Zeekr News

Electric cars are finally having their moment. As petrol and diesel prices soar, it appears everyone on the fence about buying an electric vehicle (EV) have taken the plunge.Having steadily hovered around the 10 per cent total market share for the past 18 months, EVs accounted for more than 16 per cent in April. That means approximately one-in-six cars sold last month were battery-powered.But perhaps even more interesting than just the total number of EVs sold, was who was selling them. The days of Tesla dominating the electric market appear to be over, with several new names emerging as popular options for Australians.Here are five of the most in-demand EVs in 2026.BYD Sealion 7For all the hype around BYD’s Shark 6 ute and cut-price Atto 1, the real star for the brand is its mid-size SUV. The Sealion 7 isn’t just a popular EV, it’s also one of the most popular SUVs on the market and was the seventh best-selling vehicle in April.Sales are up 342.2% year-to-date, but it isn’t just a sudden surge in the wake of the fuel crisis. The Sealion 7 has been a popular choice almost since it arrived. It was the eighth most popular SUV in its segment in 2025, behind some of the biggest names in the market - Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander, Kia Sportage and Subaru Forester.So regardless of what happens with fuel prices in the coming months, the Sealion 7 looks set to remain a popular choice for anyone looking for a mid-size SUV, electric or otherwise.Geely EX5 If there is a biggest winner of the current surge in EV sales it is the Geely’s EX5. Sales are up 415.4% year-to-date, peaking with 1202 in April alone. That’s up from an average of just 328 sales per month in 2025 and its jump demonstrates that it is genuine demand in EVs, not simply availability, that is driving this current boom. The EX5 was already one of the most affordable EVs on the market, starting at just $41,990, so if it was simply price and choice creating this sales increase in electric options there’s no reason it wouldn’t have started last year.Instead, Geely is taking advantage of its appealing price and benefiting as Australian buyers look for a way to beat the pain at the pump.Zeekr 7X While it doesn’t have the sheer volume of others on this list, selling only 2698 examples so far in 2026, the 7X is proving to be consistently popular while growing in sales.It’s not surprising that it isn’t selling in bigger volumes like the BYD and Geely, as it is positioned as a more premium offering with a starting price of $57,900  that stretches to $72,900 for the flagship Performance AWD model.But averaging nearly 675 sales per month to start 2026, with a spike of 973 sales in April, it’s clear that the 7X is an EV with a growing following.Kia EV3 You may have noticed a theme with the previously mentioned models, as the newer Chinese brands have claimed the role of EV leaders. But one of the established brands holding its own is Kia.Not all of its EVs are proving a sales hit, with the larger EV6 and EV9 still returning relatively modest sales numbers, but the smaller EV3 is doing well. Sales are up 150.2 per cent year-to-date, helping it become the most popular small electric SUV in its price range.The EV3 has garnered critical acclaim and has been slowly building a customer base, likely appealing to those looking to make the electric switch with a brand they know and trust.Sales of the larger EV5 are also up in 2026, but nowhere near to the same level, increasing only 28.7 per cent as it competes directly against the Sealion 7, EX5 and even the 7X.Toyota bZ4XCompared to the other cars on this list the total 2026 sales of just 1323 looks a bit poor, but when you consider how the bZ4X has performed previously it is having a breakout moment.Toyota’s first EV averaged less than 87 sales per month in 2025 but in 2026 it is averaging 330 sales per month so far; peaking at 483 sales in April.This is likely thanks to a renewed marketing push from Toyota, the RAV4 changeover and the high petrol prices leading Australian buyers to give it another look. How long this continues remains to be seen, but given the struggle Toyota has had with this model so far, this is a definite bright spot for the bZ4X.

