Electric News

BYD’s Fangchengbao brand has released official imagery of a new electric shooting brake wagon ahead of its launch in the domestic market in the third quarter of 2026.Dubbed the Fangchengbao Formula S GT, this is essentially a shooting brake version of the Formula S sedan that's already been shown.It forms as a key rival to the Porsche Taycan which is available both as a sedan and shooting brake wagon.As reported by China’s Autohome, this car will come with a fully electric powertrain with the electric motors being fed by a second-generation Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP), allowing flash charging capabilities.No official power, range or performance figures have been announced yet, but it’s expected there will be multiple variants.It’s also understood the Formula S GT features adaptive suspension, as well as semi-autonomous driving capabilities due to the LiDAR sensor on the roof.In terms of design, this electric liftback bears some similarities to the Denza Z9 GT which is already confirmed for an Australian launch later this year.It also has a similar footprint, with the Formula S GT measuring 5.0 metres long and 2.0 metres wide, with a 3.0-metre wheelbase.Some exterior design highlights include semi-flush door handles, diamond-shaped tail-lights, plus an active ducktail rear spoiler.Fangchengbao hasn’t officially revealed any imagery of the Formula S GT’s interior yet.At this stage it’s unclear whether the Formula S GT, or even the regular Formula S, will come to Australia.The Fangchengbao brand doesn’t have a presence in Australia, though a few of its models are badged as Denza models locally.Even if it comes to Australia, it’ll compete closely with the Denza Z9 GT, which is due to arrive before the end of 2026.Power will come from three electric motors with a total system output of 850kW. This will allow for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 2.7 seconds.Additionally, the Z9 GT will offer flash charging capabilities at up to 1500kW.

Mitsubishi's plans to tackle BYD and Chery have just been revealed.The Japanese giant is planning to introduce 13 new models, including five hybrid and five plug-in hybrid models over the next five years. This could have huge implications for the brand in Australia, especially as it battles tough impending New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) fines. More electrified vehicles on sale could help ease those pressures. Mitsubishi Australia has been contacted for comment to see if there are any plans for these models to launch Down Under. The incoming Pajero is one of these new models, but it is just the beginning of a comprehensive shake-up from the brand. It will launch a small SUV, a compact SUV, two other undefined SUVs as well as a new ute, among other models falling into the off-road product plan.Additionally, there will be two new electric SUVs, with a pick-up and two Kei (Japanese city-class) cars also being planned. The brand also detailed some of its key weaknesses stating there was “significant room for improvement” required across the board. It identified the challenges for Mitsubishi in achieving differentiation to other brands - something which has become an increasingly big issue with the rise of Chinese carmakers.Brands such as BYD and Chery have introduced many models posing direct competition to Mitsubishi, but at much cheaper prices.“We will build a line-up that embodies our brand, centred on the off-road product group and ASEAN product group,”  “At the same time, regarding electrification, while we will continue to utilize collaboration models for EVs, we will focus our in-house development on HEVs and PHEVs.“Going forward, Mitsubishi Motors will focus on product segments where we have strengths, refine differentiated product characteristics that set us apart from competing brands, including Chinese brands, and establish a unique position in the automotive industry.”The return of the Pajero 4WD in Australia is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year, and appears to be the first of this new era for Mitsubishi.

