Electric News

Skoda has given the world a better look at its largest model ahead of its launch in mid-2026, revealing its overall shape and conforming some specifications for the EV.The aptly named (though Skoda remains insistent on finishing SUV model names with a ‘q’) 2026 Skoda Peaq, placed at the top of the brand’s line-up, has been photographed in the classic camo-wrap pre-launch guise as the brand confirms the electric car’s drivetrain and dimension details.It's a a seven-seat electric SUV that will bring the brand’s Vision 7S concept, revealed in 2022, to production. It will also bring another much-needed option to the large electric SUV space which is currently mainly served by the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9.The Peaq is set to boast more than 600km of range in its upper variants, while charging from 10-80 per cent will take less than 29 minutes in all variants, the brand says.Three versions of the Peaq have been confirmed, a base model ‘60’ with a 63kWh battery and 460km+ of EV range, while two more variants (90 and 90x) get 91kWh batteries and 600km+ of range.The biggest difference between the three is power delivery - the 60 and 90 variants are both rear-wheel drive, while the top-spec 90x is all-wheel drive. Outputs are 150kW, 210kW and 220kW respectively.None are fast, though. The quickest is the 90x thanks to AWD and it manages 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds.This is likely down to weight. The Peaq is similar in size to the Skoda Kodiaq but a little larger in key dimensions, being 116mm longer, 5mm taller, gaining 174mm between the wheels and in turn an extra 25 litres of boot space compared to the Kodiaq.All up, the Peaq is 4874mm long and 1664mm tall with a 2965mm wheelbase and a huge 935L of boot space as a five-seater. Skoda hasn’t confirmed a width yet, for some reason.Inside, a 13-inch vertical multimedia touchscreen and a 10-inch driver display headline the tech, while an Android-based operating system runs “native Škoda apps and third‑party services”. Augmented‑­reality head‑up display, a digital mobile key, a Sonos sound system and dual phone chargers are also confirmed.The Skoda Peaq is expected to land in Australia in early 2027.

A new type of battery technology could be about to take over the budget electric car industry. The sodium-ion make-up solves the problem of sourcing expensive and rare materials needed for lithium-iron batteries, while maintaining adequate driving range for smaller EVs.Sodium-ion batteries are further along the full scale commercialisation than solid-state batteries, which have been touted as the holy grail of electric cars, for example. Sodium-ion batteries have less energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries such as Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) and more advanced Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) units, and much less than what is promised from futuristic solid-state cells.The big advantage is the ease of access and relative cheapness of obtaining sodium compared to lithium, which makes them an attractive choice. The difference in energy density means on a large scale, particularly for car batteries, LFP is often a cheaper choice. This is because substantially more sodium-ion battery cells are needed to make up the equivalent in LFP units.  The power advantage is diminishing, with energy density on sodium batteries expected to exceed 180Wh/kg in the near future.This means sodium batteries could be a significantly cheaper, and much more viable choice for car batteries, especially in smaller EVs, which do not require a substantial driving range.One of the other benefits of sodium-ion batteries is they are more resistant to extreme temperatures. This has been an issue in particular for NMC batteries, with multiple instances of these batteries not performing to expectations in unusually hot or cold environments. Mainstream Chinese battery manufacturer CATL recently introduced a sodium battery with an energy density of around 175Wh/kg, which is closer to energy density in lithium alternatives. Bridging the energy density gap between sodium and lithium batteries opens up the potential for sodium chemistry to be the go-to for budget EV carmakers.Sodium-ion batteries are also becoming cheaper to manufacture and could reach cost parity within LFP batteries within the next two years, according to reports out of China.This could be seen as the perfect battery make-up for smaller EVs, which are often already budget oriented, meaning the price of these cars could be brought down further. CATL began commercial production of its sodium batteries last year, and manufacturers are already jumping on board. CATL’s Naxtra sodium-ion battery offers a driving range of around 500km, while keeping the extreme temperature benefits of the technology. GAC is expected to utilise a unit from CATL in one of its upcoming EVs, according to a report in Auto News. GAC is one of many brands investing in sodium-ion, with other Chinese rivals such as BYD also developing the technology. BAIC has also been making moves with its battery, which can be fully charged in only 11 minutes. The German government has also put aside 20 million euros for a gigawatt-hour sodium-ion plant, with Mercedes-Benz one of the brands potentially benefiting. 