Vice President of Zeekr Group Mars Chen said a pick-up truck, or ute is certainly not off-the-table for the luxury brand’s future plans.Chen said it is something the company is having an intense discussion about right now.“But for now, it is just a discussion. You know, we want to redefine every single segment. Once we identify the segment, Zeekr will check how disruptive we can be if we enter,” said Chen.“So pick-up… MPV we’ve already done, roadster is also something we haven’t done yet, we’re only five years old, so in the coming years we have the curiosity to do it, but it’s not a concrete thing.”“At this moment, we are definitely focussed on SUV. As you know, SUV and pick-up are the top two segments in Australia, so based on our studies, 9X will enter toward the end of the year, and 8X the beginning of next year. “No doubt we will make it very clear our intention in the SUV segment.”“Hardcore off-road is definitely one direction, and we’re doing the research, but if we create a G-Wagon style, or Box this isn’t clear yet. Even 8X and 9X is not bad for the off-road segment. They’re not so extreme, but they definitely have some capability,” he said.Chen’s desire to set Zeekr apart from rivals may be the one thing that stops a future 4WD or ute.He said Zeekr might not have enough space to manoeuvre to really set itself apart, considering the multitude of new 4WDs and utes coming out of China.“If we cannot create enough differentiation, of course we won’t just follow or replicate .”“For Zeekr, I think we’re going to consolidate more. Every model needs to be global. It makes no sense to customise models just for one country. Even in China.”He noted in the premium segment, many well-regarded luxury brands were struggling to find traction with once popular offerings. Chen said the exception tended to be boxy off-roaders, with the G-Wagen and Defender in particular performing above similarly priced options from BMW and Audi.“If we want to be in that segment, we need to be a global brand.”He said Zeekr was still compiling “concrete information” on the ute segment to determine its direction, but specifically called out the Ford F-150 as being a volume-leader, perhaps suggesting Zeekr could look to the US-sized pick-up market for inspiration.The brand’s electrified approach, which sees its 8X and 9X SUVs have monstrous power outputs (up to 1030kW/1410Nm) whilst maintaining a powerful but modestly-sized petrol engine (205kW/410Nm), could be more of a circuit breaker in a segment which is still mainly dominated by V6 turbo or V8 petrol engines.Many rival automakers are investigating the potential of range-extender hybrids for large-size pick-up trucks, as is the case with Volkswagen’s re-booted Scout brand for the Americas.There could be more surprises to come if Zeekr chooses to forge down the ute and 4x4 path. One notable display at the Beijing Motor Show was the Geely-aligned Horse Powertrain stand.The company, which is a joint venture between Geely and Renault and exclusively manufactures engines and hybrid powertrains, was displaying a brand new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a unique four-speed hybrid transmission housing dual electric motors. The brand’s representatives told CarsGuide at the show this set-up is expressly designed for high-output off-road and towing applications, seemingly uniquely suited to any large Geely or Zeekr 4x4 in the future.

I have been to three Chinese motor shows in a row, and all three times have signalled a shift in the calibre of the cars, which are increasingly setting a global agenda.The first time, I wrote of the sheer scale on display from some of the biggest brands and the amount of interest around carmakers BYD, GWM and Nio compared to the stands of Nissan, Toyota and Honda.The Shanghai Motor Show a year later was full of ambitious new products and a lack of fear to try new things on a global stage.But this year’s Beijing Motor Show marked yet another, unexpected shift, which should continue to strike fear into popular incumbents used to topping charts in regions around the world.This time, things were somewhat scaled back. Gone were the weird and whacky Chinese domestic market specials. The stands were slick, professional and showcased a handful of global-market ready models.Above all, the flavour was international. If the previous two motor shows were experimental and expansion themed, respectively the 2026 Beijing Motor Show was an announcement.Chinese automakers aren’t just for China any more. They have their sights well and truly set at topping the charts around the world.The Geely Group stand was happy to show some older cars, such as the Monjaro SUV and Preface sedan, but also ones that were fully prepared for export, with a variety of fresh hybrid powertrains designed to please international buyers and markets with different emissions settings and charging infrastructure.Even the auto giant’s primary reveal was relatively tame, a concept sedan which previewed its new design language but the message was clear - this is our new unified design for the world, not just for China, and it is powertrain agnostic. You’ll know a Geely when you see it, and it will have exactly what you want under the bonnet.The same could be said for most of the other stands I had time to visit. GAC showed off its global market off-road SUV alongside an array of export-ready models, but it was the more obscure once-domestic-only marques like the luxury HongQi and the off-road-focused 212 which had taken a massive step up in terms of the international allure of their stands.Another very telling shift was the renewed interest in brands like Nissan and Toyota. Not so much the globally-recognised versions of these brands, mind you, but their Chinese joint-venture incarnations, which have created quite some hype in the preceding months in markets outside of China.Nissan’s stand went from a sad handful of dated sedan models in previous years, to absolutely heaving with interest thanks to its Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute and just-revealed Terrano SUV.Nissan has unapologetically re-oriented toward its joint-venture with Dongfeng in China for these models, declaring it has to lean on “China Speed” to reignite interest in its otherwise ailing global footprint.Toyota, meanwhile, showed a stand primarily of joint-venture models with BYD and GAC, many of which, it seems, may start to be exported as more of the world seeks a more electrified line-up than the Japanese juggernaut has previously been keen to offer.With context, this shift makes a lot of sense. Domestically, Chinese automakers have been engaged in a brutal price war, as Beijing’s subsidies shift between production of ‘New Energy’ models to the actual sales pipeline, as the government seeks to rapidly get combustion vehicles off the road.The result has seen the biggest players, like BYD, able to use their scale to sell models at extremely sharp prices in order to squeeze rivals on volume, all seemingly with the objective of being one of the last ones standing at any cost. It has seen a massive contraction in the number of automakers able to stay afloat in China, and with a market quickly reaching a point of ‘New Energy’ saturation, many, including BYD, have sought the refuge and higher margins of export markets like Australia.As it turns out, many of these markets have been ripe for the taking, particularly ones with low barriers to entry, incumbent market leaders not used to such competition, and little to no tariffs.It’s no wonder then, that as I walked around the Beijing Motor Show, I very much felt like every automaker was trying to sell me a car, rather than the local standing next to me.