The electric car sales boom is still in full swing, with the latest data revealing a record-breaking month for Tesla in Australia.Tesla sold 6433 units in May 2026, equating to the highest single month recorded for the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) ever. This sales surge has been mainly driven by the Tesla Model Y SUV, which achieved 5605 sales in May 2026, more than 2000 units up compared to May 2025.This latest data likely cements the Model Y as the best-selling electric vehicle in Australia, with the BYD Sealion 7 and Zeekr 7 still trailing the popular Tesla.The Model 3 sedan has also seen a big sales boost for May, more than doubling its total compared to the same time last year. Tesla’s increasing sales comes after the brand launched its six-seater Model Y L in Australia, adding further diversity to its lineup. Tesla experienced a tricky April this year, with both its Model Y and Model 3 copping big downturns in sales.The brand said delivery cycles impact how sales numbers look on a month-to-month basis, with differing numbers of cars being imported into the country. Polestar has also experienced some sales growth, with its Polestar 4 up nearly 40 per cent on year-to-date. It comes as high fuel prices continue to weigh on the minds of buyers, accelerating the EV transition.EVC Chief Executive Officer Julie Delvecchio said this data was a crucial point in the EV push."May 2026 is an important moment for Australia's EV transition - the strongest month on record for combined Tesla and Polestar sales,” Delvecchio said. “When fuel prices hurt, people look for alternatives. Electric vehicles offer exactly that - no trips to the servo, no price spikes at the pump, savings of around $3,000 a year.“We know Australians buy cars that save them money, suit their lifestyle and perform well. Record EV sales suggest more Australians are finding electric vehicles tick all three boxes.”Chinese brands such as BYD have also been getting in on the increasing popularity of EVs, with its Sealion 7 mid-sizer expected to continue its strong sales performance in Australia. 

While Japanese brands increasingly turn to Chinese partnerships for more affordable and globally competitive models, it doesn’t always work out.According to Nikkei Asia, GAC, which recently launched in Australia and has some of the biggest name joint-venture partners in China, is in trouble.The Guangzhou-based automaker, which counts Toyota and Honda as long-term partners, has been losing money on every single vehicle it sells as it has recently been trying to fight in an aggressive Chinese domestic price war with BYD and others.According to figures published by Nikkei Asia, at one point the company was losing the equivalent of  A$1714 on every single vehicle sold under its own branding. In its annual results announcement for the full year of 2025 reported to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, GAC said its subsequent loss in revenue was due to “intense competition in the automobile industry,” earmarking risks to the future of its business from “increasing survival pressure on automobile enterprises and entering the high-speed shuffling phase of survival of the fittest”.GAC said the level of competition was directly eroding its profit margins, and with Chinese brands approaching 70 per cent sales proportion in the local market, it was placing pressure on joint-venture brands.GAC’s annual results documents also revealed some realities of the Chinese market that is directly contributing to the big push for longer-range plug-in hybrid models, which are increasingly making their way to Australia.“Technical requirements for vehicles eligible for tax reductions and incentives has been raised. The pure electric mode range and energy consumption standards for plug-in hybrid (including range-extended) passenger vehicles have been further tightened,” the company said.“If a company lags in R&D or supply chain fails to meet the standards, its main models may not comply with the new regulations, resulting in the loss of subsidy eligibility or market access To meet stricter safety, range, and environmental standards, enterprises’ mandatory investments in areas such as battery materials, thermal management systems, and low-carbon manufacturing processes will continuously increase. At the same time, the phase-out of purchase tax subsidies has directly reduced profit margins per vehicle, presenting severe challenges to the overall profitability of the industry.”As a result, GAC said the company’s operating profit had declined for two years straight, and had recorded a loss for the first time since listing with the exchange in 2010.Nikkei Asia points out the company had been heavily discounting its Aion-branded vehicles (two of which are sold in Australia - the UT hatch and V mid-size SUV) to keep up with the aggressive discounting of rivals, but was failing to meet volume expectations.The bleak competitive landscape comes as GAC’s long-term joint-venture with Honda is due for renewal by 2028 after 30 years. Honda-branded JV vehicles in China have experienced a slump at the same time as its Japanese parent recorded its first ever financial year loss for the 2025 Japanese Financial Year off the back of expensive global EV investments (amounting to the equivalent of $12.5 billion AUD), which have subsequently been cancelled and written-down.Honda executives have reportedly been taking meetings with GAC, and are yet to make a decision on the future of the partnership, according to Nikkei Asia.It is in stark contrast to Nissan, for example, which is only leaning further into its comparatively successful joint-venture with Dongfeng (with which Honda also has a joint-venture), which has netted a range of well-received models with big global potential, including the N7 sedan, NX8 SUV and Frontier Pro ute.GAC/Honda don’t have plans to export cars to markets like Australia. GAC's joint-venture with Toyota has been more successful in China, and has launched in right-hand drive markets such as Hong Kong.Market troubles in China have only been good news for the Australian market, with many brands seeking higher-margin markets to soak up production capacity and bolster profits, which is part of the reason our new car landscape has become so crowded and competitive.

