite rapid in a straight line thanks to the primarily electric drive, and like the better batch of plug-ins, the Emgrand seems to maintain enough reserve charge not to take the wind out of the motor’s sails when it’s needed most.Time will tell, however, how the final product fares on more challenging Australian roads, especially when it comes to active safety calibration, which can ruin an otherwise great car.

Vice President of Zeekr Group Mars Chen said a pick-up truck, or ute is certainly not off-the-table for the luxury brand’s future plans.Chen said it is something the company is having an intense discussion about right now.“But for now, it is just a discussion. You know, we want to redefine every single segment. Once we identify the segment, Zeekr will check how disruptive we can be if we enter,” said Chen.“So pick-up… MPV we’ve already done, roadster is also something we haven’t done yet, we’re only five years old, so in the coming years we have the curiosity to do it, but it’s not a concrete thing.”“At this moment, we are definitely focussed on SUV. As you know, SUV and pick-up are the top two segments in Australia, so based on our studies, 9X will enter toward the end of the year, and 8X the beginning of next year. “No doubt we will make it very clear our intention in the SUV segment.”“Hardcore off-road is definitely one direction, and we’re doing the research, but if we create a G-Wagon style, or Box this isn’t clear yet. Even 8X and 9X is not bad for the off-road segment. They’re not so extreme, but they definitely have some capability,” he said.Chen’s desire to set Zeekr apart from rivals may be the one thing that stops a future 4WD or ute.He said Zeekr might not have enough space to manoeuvre to really set itself apart, considering the multitude of new 4WDs and utes coming out of China.“If we cannot create enough differentiation, of course we won’t just follow or replicate .”“For Zeekr, I think we’re going to consolidate more. Every model needs to be global. It makes no sense to customise models just for one country. Even in China.”He noted in the premium segment, many well-regarded luxury brands were struggling to find traction with once popular offerings. Chen said the exception tended to be boxy off-roaders, with the G-Wagen and Defender in particular performing above similarly priced options from BMW and Audi.“If we want to be in that segment, we need to be a global brand.”He said Zeekr was still compiling “concrete information” on the ute segment to determine its direction, but specifically called out the Ford F-150 as being a volume-leader, perhaps suggesting Zeekr could look to the US-sized pick-up market for inspiration.The brand’s electrified approach, which sees its 8X and 9X SUVs have monstrous power outputs (up to 1030kW/1410Nm) whilst maintaining a powerful but modestly-sized petrol engine (205kW/410Nm), could be more of a circuit breaker in a segment which is still mainly dominated by V6 turbo or V8 petrol engines.Many rival automakers are investigating the potential of range-extender hybrids for large-size pick-up trucks, as is the case with Volkswagen’s re-booted Scout brand for the Americas.There could be more surprises to come if Zeekr chooses to forge down the ute and 4x4 path. One notable display at the Beijing Motor Show was the Geely-aligned Horse Powertrain stand.The company, which is a joint venture between Geely and Renault and exclusively manufactures engines and hybrid powertrains, was displaying a brand new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a unique four-speed hybrid transmission housing dual electric motors. The brand’s representatives told CarsGuide at the show this set-up is expressly designed for high-output off-road and towing applications, seemingly uniquely suited to any large Geely or Zeekr 4x4 in the future.

Electric cars are finally having their moment. As petrol and diesel prices soar, it appears everyone on the fence about buying an electric vehicle (EV) have taken the plunge.Having steadily hovered around the 10 per cent total market share for the past 18 months, EVs accounted for more than 16 per cent in April. That means approximately one-in-six cars sold last month were battery-powered.But perhaps even more interesting than just the total number of EVs sold, was who was selling them. The days of Tesla dominating the electric market appear to be over, with several new names emerging as popular options for Australians.Here are five of the most in-demand EVs in 2026.BYD Sealion 7For all the hype around BYD’s Shark 6 ute and cut-price Atto 1, the real star for the brand is its mid-size SUV. The Sealion 7 isn’t just a popular EV, it’s also one of the most popular SUVs on the market and was the seventh best-selling vehicle in April.Sales are up 342.2% year-to-date, but it isn’t just a sudden surge in the wake of the fuel crisis. The Sealion 7 has been a popular choice almost since it arrived. It was the eighth most popular SUV in its segment in 2025, behind some of the biggest names in the market - Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander, Kia Sportage and Subaru Forester.So regardless of what happens with fuel prices in the coming months, the Sealion 7 looks set to remain a popular choice for anyone looking for a mid-size SUV, electric or otherwise.Geely EX5 If there is a biggest winner of the current surge in EV sales it is the Geely’s EX5. Sales are up 415.4% year-to-date, peaking with 1202 in April alone. That’s up from an average of just 328 sales per month in 2025 and its jump demonstrates that it is genuine demand in EVs, not simply availability, that is driving this current boom. The EX5 was already one of the most affordable EVs on the market, starting at just $41,990, so if it was simply price and choice creating this sales increase in electric options there’s no reason it wouldn’t have started last year.Instead, Geely is taking advantage of its appealing price and benefiting as Australian buyers look for a way to beat the pain at the pump.Zeekr 7X While it doesn’t have the sheer volume of others on this list, selling only 2698 examples so far in 2026, the 7X is proving to be consistently popular while growing in sales.It’s not surprising that it isn’t selling in bigger volumes like the BYD and Geely, as it is positioned as a more premium offering with a starting price of $57,900  that stretches to $72,900 for the flagship Performance AWD model.But averaging nearly 675 sales per month to start 2026, with a spike of 973 sales in April, it’s clear that the 7X is an EV with a growing following.Kia EV3 You may have noticed a theme with the previously mentioned models, as the newer Chinese brands have claimed the role of EV leaders. But one of the established brands holding its own is Kia.Not all of its EVs are proving a sales hit, with the larger EV6 and EV9 still returning relatively modest sales numbers, but the smaller EV3 is doing well. Sales are up 150.2 per cent year-to-date, helping it become the most popular small electric SUV in its price range.The EV3 has garnered critical acclaim and has been slowly building a customer base, likely appealing to those looking to make the electric switch with a brand they know and trust.Sales of the larger EV5 are also up in 2026, but nowhere near to the same level, increasing only 28.7 per cent as it competes directly against the Sealion 7, EX5 and even the 7X.Toyota bZ4XCompared to the other cars on this list the total 2026 sales of just 1323 looks a bit poor, but when you consider how the bZ4X has performed previously it is having a breakout moment.Toyota’s first EV averaged less than 87 sales per month in 2025 but in 2026 it is averaging 330 sales per month so far; peaking at 483 sales in April.This is likely thanks to a renewed marketing push from Toyota, the RAV4 changeover and the high petrol prices leading Australian buyers to give it another look. How long this continues remains to be seen, but given the struggle Toyota has had with this model so far, this is a definite bright spot for the bZ4X.