Zeekr has confirmed plans to add fully electric versions of its much-anticipated 8X and 9X luxury hybrid SUVs in the near future.Originally debuting as plug-in hybrids, the two models use a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine on top of massive batteries. Both use a hybrid transaxle system in the front mating the engine to powerful electric motors, while they have a fully independent electric rear motor (or two for the performance grade).The regular version of the 8X already produces an impressive 660kW/935Nm, according to Chinese specifications, while the high-performance tri-motor version produces up to 1030kW/1410Nm.Both cars ride on the flexible SEA-S platform, which supports both hybrid and fully electric layouts, and can wield a 900-volt electrical architecture for ultra-rapid charging and ultra-high power outputs.Zeekr Europe’s Chief Engineer for Mechanical Architecture, Kennet Pettersson, said both vehicles were originally designed as full battery-electric platforms, making the EV spin-offs “relatively straightforward".Adding to Pettersson’s comments, Zeekr Group Vice President, Mars Chen, said: “Over three years ago when we had big success with 001 and 009, in that moment we were sure about one thing especially when it comes to international models, and that one very important thing was that the world will not always be ICE (internal combustion engine) or BEV (battery electric vehicle).“We have to have the two in our family, so knowing the reality, the company decided to prepare some hybrid models, because you know Geely (Zeekr’s parent company), is coming from the ICE industry. So we realised that there are some models which are very successful in this segment - Li Auto, Aito using range extenders.”“It’s not something we simply wanted to replicate, so actually, our hybrid system which you see placed in the 9X and 8X today, it's not just a range extender or just a plug-in hybrid, it’s a mix.“The experience we want to give the customer is more electric, which means silent, huge torque, and without any latency.“But this car still has an engine, it still has the capacity, and for range, you don’t need to worry. So that’s why we made that decision for big cars.“I switched to a hybrid car, but frankly speaking, I want to go back to an EV because in my scenario, I only did more than 350km a day once in the last two years. I only need to charge once a week and that’s it.”“So, it’s not a technical choice, it's more of a commercial choice. But I’m very happy to share with you that the version is coming.”Mr Chen also shared that we’d see at least one battery electric version of either the 9X or 8X before the next Chinese auto show (roughly a year), but wouldn’t say which model. He confirmed any design changes between the hybrids set to launch in Australia imminently and the fully electric version would be minimal.As it is, the 8X is already set to cost in excess of $85,000 in Australia, with the 9X likely starting at around $100,000.Expect the fully electric versions to likely have similar, if not higher, power outputs, and with correspondingly larger batteries.Currently, even the hybrid version of the 8X has either a 55kWh battery allowing a 320km range, or a 70kWh battery allowing a 410km range. In fully electric format, expect at least a 90kWh battery, although it wouldn't be surprising to see the brand target one of the industry’s longest driving ranges for a five-meter-plus SUV.Zeekr has shot to the mainstream from relative obscurity in 2026 in Australia thanks almost entirely to its sharply priced and impressively specified 7X fully electric mid sizer which has shot to the top of the sales charts in its category.The brand will no doubt be hoping the 8X, due to arrive in 2027, will live up to the hype it is already generating.Expect to see the 9X hybrid SUV join the brand’s range before the end of the year, with the 7GT Euro-style electric wagon also slated for a late 2026 or early 2027 launch.The brand also showed an updated version of its 009 people mover with significant under-the-skin changes at the Beijing Motor Show.

