Electric News

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.

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.

For the first time in Australia, electric cars are outselling diesel ones in what appears to be a major turning point for the Australian market.The latest data, compiled from both the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council, shows registrations of electric cars have more than doubled year-on-year, and now account for just under 20 per cent of Australia’s new car market.This is the culmination of multiple factors, including an influx of affordable Chinese models as the country’s behemoth manufacturers seek export markets to flee tough local conditions, and Australia’s new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES) heavily incentivise lower-emissions models, either to avoid fines or rack up credits.On top of this, skyrocketing fuel prices have clearly made many Australians think twice about committing to another combustion car, and the prospect of government incentives ending further down the track as outlined in the latest federal budget has no doubt only bolstered the latest figures.Digging into the data and one thing becomes obvious - amongst the 10 best-selling EVs, all of them were built in China. In what should come as a warning to legacy automakers yet to embrace “China Speed” as part of their business model in our market, even the most successful models from Tesla and Kia are built in China.This trend looks to continue, with Mazda the next brand to introduce Chinese joint-venture models via the Mazda 6e sedan and CX-6e SUV, both of which use Changan platforms. The Japanese giant will no doubt be betting heavily on these two models to reduce its market-leading projected fine under the new NVES rules.Nissan will also begin to introduce its array of successful-in-China Dongfeng-based models in the coming years, with Suzuki, Toyota and Volkswagen potentially being left behind as they continue to source cars from more traditional manufacturing locations like Japan, Thailand and Europe.May in particular was a bumper one, not just for market leader Tesla, but also for keen newcomers Jaecoo and Geely. BYD dominates nearly half of the top-10 charts, including the Atto 2 and Atto 1, which both arrived in 2026.EV Sales May 2026The year-to-date numbers paint a slightly different, but overall familiar story, with the Model Y managing to maintain its lead over the Sealion 7.Some year-to-date surprises include Geely’s EX5 rising to third place and Jaecoo’s aggressively-priced J5 has largely captured the entry-level EV space.Zeekr has had a huge year off the back of the launch of its 7X as it keeps up with its big order bank, and Kia has managed to hold onto 9th place with its relatively popular EV5.The Tesla Model 3 is in seventh place and is the only sedan on the list.EV sales year-to-date 2026It is hard to say what this chart will look like by the end of 2026, although the complete and ongoing re-shuffle of Australia’s favourite cars looks to continue. One thing is for sure though, China has the market well and truly cornered on fully electric cars in Australia.

Hyundai has sharpened the price of some of its sought-after electric cars, with both the Kona EV small SUV and Ioniq 5 mid-size SUV having their entry-point slashed by up to $8,000.The new Kona Electric Standard Range variant now kicks off the range, starting from $46,000, which notably undercuts the entry-point to the EV3 (from $47,600) from its sister brand, Kia.It is also more keenly priced than the entry-level Suzuki eVitara ($49,990) and Zeekr X RWD ($48,900).This still places the Hyundai Kona above popular entry-point rivals from China, which include the BYD Atto 3 ($39,990), Leapmotor B10 ($37,888) and Jaecoo J5 EV ($35,990), the latter was the second most popular EV in the country in May.The price cuts to the entry-level Kona Standard Range also come with a reduction in standard equipment, with the entry-level variant now not including a heat pump for more efficient climate management, electrochromatic rear-vision mirror, V2L port in the cabin, or a standard wall plug charging cable.Hyundai has also expanded the Kona Electric range, adding a new mid-grade Elite variant to the line-up. Priced at $53,000, it sits between the Extended Range ($50,000) and Premium ($60,000) grades. The Elite grade maintains the same 150kW electric motor and 64.8kWh battery as the Extended Range variant, but adds synthetic leather interior trim, 19-inch alloy wheels, powered driver and passenger seat adjustment, privacy glass, heated front seats, and an electrochromatic rear vision mirror.Specifications for the rest of the Kona Electric range remain the same.See the full pricing scheme in the table below.Hyundai has also modified its Ioniq 5 pricing structure, with the new entry-point to the range being the RWD version at $68,200, also an $8000 price cut on the outgoing version.It also comes with reduced equipment levels, with the brand removing the standard wall socket charging cable and interior vehicle-to-load port.The price cut places the Ioniq 5 in closer proximity to the mid-grade version of the ever-popular Tesla Model Y (Long Range AWD - $68,900), high-grade versions of the Toyota bZ4X Touring and its Subaru Trailseeker twin (both $69,990), as well as high-trim Volkswagen ID.4 GTX AWD ($69,990) or the Skoda Enyaq Sportline 85 ($68,990).It handily undercuts its sister car, the Kia EV6, which in base Air RWD form is still $72,660.The other three variants of the Ioniq 5 range have had their pricing revised with the same equipment levels as before, with the wall plug charger curiously removed from the flagship Ioniq 5 N, which has not had its price altered as part of this swathe of updates.See range pricing in the table belowIt was quick to the electric space, but sales of Hyundai’s range of EVs has been sluggish as the competition picks up.Both aggressively-priced new brands from China and new offerings from legacy players are squeezing the Korean brand, with Ioniq 5 sales sliding 38.5 per cent year-on-year, racking up just 224 registrations.The brand’s new Elexio mid-size SUV, which shares its platform with the popular Kia EV5 and is also built in China, has already racked up more than double the Ioniq 5’s registrations this year, with 549 units on the board.