Charging infrastructure is proving to be one major new battleground for Chinese carmakers.Segmentation of the car market in China is continuing to grow with increasingly diverse choices for buyers.Battery technology has been one of the most recent rivalries, with brands such as Chery and BYD boasting of solid-state development, quoting bigger and better driving range figures.It now appears charging infrastructure will be the latest area to experience intense competition.Tesla dominates the charging scene in China, with more than 11,000 public fast charging stations in the country.BYD has taken some steps towards breaking this Tesla hold, increasing its investment in the infrastructure substantially. It has begun rolling out its megawatt ‘Flash’ charging system, which has a peak output of 1360kW.According to the brand, the system can add roughly 400km of range in 5 minutes or charge at a speed of two kilometres every second. The system has a ‘T’-shape design, which differs from other fast charging systems as the plug outputs are mounted from the top of the structure rather than the side.The brand integrates existing charging infrastructure through partnerships, which has worked to speed up charging expansion. BYD has ambitions to install 20,000 megawatt-level flash charging stations by the end of 2026.In Australia, BYD is already plotting to introduce some form of megawatt charging according to comments recently made by the local boss of Denza, Mark Harland, by the end of 2027.Whether that is the first-generation or recently-unveiled 1300kW version. Aside from Tesla, BYD faces competition from the likes of Nio and CATL overseas, with the pair developing battery swap networks in China. This system rethinks the charging infrastructure problem by utilising a fully-robotic process to swap a depleted battery for a fully-charged one.It speeds up the battery replenishing process exponentially, with Nio stations swapping in just a handful of minutes.While this is faster than charging, these set-ups are much more expensive to install and maintain than chargers. In comparison to BYD’s lofty charger ambitions, Nio has less than 4000 swap stations, and took four years to install 1000 of them.

Volvo has taken a knife to prices of its small SUV line-up with $10,000 sliced off cost-of-entry for its small EX30 Single Motor Extended Plus - now $49,990, before on-road costs.Base pricing for the slightly larger EX40 has also been cut with the entry-level EX40 Single Motor Extended Ultra reduced by just over nine per cent to $69,990, before on-road costs (was $76,990, BOC).When contacted for background on the pricing changes a Volvo Car Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide, “In preparation for the introduction of the game-changing EX60 to local shores Volvo Car Australia has repositioned its 30 and 40 series all-electric vehicles.“To accommodate the arrival of the EX60 it is paramount that we alter our current game plan. “When the all-electric mid-size SUV arrives, it will change the game in the largest electric market segment in terms of range, charging speed, performance, and price,” they said.The repositioned EX30/EX40 pricing (before on-road costs) is below.Speaking at Volvo Cars’ most recent investor briefing in Stockholm, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer Erik Severinson confirmed the upcoming EX60 mid-size EV SUV will be priced at the same level as an equivalent plug-in hybrid (PHEV).So, these small SUV price reductions point to a starting price position for the EX60 at around the same $74,990, before on-road costs, level as the entry-grade XC60 Plus B5 Bright AWD.The flagship XC60 Ultra T8 Plug-in Hybrid Dark AWD sits at $101,990, BOC.The mid-size pure-electric EX60 SUV will initially be offered with a choice of two powertrains.The P6 Electric comes with a single rear motor that produces 275kW/480Nm which delivers a sharp 5.9-second 0-100km/h acceleration time.And the dual-motor P10 AWD Electric’s dual motors send 375kW/710Nm to all four wheels for a 4.6-seconds 0-100km/h sprint.Claimed WLTP range is 620km for the former and 660km for the latter, thanks to its larger 95kWh battery.Charging is near top of the class thanks to Volvo's all-new ‘SPA3’ platform's 800-volt electrics. The P6 can be topped up at up to 320kW, while the AWD P10 rampd that rate up to an impressive 370kW.