There aren’t many cars that are getting the critical acclaim and sales strength as the Zeekr 7X, except maybe the new Zeekr 8X.The Zeekr 8X is a bigger version of the 7X mid-size electric SUV currently on sale in Australia. The 7X has been a hit with Aussie buyers, with it being the third best-selling EV in March.Zeekr Australia Managing Director Frank Li confirmed the 8X’s arrival to CarsGuide earlier this year.“We’ll have the 8X official launch event in April in China,” he said. “Three models will come across next year, 7GT, 9X and 8X, but we haven’t had the final date for which one will come first, or in which month or what quarter.The 8X will take on household premium names such as the Range Rover Sport, Audi Q8 and Lexus RX.If we look to China, where preorders just opened, you may need to get in early to get your hands on one.The brand is claiming it secured more than 10,000 orders in just 30 minutes.Zeekr ditches electric power for the 8X and installs a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) set-up.The flagship uses a monster tri-electric motor set-up with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine to make a astounding total system outputs of 1030kW and 1410Nm.The standard version uses a more conventional dual-motor set-up, which still tallies up whopping outputs of 660kW and 935Nm.The 8X uses either a 55kWh or 70kWh battery pack with a 900-volt architecture allowing ultra-fast charging and either a 320km or 410km EV driving range, respectively, according to China's lenient CLTC testing procedure.It’ll be dripping in luxury and high-tech inside too, with big screens across the dash, holographic head-up display and a premium fit-out.It will likely be substantially more expensive than the 7X, with prices expected to start north of $85,000 when it arrives in Australia.

Zeekr is well and truly on the map after a slow start in Australia, largely thanks to its award-winning 7X , and the premium arm of Geely is no doubt hoping to double down on that success with its next product, the 8X.The 8X is an upper mid-sized luxury SUV that leans more into the grandiose styling of the 009 people mover than the futuristic and sleek 7X.With lofty ambitions and impressive specs, expect the Zeekr 8X to take aim at five-seat SUV rivals like the Range Rover Sport, Audi Q8, and Lexus RX, but perhaps not at the same lofty price points.With Zeekr keen to capitalise on the success of the 7X, does the 8X deserve the same hype? Take a look at what we know so far.How big is the Zeekr 8X and what will it compete with?The Zeekr 8X is a large five-seat SUV. It measures 5100mm long, 1998mm wide and 1780mm tall. This makes it slightly larger than a Range Rover Sport, Lexus RX, or Audi Q8, and firmly in the large SUV category with five seats.In Zeekr’s range it will sit above the mid-size fully electric 7X, but below the flagship three-row 9X. It forms part of a larger trend of big luxury SUVs launching from Chinese brands. Other options in this space include the Denza B5 and Jaecoo J8, but expect to see more before long.The 8X will move Zeekr into hybrid territorySo far, Zeekr’s offerings in Australia have been purely electric, including the X small SUV, 009 people mover and the 7X mid-sizer.The 8X is unique in the range thanks to its headline-grabbing plug-in hybrid set-up.Pairing a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine (205kW/410Nm) to dual electric motors on each axle, Zeekr claims the standard versions of the 8X produce a combined 660kW/935Nm and can sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds, making it faster and more powerful than the equivalent PHEV versions of the Range Rover Sport and Audi Q8.That’s not to mention the tri-motor flagship performance version, which produces a combined 1030kW/1410Nm thanks to double the output on the rear axle, allowing an even lower 0-100km/h sprint time of just three seconds.In addition, the 8X is equipped with either a 55kWh or 70kWh battery pack with a 900-volt architecture allowing ultra-fast charging and either a 320km or 410km EV driving range respectively (according to China's lenient CLTC testing procedure).Expect a pricey SUV, but it will still represent solid value compared to rivalsWe don’t know which variants of the 8X will land in Australia at this stage, nor do we know how much the large SUV will cost. We can speculate, however, based on information we know.Expect it to start north of the 7X, which currently ranges from $57,900 before on-road costs for the most affordable base variant, to $72,900 for the top-spec Performance grade.It could be significantly more expensive, too. For reference, the Chinese-market 8X starts from the equivalent of A$77,420, stretching to the equivalent of A$106,183, suggesting starting prices locally north of $90,000 for an entry-level 55kWh dual-motor version.This would well and truly move Zeekr into premium pricing territory, but even then, with at least double the electric driving range and double the power of its most direct rivals from Europe and Japan, there’s