Electric News

Why this big commercial brand has electric vehicles, but won't need them any time soon in Australia.

BYD and Denza plan to have "game-changing" megawatt charging technology in Australia within the next 12 to 18 months that will see its EV family recharged in the same time it takes to fill a petrol or diesel vehicle with fuel.A megwatt, or 1000kW charger, is more than twice as powerful as the most common super-fast charger in Australia, which are usually capped at 350kW or less. BYD's vision is to equip its megawatt chargers with a sizeable battery buffer which is constantly trickle charged, either via solar or electricity, lessening the impact on the grid.The vision is to have a charging solution that can deliver up to 500km of driving range in just five minutes, putting EVs roughly on par with ICE vehicles.Denza COO Mark Harland says he sees megawatt charging as a point of difference between BYD and Denza and the rest of Australia's EV fleet."It’s something we think can be a real game-changer to the industry, when someone can go for 400 or 500kms in the same time you would fill up at a bowser. They're doing the testing in China to understand the impact on the grid, but they want to back it with a battery, so you’re not drawing off the grid," Harland says."It just seems like it's really well thought out, and when you get that battery to support it it can be a game-changer. I can tell you that once the testing is done in China, we’re going to be looking at it."We need to make sure we’re selling the cars in Australia that can take that kind of charge. Those platforms exist."We’re not talking years away. We're talking maybe 12 to 18 months away from having that capability. Then it's making sure I have cars on the ground that are capable of doing it. That’s what I’m targeting."The platform in question is the brand's Super e-Platform, which runs a 1000-volt architecture, and is capable of a peak charging speed of two kilometres per second.

Tesla is Australia’s most popular electric vehicle (EV) brand… but for how much longer?

The Denza B8 large plug-in hybrid off-roader and Hyundai’s Elexio mid-size EV SUV are the latest pair of vehicles to be awarded a maximum five ANCAP stars.

Battery recycling will take on an increasingly important role in electric vehicle production and sustainability as more EVs hit the roads. 

Ford has shared early details of the first product to be underpinned by the global giant’s ‘Universal Electric Vehicle platform’, “a US$30,000 mid-size pick-up” at the same time reiterating the project team’s goal of making “vehicles assembled on this platform affordable for the average family”.Inspired by Henry Ford’s vision for mass availability of the original Model T, the new ute targeted to cost the equivalent of around A$42,500 is likely to be revealed this year with production following in 2027.It’s the first output from the Blue Oval’s ‘skunkworks’ engineering team in California and according to Ford’s Executive Director of Advanced Electric Vehicle Development Alan Clarke, his team has set design and engineering ‘bounties’ or goals aimed at “democratizing electric vehicles” (and it’s fair to assume, compete more effectively against emerging Chinese brands).“The introduction of these bounties is a key element to how the team has been able to really tangibly show every engineer, every product designer, how they impact the customer and cost of the vehicle on a daily basis as they do their work,” Clarke said.A fundamental cost-saving move is adoption of large alloy ‘unicast’ sections in the style of Tesla’s ‘Gigacasting’ process, an approach also used on a variety of EV models from BYD, Volvo, XPeng, Zeekr and others. A non-linear ‘assembly tree’ manufacturing process is also inspired by Tesla’s ‘Unboxed’  tech introduced by the EV pioneer in 2023.It divides assembly into smaller, parallel, modular sub-pieces rather than a single, continuous manufacturing line.Ford said sub-assemblies will include a front and rear module, as well as a battery that serves as the vehicle’s floor, the combination replacing 146 structural components used on the similarly-size Maverick ute.At the same time, the ute’s ‘zonal architecture’ groups multiple functions into five electric control units (ECUs), compared with 30 or more in prior systems, while other key functions are managed via a single ‘Energy Management Unit’.Ford said the UEV ute’s wiring harness will be more than 1200 metres shorter and 10kg lighter than the one currently used in its Mach-E electric SUV.In fact, Ford CEO Jim Farley has publicly voiced his disappointment with the Mach-E’s  teardown performance relative to the Tesla Model Y where the Mach-E proved to be less efficient, significantly heavier and more complex in its construction.“We have all lived through far too many ‘good college tries’ by Detroit automakers to make affordable vehicles that end up with idled plants, layoffs and uncertainty. So, this had to be a strong, sustainable and profitable business. From Day 1, we knew there was no incremental path to success. “We empowered a tiny skunkworks team three time zones away from Detroit. We tore up the moving assembly line concept and designed a better one. And we found a path to be the first automaker to make prismatic LFP batteries in the U.S."The (UEV) platform reduces parts by 20 per cent versus a typical vehicle, with 25 per cent fewer fasteners, 40 per cent fewer workstations dock-to-dock in the plant and 15 per cent faster assembly time as well as lower cost of ownership over five years than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y,” he said.The new ute’s aero and powertrain efficiency have also been finely tuned to maximise driving range and reduce charging time. Examples cited include a flush underbody, compact exterior mirrors and careful profiling of the load bed.And Ford claims the ute’s in-house electrical architecture design will shorten charging time and improve battery management performance.Time will tell whether these production investments (including approximately US$2 billion to transform its Louisville Assembly Plant) deliver more affordable products while making Ford’s underperforming EV line-up (including the Mach-E and now discontinued F-150 Lightning) profitable.CarsGuide contacted Ford Australia for comment on the prospect of right-hand drive production and local sale of the new ute and was told it had “nothing to add from an Australian point-of-view”.