China’s Chery and India’s Tata Motors will team up on a new luxury brand that will launch two new models in 2027.This is thanks to a new report from Reuters, which claims Tata has forged a new partnership for its upcoming Avinya premium arm, after a plan to base the models on Jaguar Land Rover platforms fell through.The Indian giant told Reuters it plans to use the same platform, which underpins the upcoming Freelander 8 that is part of Chery’s existing tie-up with the Tata owned Jaguar Land Rover.The new deal with Tata will see the Chery platform components built in China and shipped as a knock-down kit, with final assembly occurring in India. They will cater to right-hand drive, opening up the opportunity for them to be exported to Australia. Chery’s new Freelander division also has designs to launch in Australia.Tata told Reuters, “Avinya is being developed as a global premium brand. Our collaboration with JLR and global partners will be an important pillar.”The vehicles were to be based on Jaguar Land Rover’s upcoming EMA platform, which was announced in 2024.That platform was originally designed to support next-generation electrified mid-size luxury SUVs, and was capable of supporting both hybrid, range extender and fully electric drivetrains.The switch to the Chery platform will shorten development timelines, in yet another example of a foreign brand embracing what has become known in the industry as “China Speed”.While Tata doesn’t currently have an automotive presence in Australia (aside from Jaguar Land Rover), the company’s main rival, Mahindra, offers several products in our market, showing a taste for Indian brands to expand.Tata turning to Chery also offers the Chinese giant a foothold in the Indian subcontinent, which it did not have before. As is the case in other markets, India has several barriers in place to stop Chinese automakers from having free market access in order to protect its domestic brands.It is part of a major global push by Chery, which has for a long time been one of China’s most successful brands in overseas markets. It already had strongholds in South America, and is in the process of establishing links in Europe, which looks to be the next battleground for Chinese brands.Nissan announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding to allocate one of its production lines at its Sunderland UK plant to build Chery vehicles alongside Australian-bound Nissan Qashqais.

China’s latest luxe SUV has put up some crazy order numbers in China, following a flying start to life as it gears up for Australia.The XPeng GX now has a waiting list extending until February next year in China. It comes after the brand experienced a serious surge in orders since its official launch two weeks ago, including nearly 25,000 pre-orders within the first 12 hours.The GX remains a strong prospect for Australia, but a spokesperson for XPeng Australia told CarsGuide recently dates were yet to be locked in for this model. XPeng's Australian plans remain unclear at this stage due to the ongoing legal action with the brand's Aussie distributor TrueEV.XPeng Australia recently confirmed it has appointed dealers, opening locations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, as it seeks to build for the "long-term in Australia", according to a spokesperson.The GX is likely to hit Aussie showrooms later on in 2027, with XPeng's current focus being on the X9 people mover and updated G6 SUV.It shapes up as a rival to other high-end luxury SUVs for the Chinese market such as BYD’s Great Tang. In Australia, it would tackle Range Rover and the incoming Zeekr 9X.It is priced from the equivalent of more than $70,000 in China, but expect a decent bump on that figure Down Under. The car is available in China with range-extender and fully-electric set-ups. The range-extender variant has a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors, producing 370kW, while EV versions have either one or two motors, pumping out up to 430kW. Total driving range with the range-extender is nearly 1600km, including 430km of fully-electric range, but this is according to more lenient CLTC figures.The EV has between 665km and 750km of driving range depending on the variant, also on CLTC. The most popular variant of the GX so far has been the range-topping ‘Ultra’, offering a 33-speaker sound system and a 21.4-inch entertainment screen. The GX is one of many new ultra luxury large SUVs hitting the Chinese market, in what has become a high-demand segment.XPeng said it is making efforts to increase production capacity and bring down wait times.