an argument for value.The new styling comes with new featuresThe 8X moves Zeekr’s interior design up a notch, with a plush leather-clad interior covered in digital tech.The digital instrument cluster measures 13.02-inches, while there are dual screens spanning the centre and passenger side of the dash for the multimedia functions.It features a 44-inch holographic head-up display for the driver, and an 8.0-inch screen on the centre console for adjustment of rear climate features and seat controls. Some variants are also equipped with a roof-mounted 17-inch rear entertainment screen.Wheels are enormous, measuring from 20- to 22-inches, and the rear seats have electronic adjustment with footrests on the outboard positions. It also has a 9.5-litre drawer, which can either be a heating compartment or refrigerator, with a range between -6 degrees and 50 degrees.It is due in Australia during 2027 and is expected to be the brand’s next big volume sellerSpeaking to CarsGuide recently, the brand’s local Managing Director Frank Li said the 8X would be one of a slew of new models headed to our market in 2027, which is also set to include the Euro-flavoured 7GT electric station wagon and 9X flagship three-row SUV.He said the local division hadn’t received confirmation on when each of these new cars will arrive and in what order, but brands like Zeekr are quick to move on right-hand drive production once the Australian arm locks in its business case.Plus, Australia has been earmarked as an important stepping stone for Zeekr’s global ambitions.At any rate, we expect to learn more imminently, as the brand is expected to make more announcements around the Beijing Motor Show at the end of April.

There’s a huge Chinese carmaker cage fight going on right now between 22 different brands in Australia and not all will survive, but knowing what we know here’s five we think will beat the others to become Aussie favourites for a long time.Before we start, let's have a few ground rules — Chinese brands such as MG, GWM and LDV aren’t included in this because they are already established brands with large dealer networks and their future in Australia is almost certainly assured.The brands we’re really focussing on here are the more recent arrivals who have made massive inroads in a relatively short period of time.Here’s the big five in no particular order.Chinese superstar brand BYD knew its way into Aussie hearts when it arrived in 2022 quickly winning us over with electric SUVs such as the small Atto 3 and mid-size Sealon 7, and the Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute.BYD has gone from battery maker to world’s biggest electric car producer and continues to impress by offering outstanding EVs at low prices.March saw BYD entering the top 3 best-selling car brands in Australia and is now a major threat to established car makers such as Honda, Mitsubishi and Nissan.There is no doubt that as BYD's lineup grows and its presence solidifies here, the company will be around in Australia for a long time to come.Geely is a giant — it makes three million cars a year globally — and it brought that enormous manufacturing firepower to Australia in 2025 and launched its EX5 mid-sized SUV.Slow to arrive, Geely appears to be taking its time, but has since launched the Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid SUV and has the small electric EX2 SUV coming soon.Geely may be gigantic but it needs to hurry up, because rival Chinese brands appear to be throwing everything they have into our market.  Speaking of throwing everything it has into our market, Chery has made the comeback of all comebacks launching five models since returning to Australia in 2023 after an eight-year hiatus.The Tiggo 4 small hybrid SUV is Chery's biggest selling model but the brand will soon launch its off-road diesel hybrid ute soon, which could become the brand's most successful vehicle and potentially beating the Ford Ranger at its own game.The most impressive part of Chery’s comeback has been the multitude of sub-brands it’s in the process of bringing here such as Jaecoo, Jetour, Lepas and now Freelander.Zeekr is owned by Geely, but we’re singling it out here because it’s seriously outperforming its parent company in Australia.Zeekr arrived here in 2025 with its little X SUV and then the 009 people mover, but it wasn’t until it launched the mid-size 7X SUV that the brand took off. The 7X is now the best-selling premium mid-sized SUV in Australia.Coming soon from Zeekr will be the 8X and 9X plug-in hybrid SUVs. Watch this space, we're expecting big things. Denza is BYD’s high-performance and luxury sub-brand and despite only setting up shop here in 2025 has launched strongly with the B5 and B8 plug-in hybrid off road SUVs.Denza isn’t just doing off-road luxury vehicles it also has the D9 people mover and the upcoming Z9 GT - an electric wagon with a range of 1000km and monstrous power and speed.Denza may not outsell BYD but it will offer a more premium and sporty alternative for buyers also in the market for a Zeekr.  