Tesla has seemingly rectified the most annoying flaw in its Model Y SUV with the introduction of a retractable sunshade to reduce heat radiating into the cabin through the car’s large glass panoramic roof.Launched as an accessory on the brand’s Chinese website at ¥1499 (~A$310), the manual sunshade will be available for delivery from Thursday this week.Installation appears to be straight forward with the single-piece unit trimmed in the same fabric as the original factory headliner and features metallic handles.DIY fitment should be the norm but Tesla is also offering professional installation for an additional fee.And unlike the myriad of aftermarket (typically clip-in) third-party options available, the factory unit is constructed with an integrated frame and uses a roller-type design to ensure low noise.It’s worth noting Tesla has published a patent focused on engineering the glass roof to help cool the cabin, so this new option may ultimately be a temporary solution.Suitable for 2025 and later Model Ys, Tesla said the shade has “undergone full-vehicle airbag deployment testing and multiple road tests to ensure safe use”. CarsGuide contacted Tesla Australia to check in on local availability and a spokesperson said, “At this point in time the retractable roof is just for China, however it is anticipated that accessories will be available outside of the Chinese market in the future.“What we have seen with Model Y L is an overwhelming global volume (for markets that do take it) which sees accessories take some time to come to market”, they said.

Toyota fires a cheeky shot across the bow of BYD.

A new cut-price EV has been spied testing in Australia and this one isn’t from China.CarsGuide spotted an example of Indian carmaker Mahindra’s XEV 9e being tested on the streets of Melbourne, pointing to a likely local launch in the not-too-distant future.Mahindra’s Australian arm would not comment on the future of the electric SUV but CarsGuide understands it could be in showrooms before Christmas.The XEV 9e - the company’s first EV offered in Australia - is a tall, imposing car in the metal, with a high-set boxy rear end, sloping tailgate and squared off front end. It measures 4790mm long, 1905mm wide and 1690mm tall, with a 2775mm wheelbase.A Mahindra Australia spokesperson said the company regularly tests future models Down Under.Mahindra conducts suspension and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) testing on internal combustion engine (ICE) cars in Australia, while the company also does calibration testing on EVs. That work involves testing for charging infrastructure compatibility and over-the-air updates and telecommunications networks.Mahindra told CarsGuide back in July last year it was “committed to selling EVs in Australia in the not-too-distant future”, and while the company couldn’t officially confirm the models at the time, a spokesperson added “the BE 6e and XEV 9e are a good indication”.The XEV 9e is a rival for medium-sized Chinese-made electric SUVs like the BYD Sealion 7, Zeekr 7X, Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5 and the freshly launched MG S6 EV.Pricing is a mystery at this stage but you can bet Mahindra will maintain its strategy of undercutting all mainstream and many Chinese brands.Looking at rivals, the BYD Sealion 7 starts from $54,990 before on-road costs and the Kia EV5 is $56,770. But expect the Mahindra to start from the low-to-mid-$40,000 mark, not far off the smaller Geely EX5 (from $41,990 BOC).Both the XEV 9e and the related BE 6 are built on Mahindra’s new in-house INGLO EV platform and artificial intelligence software, which Mahindra says is the “fastest automotive mind in the world”.Both models come with a choice of a 59kWh and 79kWh battery pack. Mahindra says the BE 6 has 682km of driving range and the XEV 9e has 656km when fitted with the 79kWh unit.The BE 6 has a more angular, dramatic design more inline with the look and size of the Subaru Uncharted. It’s unclear if both models or just the XEV 9e will end up in Australian showrooms.One electric Mahindra model that is unlikely to make it Down Under is the XUV 3XO EV that was revealed in January, with the company ruling the tiny electric SUV out for now.Mahindra’s current Australian line-up consists solely of internal combustion engine models, with not even a hybrid on offer. It includes the compact XUV 3XO, mid size XUV700 and large Scorpio off-roader. A new Mahindra ute is also imminent.As well as capitalising on the boom in EV sales spurred by high fuel prices, Mahindra is also likely to benefit from more EVs now that the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard has kicked in when the XEV 9e hits our shores.Keep an eye on CarsGuide.com.au as more local details, including pricing and specification, come to hand.