The Mazda 6e has just been priced in Australia, and will start from $49,990, before on-road costs.The all-electric sedan is due to hit Aussie roads in July of this year, as an important model for Mazda in Australia.It is priced in tight proximity to some of its key rivals such as the BYD Seal and the recently-launched Kia EV4.Both those cars have significantly more expensive high-spec models, with Mazda’s top-spec Atenza grade starting from $52,990.Mazda is offering a free upgrade to the Atenza grade for the first 300 customers to pre-order the GT variant.Both variants are powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor, which produces 190kW and 290Nm. Unlike some rivals, there is currently no all-wheel drive version of the 6e.The sedan has a 78kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, offering a driving range of 560km, according to the WLTP testing cycle.This means it has roughly 100km more WLTP range than the Kia EV4 and the BYD Seal.DC charging from 30 to 80 per cent takes 15 minutes for the 6e. The 6e is based on the Deepal L07 from Mazda's joint-venture partner, which is a Chinese-built model not on sale in Australia.On the inside, the 6e has a 10.2-inch digital driver display and 14.6-inch central touchscreen, with heated and ventilated front seats as standard.The GT variant can be optioned with a beige interior trim for an extra $1000.The 6e will be followed by the CX-6e SUV coming to Australia later in the year as an electric SUV.The CX-6e and the 6e will be Mazda's first electric models since the discontinued MX-30 in 2024, and the first Chinese-built Mazdas sold in Australia.2026 Mazda 6e pricing Australia2026 Mazda 6e electric motor and efficiency2026 Mazda 6e standard features19-inch alloy wheels14.6-inch central touchscreen10.2-inch digital driver displayKeyless entryTri-zone climate controlWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoHeated and ventilated front seatsAmbient lighting14-speaker Sony audio systemAtenza grade addsLeather and synthetic suede seatsTwo-tone leather steering wheelSynthetic suede dashboard and door trims 2026 Mazda 6e safetyThe Mazda 6e has not been crash tested by ANCAP. Standard safety features include:360-degree camera with see through viewBlind spot monitoringAuto emergency brakingVehicle exit alertLane departure warningLane keep assist2026 Mazda 6e dimensions The 6e forms an important part of Mazda's model strategy for dealing with Australia's new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES) which imposes increasingly tight C02 limits on each car brand's model range.Stay tuned later in the year when more information becomes available on the brand's CX-6e range which will no doubt sell in higher numbers.