Two car brands could reshape the Australian car market.The EV transition is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, particularly in Australia, as fuel prices soar. This has allowed brands to capitalise on snatching EV market share to surge up the sales charts and claim established status.BYD has been leading the way on this front, with all six of its electric models sitting inside the top 15 best-selling EVs for March 2026. The brand has adopted a similar strategy to its previous domestic Chinese market success by offering cars at comparatively low prices to rivals. BYD seems to have cornered the budget EV market Down Under, with its Atto 1 hatch priced from $23,990 (before on-road costs). It also offers the bigger Dolphin hatch, which also starts at less than $30,000, before on-roads. This price competitiveness continues up the range, with only the Sealion 7 mid-size SUV, sitting above the $40,000 range. The other brand that could be threatening BYD’s EV crown is Zeekr, following a flying start to life in Australia. The 7X mid-size SUV has flown up the sales charts and was the third best-selling EV for March, following a much-anticipated launch late last year. The car is arguably breaking similar ground for Zeekr as the Atto 2 did for BYD when it launched in Australia in 2022.Zeekr is a sub-brand of major Chinese carmaker Geely, and has been expanding its presence Down Under after a slow start due to supply challenges.In addition to the 7X, it has the X small SUV and the 009 people mover, with plans to introduce further EVs in the future. Zeekr has already delivered more than 1800 EV units across its range so far this year.The federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is further benefiting these brands, as they can sell their credits to heavy polluting brands.BYD accumulated more than 6 million NVES credits for the 2025 performance period, and this gives the brand some serious bargaining power.Units can be traded with other carmakers who have accumulated liabilities under the scheme, which allows brands such as BYD that are in a strong position to potentially dictate terms. BYD could cover the entire liabilities for the 2025 NVES reporting period more than five times over. Zeekr is on the cards to pick up a strong NVES position for 2026 as the 7X sales increase, but the brand has already secured more than 250,000 units, despite selling less than 2000 cars last year. 

A new electric car price war is forming.Chinese brand Zeekr is the latest carmaker to slash the price of one of its EVs.In the past week BMW has taken $8000 off the price of its iX1 and iX2 electric SUVs, and Volvo has also stripped out big dollars from its EX30 and EX40 compact electric SUVs.Now the Zeekr X small SUV starts at $48,900, drive-away, for the single motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) versions and $57,900 drive-away for the dual motor all-wheel drive (AWD) grade, and is due to land in showrooms at the end of next month.It is now cheaper than rivals such as the Lexus UXe, Mercedes-Benz EQ and Volvo EX30.That represents a massive saving from the previous $49,990 and $62,990 price tags, both before on-road costs.Zeekr hasn’t taken items out or reduced features to cut the price, quite the opposite, instead the X SUV has received a range of upgrades.Headlining the changes are updates to the base version’s ‘Golden Brick’ battery, which now allows a max DC charging rate of 230kW. This reduces the 10 to 80 per cent charging time to just 18 minutes.The all-wheel drive version maintains the same battery, which can only max charge at 150kW.Both cars also score a 50kW boost to their electric motors with what is claimed to be best-in-class acceleration figures of 5.6 seconds for the rear-drive version, or 3.7 seconds for the all-wheel drive version.The RWD version gets new heated first and second row seats, refreshed steering wheel controls and a 13-speaker Yamaha surround sound system.There is also upgraded safety tech across the range.

Electric vehicle sales are booming in a way they never have before in Australia. Buyer options have increased significantly in 2026, with more affordable choices also appearing more regularly. There were 15839 electric vehicle sales for March in 2026, up from 8385 compared to this time last year, representing a near 89 per cent year-on-year growth. Established SUV players such as the Tesla Model Y lead the way with 2818 sales, along with the BYD Sealion 7 (1970). There are also some new competitors climbing up the sales charts, such as the Zeekr 7X performance SUV, which managed 679 registrations for March, having launched late last year.The Tesla Model 3 sedan (667) continues to be present among the top sellers despite its prolonged downturn.The SUV trend continues as Geely’s EX5 (606) and the Kia EV5 (587) are next on the list, before BYD’s presence resumes with the Atto 2 small SUV (572). Another new EV making an early impression is the Jaecoo J5, which launched at the start of this year and achieved 569 sales last month. The BYD Atto 1 (488) and Atto 2 (466) also make the list along with the Kia EV3 (461). Hatchbacks are proving popular amongst EV buyers as well. The MG4 (451) remains among the strongest selling EVs, as does the BYD Dolphin (373). The Toyota bZ4X is also experiencing an upturn to 447 sales for March and BYD is represented again with its Seal sedan (337) to round out the top 15. Top selling electric cars Australia March 2026