Tesla Model 3 News

Xiaomi’s updated SU7 electric sedan launches this April in China and while the order numbers are enormous there’s another huge figure grabbing people’s attention - its 900km-plus driving range.The order books for Xiaomi’s new SU7 opened on January 7, 2026 and within two weeks nearly 100,000 pre-orders have been taken. That’s big even for the Chinese market, which sees 34 millions cars sold in a year. But part of the drive in sales is the massive leap in spec for the SU7 particularly when it comes to driving range.Pricing in China for the entry grade SU7 starts at the equivalent of A$46,500, an increase of $2800 over the hugely popular outgoing model.The SU7 now has a range of 902km (CLTC), up from 830km in the previous model. CLTC (China Light Duty Vehicle Test Cycle) criteria isn’t as strict or real-world applicable as the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Duty Vehicle Test Procedure) rating which is generally about 18 per cent less. Still, even if the SU7’s WLTP range is about 750km that would still see it beat the best electric long-haulers the world currently has to offer including the Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor with its 706km and Tesla’s Model 3 Long Range AWD with 629km.The longer range of the new SU7 is reportedly not due to a larger battery (a 101.7kWh battery capacity remains in the top grade model), but is down to a new silicon carbide platform in 752V and 897V forms which return improved efficiency.Other upgrades for the new SU7 include more advanced driving assistance systems, laser radar, and 700 TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second) AI computing power for autonomous driving functions.Xiaomi has yet to launch in Australia with the company likely to enter the European market first in 2027 and then the rest of the world including Australia. Right now, the fledgling tech-brand-turned-automaker's factory capacity is exceeded for over a year with back orders for both the SU7 and its YU7 SUV sibling, both of which have created massive hype in China's domestic market.If and when Xiaomi makes it here, the sporty Chinese marque would join a multitude of new brands in Australia with electric vehicles over the past two years.The SU7 would go up against rivals such as the BYD Seal and MG’s IM5, as well as the ever-popular Tesla Model 3.Xiaomi isn’t the only brand coming up with super long-range EVs with Chery also recently announcing progress on solid state batteries which it claims will offer up to 1500km of driving range on a single charge.

If there is one word to describe the Australian car industry in 2026, it’s diversity.

Tesla has been rolling its new, budget-oriented Standard line-up into different markets and the next is firming as China.As reported by Car News China, an image of the Model Y Standard appeared on the Tesla China website on its home charging webpage last week but quickly disappeared again.According to the publication, Weibo user Anting Dafan, who reportedly contacted Tesla said it is gearing up to launch not only the Model Y Standard but also the Model 3 Standard in China. The latter will reportedly launch first.Tesla initially launched the Model 3 and Model Y Standard in the US, but it’s now being offered in a number of European countries with German production.Given Chinese production of the Standard models is reported to commence soon, this means it could be closer to an Australian launch.Virtually every Tesla currently sold in Australia, excluding the German-made Model Y Performance, is made in China.If the Chinese-made Model 3 and Model Y Standard do come to Australia they will likely reduce the asking price for both models by a considerable amount.Car News China reports the Model 3 and Model Y Standard will be priced around 200,000 yuan (~A$42,800). In China the current Model 3 RWD costs 235,500 yuan (~A$50,400) and the Model Y RWD costs 263,500 yuan (~A$56,400) in China, representing potential price cuts of 35,500 yuan (~A$7600) and 63,500 yuan (~A$13,600), respectively.If similar pricing differences carry over to the Australian-specification Model 3 and Model Y Standard, this could see pricing start from around $47,000 and $45,000, respectively. It’s unlikely the Model Y Standard will be more affordable than the Model 3 Standard though.Details of the Chinese-made Model 3 and Model Y Standard are yet to be confirmed.In other markets both the Model 3 and Model Y Standard are slower to 100km/h, likely meaning they come with a less powerful rear-mounted electric motor.The Model 3 Standard can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.2 seconds (1.0 seconds slower than the Premium RWD) and the Model Y Standard can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.2 seconds (1.6 seconds slower than the Premium RWD).It also appears both have a smaller battery pack than the rest of the line-up. Tesla doesn’t disclose exact battery capacities, though the Model 3 and Model Y Standard can travel up to 534km, according to WLTP testing.There are different 18-inch wheel designs and fewer exterior paint colour selections. The Model Y Standard also ditches the front and rear LED light bars, adaptive high-beam functionality and panoramic glass sunroof, however the Model 3 Standard retains the latter two features.Inside, both models receive fabric and synthetic leather combination upholstery. There’s no interior ambient lighting, the steering column is manually adjusted and the second-row touchscreen is deleted.Additionally, there’s a less-sophisticated sound system with fewer speakers, no ventilated front seats, no heated outboard rear seats and manually adjusted second-row air vents.The Model Y Standard in particular has an open centre console unlike the Model Ys which have storage cubbies with retractable lids.Under the skin both the Model 3 and Model Y Standard have passive shock absorbers unlike the other non-Performance trims which have frequency dependent suspension.All the safety hardware tech for both models is carried over, including the eight exterior cameras which allow for Full Self-Driving (FSD) as an optional extra.The potential introduction of the Model 3 and Model Y Standard in Australia could help spur sales. In 2025 Tesla sold a total of 28,856 new vehicles, which is down 24.8 per cent year-on-year.The Model Y is still the best-selling electric vehicle (EV) in Australia and saw 4.6 per cent year-on-year sales growth, sales of the Model 3 were down over 60 per cent year-on-year.