In a dramatic turn of events, a new factory-backed arm of XPeng has taken the reins from previous distributor TrueEV in what appears to be shaping up to be a messy legal saga.The new factory-backed outlet says it has now established direct operations in Australia, with new local employees, and a new dealer network “effective immediately”.According to the new entity, this will include new customer support infrastructure and factory-backed logistics to service customers everywhere except Tasmania and the Northern Territory, where the brand is yet to establish a presence.The brand reassures buyers that it is “deeply committed to the long-term stability and continuity of the Australian market” and is currently hiring for a range of roles.Unlike the widely publicised BYD factory-take-over, which appeared to be amicable with its successful distributor EVDirect, the XPeng factory subsidiary is set to lock horns with its previous distributor TrueEV.TrueEV recently entered external administration after running the local XPeng brand since 2024, despite holding a five-year distribution contract for the brand.While the distributor has said for a long time that a factory-backed take-over was on the cards and would likely happen sooner than originally anticipated, explosive revelations first published by The Australian claim TrueEV will be suing XPeng for unconscionable conduct after it tore up its distribution agreement on the first of January this year.According to allegations made by TrueEV, XPeng undermined its operations since 2024, including withholding new product and “sabotaging” its dealer network by changing approval requirements, forcing TrueEV to de-list some dealers and forcing it to remove its service partner, Ultra Tune.TrueEV alleges this effectively made it impossible for it to sell cars through its already-established network of 15 dealers and 58 service locations.The case looks set to be dragged through the Federal Court unless a settlement is reached before then, and could create a rocky pathway for the factory backed operation as TrueEV could seek to legally block the company from operating as it pleases until the matter is settled.The revelations help to explain XPeng’s slow advance in Australia since the well-received arrival of its G6 mid-size SUV as a rival to the ever-popular Tesla Model Y.Despite the brand (under TrueEV) announcing the G9 large SUV and X9 people mover, as well as hinting at the introduction of the Mona M03 as an ultra-affordable electric fastback, the models have failed to materialise.It comes at a crucial time for Chinese EV-focused brands which will no doubt seek to capitalise on the current spike in fuel prices to build up their market share.In contrast to XPeng’s strong start and slow follow-up, a rocky start for its direct Zeekr rival with its niche X small SUV and 009 people mover has been very successfully followed-up by its 7X mid-size SUV, with the brand building hype for what should be its next product, the 8X plug-in hybrid large SUV.Stay tuned for more on developments for XPeng’s Australian operations.

Toyota’s latest collaboration with state-owned Chinese carmaker GAC is off to an impressive start with the launch of the pure-electric bZ7 large, fast-back-style sedan.Vice President of Sales for the GAC Toyota’s joint-venture Peng Baolin has confirmed the company booked over 3100 formal orders for the car within one hour of its official on-sale.While other recent newcomers have claimed even stronger initial interest (hello, 15,000 domestic Xiaomi SU7 sales in 30min), it’s a positive response to a critically important model.With a strong hint of Camry around the car’s face and other elements echoing the smaller bZ4X we already know in Australia, the single-motor, rear-wheel drive bZ7 is a substantial machine at just over 5.1m in long, close to 2.0m wide and 1.5m tall with a generous 3020mm wheelbase.Offered with two LFP battery sizes (71.35kWh and 88.13kWh) across five model grades, the bZ7’s power comes from a 207kW Huawei-sourced motor with claimed ranges of 600km, 700km and 710km, in line with the more lenient CLTC test protocol.A 3C fast-charging rate is claimed to deliver 300km of range in 10 minutes.Priced at ¥147,800 (~A$31,300) for the entry-level 600 Pro up to ¥199,800 (~A$42,300) for the flagship 710 Ultra, specification options include 20-inch wheels, front and rear seats with ventilation, heating and massage functions, the Huawei ‘HarmonyOS 5.0’ smart cockpit and ‘dual-chamber air suspension’ working in concert with an intelligent road surface pre-scanning system.Upper-level Lidar-equipped models boast one Lidar, five millimetre-wave radars, eleven high-definition cameras and 10 ultrasonic radars.It’s worth noting GAC Toyota also produces the smaller bZ3X electric SUV uniquely for China and Toyota Australia’s recently retired Vice President of sales and marketing (now Senior Executive Advisor) Sean Hanley had previously told CarsGuide the company has discussed the possibility of importing Chinese-made Toyotas to Australia.“We’ve certainly spoken about it we’ve not done any formal study to support that cause for Australia at this point,” said Hanley. “Having said that, it’s not something we would rule out in the future.“If we’ve got manufacturing joint operations under the Toyota brand, under Toyota quality, we certainly would never rule it out and we’d be silly to.“But if you’re going to convert left- to right-, you got to have some compelling volume,” he said.