Electric car brand Nio hit a milestone this week, swapping 146,649 batteries in a single day, highlighting the ease of use and popularity of the new technology which could be the answer to long EV charging times. Battery swapping has been touted as a solution to one of the biggest problems facing electric cars - lengthy charging times. Chinese carmaker Nio has become the latest brand to embrace the tech, seeing it as the future of quickly having EV motorists back on the road with a full battery.Nio’s record happened in China on one of the country's busiest days, February 15, which is the start of the Spring Festival and Lunar New Year holidays.This time of year in China traditionally sees millions of people make their annual pilgrimages home to see families to celebrate, which explains why Nio has seen the huge uptick in battery swaps as people presumably head off on long journeys.Nio’s battery swap achievement follows the brand carrying out its 100 millionth battery swap on February 6 proving the tech has plenty of supporters choosing battery swapping over charging.Battery swapping technology is exactly as it sounds. An empty battery is replaced with a fully charged one. Of course the electric car must be designed to accommodate a replaceable battery, as is the case with some Nio models.Nio has a network of 3700 battery swap stations in China which can remove and replace a battery in three minutes with owners often renting batteries with the opportunity to upgrade to larger capacity units if wanted. Charging a battery on the other hand can take (on average) about 30 minutes using a fast charger.Nio isn’t the only manufacturer that has seen the huge potential and benefits of battery swapping. European auto giant Stellantis invested heavily in trialling battery swapping  before it scrapped much of its EV plans.Nio recently confirmed its plans to launch in Australia in 2026 and bring its Firefly small hatchback to battle the BYD Dolphin, MG4 and Mazda 2.The Firefly doesn’t have battery swap capacity, instead coming with a 42kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate battery delivering a range of up to 330km (WLPT) and a one–80 percent charge time of 29 minutes.Battery swapping in Australia is currently in the very early stages of development and it's unlikely carmakers will bring vehicles here with swappable batteries until sufficient infrastructure is in place to service them.

Formula 1 yoke-style steering wheels in cars will be been banned in China after government testing found them not only more difficult to use but potentially more dangerous in accidents, according to a report.Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and several other carmakers will have to revert to traditional style round steering steering wheels from 2027 in China, after it was found yoke steering wheels could present unnecessary hazards.Chinese publication Autohome reports that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has drawn up draft legislation banning the yoke steering wheels.According to the government findings, yoke steering wheels risk concentrating too much force on the driver in a collision compared to round steering wheels which diffuse the force over a larger area.Airbag deployment was also found to be potentially more hazardous on yoke-style steering wheels compared to rounder ones.Finally it was also seen that yoke-style steering wheels were more difficult to use in environments that required larger steering inputs such as urban areas with tight turns or manoeuvring in spaces requiring constant changes of direction such as parking.While yoke steering wheels in cars aren’t new, there has been a resurgence led by some brands such as Lexus in its RZ small SUV and Tesla in its Model S and X over the years to add a futuristic look and feel to their vehicle cabins. The upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQS will also be offered with a yoke -style wheel, too.Yoke steering wheels are used in Formula 1 due to their compact dimensions in cramped cockpits along with putting vehicle controls under the driver’s fingertips for instant reactions.The yoke steering wheel works perfectly in Formula 1 where steering is calibrated specifically for a track. On a public road, however, which presents a wide variety of steering inputs, the yoke steering wheels can be more challenging for a driver and may represent a safety risk.The Chinese ruling, which when passed will mandate all cars from next year to have circular steering wheels, could force the hand of other car makers to follow suit. And with Australia now seeing more and more Chinese brands or China-sourced vehicles coming to Australia it’s unlikely they’ll arrive with anything other than traditional circular steering wheels either.

With the 2027 Toyota Highlander EV potentially replacing the existing Highlander/Toyota Kluger in America, the doors open up as to which big Toyota Australia receives from the USA, including the big Grand Highlander Hybrid.