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Australians have been obsessed with SUVs for over a decade, but there are signs the infatuation is coming to an end and you can put it down to electric cars.

They were once the staple in almost every Australian driveway, but the sedan is looking increasingly in danger of disappearing altogether.Sales of family-sized sedans are down more than 60 per cent in 2025, with even the biggest names in the market including the Toyota Camry and Tesla Model 3 enduring a major sales slide.The decline of the Camry, which is down 46.4 per cent in the first nine months of 2025 is particularly telling. Once a staple not only of the sedan market, but one of the most popular cars in the country, the Camry is now struggling to find new buyers. Once popular family cars including the Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon and Mondeo, Mazda6, Volkswagen Passat, Kia Optima and more have all disappeared over the past decade and more and more buyers shift to utes and SUVs.A decade ago some local car executives openly questioned how large the SUV market could grow, doubting that the sedan could be overtaken, such as the dominance of the bodystyle at the time.That has clearly changed.Some industry insiders viewed electric cars as a potential saviour of the sedan, as the lower body allowed for better aerodynamics and less weight, and therefore greater efficiency and longer driving range off the batteries. The Model 3 and BYD Seal have performed strongly previously, but sales of both have taken a turn for the worse in 2025.This year Tesla reported sales of the Model 3 were down more than 65 per cent in the first seven months of the year, while the Seal has seen its sales halved. While this is happening, sales of SUVs and utes continue to stay strong, making it clear to car companies where they should be focusing their attention and future models. While there are some brands still committed to the sedan for now, it’s hard to see them playing a significant role for any brand in the future.Toyota will likely keep the Camry as long as possible given it has been a staple of the brand and recently received an update. But as we’ve seen with the Mazda6, which was a fixture of that brand’s line-up, no model is truly safe regardless of its heritage.The same is true for the premium end of the market too. The BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 have often been amongst the best-selling sedans overall, competing on volume with the likes of the Mazda6, Sonata, Passat and others.But these luxury options are also suffering declining sales. The sales of mid-size sedans over $60,000 are down almost across the board, with the only model enjoying sales growth being the Audi A5 - which is coming off a small base and the departure of the A4.The fact that Audi has decided to retire the A4 badge and shift its sedan focus to the A5 is telling in itself. It underlines the shift from the traditional to this new era of both SUVs and electric vehicles.The recent reveal of the BMW iX3 as the first offering from the Bavarian brand’s so-called Neue Klasse is another sign that electric SUVs are the focus for many brands and sedans are an afterthought.This news will be disappointing for the sedan loyalists who simply don’t want to switch to a bigger SUV or ute. But the message is clear to those who still prefer sedans - get them while you can.