Euro carmaker Renault has slashed the price of its Megane E-Tech electric hatch in Australia.The car will now start from $49,990 (drive-away), representing a more than $15,000 decrease on its original launch price.When it arrived the E-Tech started from $64,990 (before on-road costs) in late 2023.Renault’s small SUV is a European rival to the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric and the Kia EV3, with this latest deal undercutting both. It also comes in cheaper than the Mini Countryman EV, which starts in the low $60K bracket. The deal will run until the 30th of June 2026, while stocks last. It only applies to models with solid white paintwork and a black roof, with metallic paint costing an extra $400 and alternate two-tone paint adding an extra $800.Renault sold 207 examples of the Megane E-Tech in 2025, which represented a drop on 2024 numbers. It trails the EV3 and Kona on the sales charts, with Chinese rivals such as the Zeekr X also besting it. The car has experienced a couple previous price cuts since it went on sale, and was available from $54,990 (drive-away), before this latest cut.The base variant of the Megane E-Tech has a single electric motor set-up, producing 125kW and 280Nm, with its 60kWh battery, offering 454km of driving range (WLTP). On the inside, the car has a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 12.0-inch central touchscreen. The Megane E-Tech is one of several electrified models forming part of Renault’s ‘International Game Plan 2027’ for overseas markets.The brand recently brought across its Scenic E-Tech SUV to Australia earlier this year, with the plug-in hybrid Filante also a possibility Down Under at some stage.

Toyota’s first electric ute arrives in Australia in the second quarter of the year, but don’t expect to see loads of them on the roads.The 2026 Toyota HiLux BEV will be the first all-electric commercial vehicle to join Toyota’s line-up and it will be available in two grades and body styles.It’s a dual-cab-only proposition but it kicks off with the SR in dual-cab-chassis guise from $74,990 before on-road costs. Opting for the ST with a pick-up body style increases that to $76,490, while the top-spec SR5 is pick-up only at $82,990.That base pricing is $17,000 more than the diesel equivalent SR dual-cab-chassis.For now there are few fully electric ute rivals in Australia. The ageing and unloved LDV eT60 was priced from more than $90,000 when it launched, and the KGM Musso Electric starts from $60,000 drive-away, but this is based on a passenger car platform and is more of an urban lifestyle ute.Another electrified ute option, Ford’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ranger, runs from $71,990 to a hefty $86,990, while the BYD Shark 6 ($57,900 BOC) and GWM Cannon Alpha (from $61,490 drive-away) are other PHEV utes that might be cross-shopped.Toyota says the HiLux BEV has been developed with government fleets, mining and construction sectors in mind, and this is where the vast majority of sales will come from.Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas said the carmaker expects to sell 500 HiLux BEVs in 2026. For reference, Toyota sold 51,297 examples of the internal combustion engine HiLux in Australia last year.He added that private buyers and sole traders were not the main focus for the ute.“We're really targeting certain customers at the moment with that HiLux BEV. You know, we've been piloting with certain fleets on that car, and we've had great feedback, no downtime on the vehicle.“I mean, look, if private buyers want to buy the BEV HiLux, go for it. Great, that's awesome. You know, the more we can promote, the better. But we are targeting the first 500 (sales) towards that sort of mining and government type buyer.”The HiLux BEV is a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup based on the regular ICE HiLux platform. The total system output is 144kW of power and 468Nm of torque which is distributed variably between the front and rear axle for on-road driving.Off-roading is aided by Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Select traction control system with six different drive modes.It has a 59.2kWh battery capable of 150kW DC fast charging. Toyota says it can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. AC charging with 10kW three-phase power takes 6.5 hours to get from 10 to 100 per cent.Toyota says the final driving range is yet to be determined but at the moment it is 315km on the lenient NEDC cycle. That would put the WLTP figure in the high 200s.Braked towing capacity is 2000kg, less than most of the diesel grades’ 3500kg figure.The HiLux BEV has a uniquely developed suspension setup with tweaked MacPherson strut front suspension and a De-dion rear leaf spring setup to accommodate the rear electric motor, while retaining the live axle setup of the HiLux.2026 Toyota HiLux BEV pricing before on-road costs2026 Toyota HiLux BEV standard specificationFull standard specification is yet to be revealed but Toyota has announced initial specs.SRLED headlampsColoured front bumperPainted exterior mirrors and door handlesSharkfin antennaSide stepsFabric upholsteryAll-weather floor matsPlastic steering wheelShift-by-wire gear shifterDual-zone automatic climate controlPower windowsKeyless entry and startA 1500W inverter in the centre console12.3-inch multimedia system12.3-inch digital instrument clusterFour-speaker audio systemEmbedded satellite navigationVoice commandWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoDAB+ digital radioTwo USB-C ports in the front and rearSR5LED headlamps with auto-levelingAuto-retracting and heated exterior mirrorsLED foglamps and tail-lightsRear privacy glassLeather-accented upholsteryHeated front seats with powered driver’s adjustmentHeated steering wheelCarpeted floorAuto-dimming rear-view mirrorEight-speaker audio systemWireless phone charger2026 Toyota HiLux BEV standard safety specificationAutonomous emergency brakingRadar cruise controlLane trace assistRear cross-traffic alert‘Rear parking support brake’ (pick-up only)Road sign assistAutomatic high beamPanoramic view monitorFront and rear parking sensors (pick-up only)Tyre pressure monitorEight airbags2026 Toyota HiLux BEV coloursGlacier WhiteFrosted WhiteAsh Slate