Australia will have an EV from the maker of the iPhone by the end of the year, this could be it.Foxtron is a joint venture between iPhone maker Foxconn and car manufacturer Yulong, and it will build electric cars for Mitsubishi for markets including Australia.Mitsubishi Australia General Manager Product Strategy and Product Public Relations Bruce Hampel told CarsGuide in April, “We’re on track for having our BEV [Battery Electric Vehicle] in market by the end of the year.”Mitsubishi hasn’t revealed the Foxtron model its electric car will be based on, but the new mid-size Cavira SUV would be the perfect fit.Mid-size SUVs are the most popular on the market, and would give Mitsubishi a genuine rival to the strong selling Tesla Model Y, Zeekr 7X and BYD Sealion 7.In Taiwan there are two variants of the Cavira, a single rear motor version that makes 186kW and 350Nm. It is paired with an circa-82kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery that delivers a driving range of up to 578km via the more lenient WLTC testing regime.A dual motor version ups the ante with 349kW and 700Nm, which drops the 0-100km/h sprint time to 3.8 seconds from 6.9 seconds.It uses the same battery to deliver a driving range of up to 538km.Both can accept a max DC charge rate of 175kW, and an AC charging rate of 11kW.It has a big boot and a front cargo area under the bonnet, which add up to almost 700-litres.The interior features a minimalist design like most new electric cars. There is a big 15.6-inch tablet-style central display and a medium-sized 12.3-inch digital driver display.It is capable of over-the-air updates, which applies software improvements to the car in the same way your smartphone updates.It starts at the equivalent of about $55,000 in Taiwan, and it would be very competitive at a similar price in Australia.Another option of a Foxtron-sourced car for Mitsubishi is the Bria compact SUV. It is smaller than the Cavira, but has plenty going for it.The Bria is offered in two variants, both with a 57.7kWh LFP battery delivering a claimed range of up to 516km.One version is powered by a single, rear-mounted electric motor that produces 171kW. The other has a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with a total system output of 299kW. The latter can do the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 3.9 seconds.We’ll know more about Mitsubishi’s first Foxtron-based model in the coming months.

The electric vehicle revolution is in full swing after another standout month in Australia. There were 21,303 EVs sold in May 2026, as they continue to take hold at the expense of petrol- and diesel-powered cars. SUVs remain the dominant player in the electric segment, accounting for nine of the 10 best sellers.Tesla’s smashing May performance was headlined by 5605 sales for its Model Y SUV, cementing its position as the leading EV in Australia.The Model Y also claimed the title for the best-selling car in Australia last month.  The Jaecoo J5 EV had its best month on sale since it hit Aussie showrooms at the start of this year, selling 2126 units, up from less than 700 in April. This makes the J5 the best-selling small SUV in the country currently, even outselling its closely related and cheaper petrol sibling, the Chery Tiggo 4. The Geely EX5 also surged up the sales charts, achieving 1814 sales, while the BYD Sealion 7 experienced another bumper month, with 1538 sales. The Zeekr 7X rounds out the top five following a continued solid performance since its introduction late last year. BYD’s budget EV trio the Atto 3, Atto 2 and Atto 1 shifted more than 2000 units between them.The BYD Seal (580) is the only non-SUV on this list.Every car in the top 10 selling EVs for May is primarily built in China, with none coming from legacy brands. Some of the other EVs to miss out on a top 10 spot include the MG4 as well as Kia's EV3 and EV5 duo.Top selling electric cars May 2026