BMW beefs up its incoming electric car range with a cleverly priced variant.The new BMW iX3 40 variant will arrive in Australia in the formal quarter of the year priced at $89,900 (before on-road costs).That price puts it almost on par with the petrol-powered X3 SUV, and makes it cheaper than the previous-generation iX3 it replaces.It is also $20,000 cheaper than the fully loaded iX3 50 launch variant, which is due to arrive in showrooms this month.The new 40 grade’s price isn’t by accident. It slips under the Luxury Car tax (LCT) threshold, which also means it is eligible for the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption when leased through a salary sacrifice arrangement.The FBT exemption has been a key driver for electric car growth in the past 12 months. The federal government scheme has been so successful that it has been forced to wind it down as it is costing taxpayers more than 10 times what the government originally forecasted.Keen BMW buyers will need to be quick as the cheaper iX3 will no longer be eligible for the scheme from April 1 2027.The iX3 40 comes with a single rear-mounted electric motor that makes 235kW and 500Nm. It can sprint to 10km/h in 5.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 200km/h.It is fitted with a circa-82kWh battery that delivers a driving range of up to 635km, according to the benchmark WLTP cycle.The iX3 50 uses a massive 108kWh battery for a driving range of more than 800km, and a dual motor set-up that ups the grunt to 345kW and 645Nm.BMW claims the iX3 can absorb up to 300kW of juice when connected to an appropriate DC fast charger.This can add up to 300km of range in 10 minutes in optimum conditions, and can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 21 minutes.It can accept 11kW via an AC charger, with buyers able to option it to accept a max of 22kW.There is a big list of standard equipment, with highlights including 20-inch alloy wheels, M Sport package, panoramic sunroof, auto tailgate, Harman/Kardon stereo, heated front seats, ambient interior lighting, wireless device charger and more.BMW iX3 prices

The world’s largest battery maker is forging ahead with a game-changing new technology.China’s CATL, which makes the lion’s share of electric vehicle batteries for the world’s carmakers, will start mass producing sodium-ion batteries this year, according to Chinese reports.Sodium-ion batteries have the potential to make electric cars even cheaper. They do away with pricey lithium and use sodium to hold charge instead.Sodium is cheap and plentiful, which reduces supply chain constraints associated with mining and refining lithium.Sodium-ion batteries are claimed to be less fire prone than conventional lithium-ion batteries, and they perform better at extreme low temperatures with less energy loss than other cell chemistries.The one drawback is they are less energy dense than conventional batteries, but recent advancements have brought them close to the Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) cells popularised by BYD.CATL is preparing a series of these new batteries specifically for electric vehicles, as well as grid level storage.The company is reportedly aiming to have sodium-ion batteries that can deliver a driving range of up to 600km.CATL’s recent announcement follows news of sodium-ion cells being developed by Chinese brand BAIC (Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation).The company claims its latest sodium-ion battery can be fully charged in just 11 minutes, and recent tests showed it can absorb 200 per cent of its capacity without an increased risk of fire or explosion.BAIC does not currently sell vehicles in Australia directly, but the recently launched Hyundai Elexio was developed and built in partnership with BAIC via a joint venture called Beijing Hyundai.The other game-changing battery tech CATL is working on is called lithium-air batteries.A lithium-air battery uses lithium as the anode and oxygen from the air as a cathode. This means the lithium metal reacts with the oxygen gas to produce electricity. The result is a smaller and lighter battery because it doesn't need a heavy metal cathode, they are also claimed to be extremely energy dense.If this sounds too good to be true, then you’re right. There are numerous safety production and safety challenges that means there is no timeline on when or if these batteries will become a reality.