Cold water has just been poured over the immediate future of solid-state car battery technology.Solid-state batteries have been spoken about as the silver bullet to range anxiety on electric cars, offering more than 1000km of driving on a single charge.It was thought that solid-state technology might be just around the corner, with brands moving closer to commercialisation, but it now looks like it may be further off than first anticipated.Chinese Academy of Sciences Professor at Tsinghua University Ouyang Minggao said solid-state batteries may require up to 10 years to reach one per cent market share.Minggao had previously estimated an earlier adoption time for the technology, but has now cautioned the potential for an imminent arrival.This lines up with comments from some major manufacturers, such as United States based General Motors (GM).“Solid state is still years away,” GM Vice President - Battery, Propulsion, and Sustainability Kurt Kelty said.There are also now questions about the safety of these batteries, with Minggao stating they are not “absolutely safe” as fine tuning continues. Increased safety of solid-state was one of the key advantages over other conventional batteries.Next year is a big year for solid-state, particularly in China, with several manufacturers introducing prototypes.Chery has been making the most noise about solid-state batteries, and has already announced two models to feature the technology.In addition to the Exeed ES8 is scheduled for a 2026 launch, the brand’s Exeed Liefeng will be introduced in 2027. It will come with a Rhino S battery which is targeting an energy density of 600Wh per kilogram, taking driving range to 1500km.BYD will begin small-batch production of its solid-state batteries next year, but it has not confirmed if any cars will be fitted with the battery.Geely is another Chinese brand pursuing solid-state, with its first in-house solid-state battery concept to debut this year.

After the embarrassment of the failed Mazda MX-30 electric vehicle (EV) of 2021, the Mazda CX-6e will undercut the Tesla Model Y by some margin when it lands in Australia late this year.While exact numbers have yet to be divulged, ‘mid-$50,000’ pricing was mooted by senior company executives at the first local outing for the all-electric mid-sized SUV in Melbourne.This of course suggests anything from about $54,000 for the Chinese-built newcomer, against $58,900 (before on-road costs) that the base Model Y currently commands in Australia, reflecting a similar price gap that exists between the closely-related Mazda 6e from $49,990 and Tesla Model 3 sedan from $54,900.Not much else was revealed other than a left-hand-drive prototype of the CX-6e itself, except that it will share the 78kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery for over 450km WLTP range, rear-axle-mounted 190kW electric motor and rear-wheel drive powertrain as the 6e.In Europe, the same vehicle delivers 290Nm of torque to help it manage the 0-100km/h sprint-time in 7.9 seconds on the way to a 185km/h top speed, as well as 195kW DC charging capacity for a 10-80 per cent top-up in under 25 minutes and 11kW AC charging capability.The newcomer features nine airbags and a long list of standard advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) technologies. Luggage capacity varies from 468 litres to 1434L with the back seat folded down.Closer to home, Mazda also went to some lengths to point out the CX-6e’s extensive level of Australian road tuning over the Changan Deepal S07 on which it is based upon, as part of a “near future driving experience” matched to European and Australian road environments.To that end, there have been modifications to the electric power steering, dampers, tyres (supplied by Michelin), software tuning and sound-deadening structures to quell noise/vibration/harshness, among other changes.Mazda also claims advances in the CX-6e’s ergonomics, calling it a “human-centric’ cockpit using Mazda’s Human Machine Interface philosophy. How the 26.45-inch centre display’s lack of physical buttons for fundamentals like the climate control system affects future Euro NCAP scores for its lack of hard buttons is not yet known.For now, Australia will only have the EV model, even though a range-extender version of the Mazda exists elsewhere.That employs a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (in place of the frunk under the bonnet) powering a 31.73kWh LFP battery, providing up to 160km of (non-WLTP) range.A twin-motor all-wheel drive version may also be in the pipeline, but the company wants to gauge buyer response before committing to more-expensive models.Still, with soaring oil prices combined with the accessibility of around 150 dealers nationwide, the keenly-priced CX-6e could become one of Mazda’s most popular models in Australia.More information will be revealed closer to the near end-of-year release date.