Nissan Australia is ignoring its growing number of electric vehicles (EVs) available in other markets and sticking with just one in Australia, the Ariya mid-size SUV.Earlier this year the Japanese carmaker revealed the latest-generation of its Juke small SUV and confirmed it’s going all-electric.It will launch in Europe during 2027, but Nissan Australia confirmed it will not be coming to Australia.“The all-electric Juke will be built at our Sunderland plant in the UK and has been developed primarily as a Europe-focused EV,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson.“At this stage, there are no plans to introduce the model in Australia.”Additionally Nissan has recently launched a new-generation version of the Leaf, which is now also a small SUV. It and the new Juke are based on the same dedicated electric platform.There were initially plans for the new-generation Leaf to come to Australia but these have been put on hold.“With respect to the next-generation Leaf, we have decided to postpone its introduction to Australia following a review of the local business case,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson.At this stage it’s unclear when the new Leaf will now launch in Australia.Beyond the new Juke and Leaf EVs, Nissan also offers a number of other small electric models in other markets. These include the Nissan Micra, which is essentially a rebadged Renault 5, as well as the Nissan Sakura electric kei car in Japan.Nissan Australia has provided no plans to bring either small EV to Australia at this stage and it’s unclear whether this will ever change.“Nissan remains committed to electrification in Australia through a range of technologies, including battery-electric vehicles such as Ariya, as well as our e-POWER hybrid technology,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson.“We recently launched the updated Qashqai with our latest e-Power hybrid system and will add a 4x2 e-Power X-Trail model to the range in just a few months.”The Nissan Ariya was first revealed in 2019 and launched in certain markets in 2022. It didn’t launch in Australia until 2025.It has received a facelift in other markets, which hasn’t arrived in Australia yet.Although Nissan can’t provide a timeline for when the new Leaf will launch and has ruled out the new Juke EV, the Ariya might not be the only Nissan EV in Australia for long.The Japanese carmaker currently has its eye on importing models made by its Chinese joint-venture company, Dongfeng Nissan.These models include the N7 electric sedan and NX8 electric SUV, as well as the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute.No confirmation of what exact models are coming to Australia and when has been provided yet, however it’s likely that an announcement will come before the end of 2026 or in early 2027.Regardless, Nissan needs to introduce more low-emission vehicles as it already has more than $10 million owing to the federal government for not meeting the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) CO2 emissions target for vehicles imported.Nissan can either pay this fine or risk it doubling if it misses the deadline. Alternatively, it can trade credits with other carmakers that are under the threshold or introduce more low-emissions vehicles and beat the CO2 target the following year.It’s worth noting the CO2 targets get stricter every year and ultimately the only vehicle that currently produces zero grams of tailpipe emissions is an EV.

Chinese cars have entered “uncharted territory”, according to Vice President of Geely Group Li Chuanhai.Chuanhai explained that as Chinese automakers became global entities, they could no longer rely on challenging the status quo of so-called legacy brands, but would have to innovate on their own if they want to move the industry forward.“Franky, the Chinese automotive industry has reached its current position by standing on the shoulders of giants in the century-old automotive industry,” he said.“But now that we’re taking the lead, we have entered uncharted territory. How do we innovate in uncharted territory? I think our logic for innovation needs to change."He said Geely was well positioned to provide multiple power options, such as as petrol, hybrid and EV, across many markets, but there would still be the need to innovate further in the future.“Geely adheres to its energy diversification strategy. Our Thor hybrid, SEA EV, i-HEV, and green methanol developed over 20 years have created a complete ecosystem covering pure electric, hybrid, range extender, methanol, and charging/battery swapping. We’ve successfully explored every path to provide global users with more choices,” he said.Chuanhai outlined some investments Geely was making including collaborations with “more than 50 universities on basic research”. He said this “may not yield immediate returns” for the group, but that innovation required “adequate resource investment, effective ecosystem collaboration, and sufficient talent density”.Chuanhai earmarked the success of its premium Zeekr arm as evidence Geely had moved beyond its challenger status.“We don't have the time to build the brand story that century-old established brands have accumulated over time,” he said.“New energy and intelligent technologies have brought us opportunities for brand advancement. However, we also believe that the foundation for brand advancement lies in safety, chassis and powertrain—areas that best reflect our core professional capabilities."He said the brand is aiming for Volvo’s ultimate safety, Lotus’ ultimate handling and Horse Powertrain’s ultimate performance.He said the 750,000 units Zeekr has delivered in its short existence have an average selling price of more than the equivalent of $62,000, comparatively very high for a Chinese brand, with the national average being a little over half that ($35,000).“The essence of Chinese automotive globalisation is not about low prices and high volume, but about being rooted in technology and driven by brands, ultimately moving from simply selling cars to defining the future of automobiles,” he said.“We hope that Geely's experience can serve as a model for Chinese automakers going global, and we believe that China's automotive industry is fully capable of winning respect and establishing a firm foothold in the world.”Next for Geely in Australia will be its EX2 fully electric hatchback, which will be followed by the Emgrand EM-i plug-in hybrid sedan. Zeekr will launch its flagship 9X plug-in hybrid large SUV before the end of the year, alongside the 7GT fully-electric performance wagon.In 2027, the much-hyped 8X large five-seat hybrid SUV will arrive, with Geely also plotting a yet-to-be confirmed three-row hybrid SUV offering.