The internet can be a horrible swamp, and the comments surrounding Ferrari’s unveiling were particularly, though predictably, brutal.“Great thing Enzo can’t see this garbage,” read one. “He’ll be rolling in his tomb,” said another. “This is such a cynical marketing product purely conceived to make money for the company. It hurts me on a cellular level to see Ferrari stoop so low,” wrote another user who clearly needs to get outside more. Fun fact, though. Those comments had nothing to do with the Luce, Ferrari’s first EV that was revealed to much fanfare and even more furore this week. That was actually the reaction to the Purosangue, the brand’s first SUV, and the model that would – according to the internet at least – definitely, absolutely and entirely destroy the fabled Italian marque.That didn’t happen, though, did it? I recently met an Australian buyer who’d dropped $1.1m on his Purosangue, and he had to wait almost two years for his production slot to open up, such was the demand. It is a massive driver of Ferrari profit, too, and is consistently among the brand's best-selling models, despite a production cap.The point is, the internet was wrong. And I suspect this same Luce storm will die in the teacup in much the same way.Now, I’d be lying if I said my eyebrows didn’t shoot skywards when I first clapped eyes on the Ferrari Luce at its unveiling event in Italy. I can’t say for sure what I expected, but I can say for sure that it wasn’t this. But having now spent some time with it, and even more time digesting it, I can tell you that the internet is wrong once again.The point has been so painfully missed by the Ferrari Facebook army, who seem to have been expecting an 849 Testarossa with a battery. Ferrari has made it clear this isn’t a vehicle designed to appeal to Ferraristi faithful. It’s designed to appeal to an entirely new audience, and that is not an audience with a poster of a petrol-powered Prancing Horse on their wall.The Luce had to look different to everything else in the Ferrari range, both to appeal to a new buyer, but also (and I suspect more importantly) to ring-fence the rest of the Ferrari range and preserve their fuel-exploding mystique. I think that's also why the Luce is slower than the fastest Tesla and lacks the brand's angriest driving modes – it can't have its EV outshine the lustier, brand-defining models."This is a different kind of Ferrari. And that was the point. That was the entire purpose of the exercise," LoveFrom (the firm who penned the Luce) co-founder Mark Newson told me.This wasn't supposed to be in the mould of other Ferraris.But I actually think the more pressing question is, if not this design, then what? Is the issue with the Luce, or is merely the fact that it’s electric?If it’s the former, then tell me what design could have possibly pleased the traditionalists? Something more like a Rimac Nevera? Perhaps, but I would argue Ferrari already has cars like that, and that plonking a couple of electric motors on a 12Cilindri would have only riled the web up worse.If it’s the latter – and I think it definitely is – then what the hell is everyone so upset about? There is one electric Ferrari, and nine petrol-powered options in the brand’s regular range in Australia. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it – the fleet is still 90 per cent in your favour. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder – or whoever is behind the keyboard – but I can tell you this; the exterior design has continued to grow on me. It is undeniably forward-looking, and I think a pretty bold vision of what a family friendly Ferrari EV can be. Is it my favourite-looking Prancing Horse? No, but it doesn't have to be. And if the exterior of the Luce is controversial, the cabin isn't. The interior is spectacular, blending elegance and tech in a way that feels really, really special.Will I buy one? Irrelevant, I'm afraid. I can't afford it. And that's one thing the internet masses and I have very much in common.