I have been to three Chinese motor shows in a row, and all three times have signalled a shift in the calibre of the cars, which are increasingly setting a global agenda.The first time, I wrote of the sheer scale on display from some of the biggest brands and the amount of interest around carmakers BYD, GWM and Nio compared to the stands of Nissan, Toyota and Honda.The Shanghai Motor Show a year later was full of ambitious new products and a lack of fear to try new things on a global stage.But this year’s Beijing Motor Show marked yet another, unexpected shift, which should continue to strike fear into popular incumbents used to topping charts in regions around the world.This time, things were somewhat scaled back. Gone were the weird and whacky Chinese domestic market specials. The stands were slick, professional and showcased a handful of global-market ready models.Above all, the flavour was international. If the previous two motor shows were experimental and expansion themed, respectively the 2026 Beijing Motor Show was an announcement.Chinese automakers aren’t just for China any more. They have their sights well and truly set at topping the charts around the world.The Geely Group stand was happy to show some older cars, such as the Monjaro SUV and Preface sedan, but also ones that were fully prepared for export, with a variety of fresh hybrid powertrains designed to please international buyers and markets with different emissions settings and charging infrastructure.Even the auto giant’s primary reveal was relatively tame, a concept sedan which previewed its new design language but the message was clear - this is our new unified design for the world, not just for China, and it is powertrain agnostic. You’ll know a Geely when you see it, and it will have exactly what you want under the bonnet.The same could be said for most of the other stands I had time to visit. GAC showed off its global market off-road SUV alongside an array of export-ready models, but it was the more obscure once-domestic-only marques like the luxury HongQi and the off-road-focused 212 which had taken a massive step up in terms of the international allure of their stands.Another very telling shift was the renewed interest in brands like Nissan and Toyota. Not so much the globally-recognised versions of these brands, mind you, but their Chinese joint-venture incarnations, which have created quite some hype in the preceding months in markets outside of China.Nissan’s stand went from a sad handful of dated sedan models in previous years, to absolutely heaving with interest thanks to its Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute and just-revealed Terrano SUV.Nissan has unapologetically re-oriented toward its joint-venture with Dongfeng in China for these models, declaring it has to lean on “China Speed” to reignite interest in its otherwise ailing global footprint.Toyota, meanwhile, showed a stand primarily of joint-venture models with BYD and GAC, many of which, it seems, may start to be exported as more of the world seeks a more electrified line-up than the Japanese juggernaut has previously been keen to offer.With context, this shift makes a lot of sense. Domestically, Chinese automakers have been engaged in a brutal price war, as Beijing’s subsidies shift between production of ‘New Energy’ models to the actual sales pipeline, as the government seeks to rapidly get combustion vehicles off the road.The result has seen the biggest players, like BYD, able to use their scale to sell models at extremely sharp prices in order to squeeze rivals on volume, all seemingly with the objective of being one of the last ones standing at any cost. It has seen a massive contraction in the number of automakers able to stay afloat in China, and with a market quickly reaching a point of ‘New Energy’ saturation, many, including BYD, have sought the refuge and higher margins of export markets like Australia.As it turns out, many of these markets have been ripe for the taking, particularly ones with low barriers to entry, incumbent market leaders not used to such competition, and little to no tariffs.It’s no wonder then, that as I walked around the Beijing Motor Show, I very much felt like every automaker was trying to sell me a car, rather than the local standing next to me.