Electric Cars

XPeng has announced pricing and launch specification for its coupe-style L03 mid-size SUV in Europe, ahead of a likely Aussie arrival.The newcomer is offered initially as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV), with a Range Extender Electric Vehicle (REEV) version joining the line-up before the end of the year.Given order books are already open in China (where the car is called Mona L03) and examples have been spotted testing in Australia, the L03 is a likely 2027 arrival here, the Chinese maker already confirming it will “be available in 64 countries and regions”.With customer deliveries scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year and priced from €35,600 (~$58,250), the German L03 range consists of five models, two rear-wheel drive (RWD) single-motor BEVs, a pair of dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) electric variants and a single range-extender option.It would likely be cheaper in Australia due to our close proximity to China and the existence of a free trade agreement.The REEV version features a plug-in hybrid powertrain with the wheels driven exclusively by an electric motor, with a (70kW) 1.5-litre internal combustion engine (ICE) acting as a generator only to recharge the 37.3kWh LFP battery while driving. Claimed WLTP range is 1000km on a single tank of fuel and full battery charge, with a pure-electric range in excess of 200km.The single-motor, RWD version of the BEV is claimed to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds with combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) energy consumption of 11.9kWh/100km.German pricing:  It’s important to note these German prices include 19 per cent VAT (Value Added Tax) and as with most Chinese new arrivals, you can generally expect the L03 to be significantly more affordable when it lands in Australia.The L03 is priced from between the equivalent of $31,000 to $34,000 in electric form in China (where there are nine models on offer) and a local entry-grade is likely to be more in line with base versions of the BYD Atto 3 (from $39,990), GAC Aion V (from $42,590) and Geely EX5 (from $41,990).Developed by a global team led by former Ferrari Head of Exterior Design Juanma López, the L03 measures 4.65 metres long, a fraction over 1.9m wide and 1.6m tall with a 2850mm wheelbase. Drag coefficient is a slippery 0.23.All Euro L03 grades feature full LED exterior lighting, 18-inch alloy wheels (20s on the flagship Ultra BEV), Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality, a panoramic sunroof, electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats, electrically adjustable, folding, and heated exterior mirrors, nine-speaker audio (with two speakers integrated into the driver's seat), built-in navigation, dual-zone climate control, and three screen displays - an 8.9-inch digital instrument cluster, 15.6-inch central touchscreen and a 26.8-inch head-up display.The boot boasts a decent 367-litre volume and there’s an 89-liter ‘frunk’ up front.Safety includes seven airbags and “more than 13 driver assistance systems” bundled under the name ‘XPILOT’, including AEB (Auto Emergency Braking), blind-spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert adaptive cruise control and more.CarsGuide has contacted XPeng Australia for comment on the L03’s potential for local sale and likely arrival timing.

Electric car buyers in Australia are facing a new concern.There are demands for increased responsibilities for car manufacturers to correctly state how long EV batteries should last, according to a report from the Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA). The report warns that buyers could face a “wave of litigation” when EV batteries need replacement outside of warranty as their cost could exceed the vehicle’s remaining value.One particular dealer said Chinese-built cars are “not holding their charge” or are “blowing up on fire”.The report suggests manufacturers should be required to define acceptable battery thresholds or disclose the expected degradation of a unit. Most batteries carry an eight-year or 160,000km manufacturer warranty, but dealers are looking for greater clarity on what this means.The new initiative would require manufacturers to provide clear indicators of acceptable battery performance.A battery would be considered to be performing at an acceptable level if it has at least 70 per cent of its total capacity remaining after more than eight years, for example. The EV driving range debate continues to rage on and it remains a substantial roadblock for buyers considering switching from petrol- and diesel-powered cars. Many EVs now boast more than 500km of driving range, but people have also started to recognise that most journeys do not require significant amounts of driving. The convenience and accessibility to home and public charging have also increased the convenience of EVs. Reported driving range figures on a particular car can vary greatly depending on the testing cycle used. The Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) is viewed as the most accurate standard available. Its testing figures often come in noticeably lower than the older New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and the even more generous China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC).As much as these systems do their best to mirror real-world driving, they can never be truly accurate because of the different ways people use their cars.Consumers often experience range anxiety or disappointment when EVs fail to achieve the range advertised in brochures, according to AADA. AADA has put forward a series of reforms for the Australian Consumer Law to adopt, but it remains to be seen whether any of these will make their way into legislation. 

A camouflaged prototype version of what appears to be the XPeng G9L has been spotted in Melbourne.Only one photo of this spied prototype was captured and it shows the rear of the vehicle. It’s clearly an SUV and the ‘EV’ badge on the license plate indicates that it has an electrified powertrain.The XPeng G9L hasn’t been revealed yet globally and it will be a long-wheelbase version of the existing G9, which dates back to 2021.According to a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filing from earlier this year, the G9L measures in at 5120mm long, 1999mm wide and 1795mm tall, with a 3100mm wheelbase. This makes it 100mm longer than the Kia EV9.Compared to the regular G9, the G9L has a slightly different tailgate cutout and a rear LED light bar. It’s more in line with the larger GX.Globally the G9L will be available with battery electric (BEV) and range-extender (REEV) powertrains. It’s unclear which will be coming to Australia.The G9L BEV is available with single- or dual-electric motor set-ups. Power outputs are yet to be determined.The G9L REEV, on the other hand, will feature a 1.5-litre petrol engine that acts purely as a generator to top up the battery pack. Power outputs are yet to be determined.At this stage no battery or range details have been confirmed.No interior imagery or details have been confirmed yet, so it's unclear whether the G9L offers three rows of seating. The standard G9 only offers two rows.XPeng’s previous distributor in Australia, TrueEV, confirmed the G9L would launch in the fourth quarter of 2026.Given XPeng now has a factory-backed operation locally, it’s unclear whether this launch timing is still accurate.On XPeng’s new Australian website, the only new vehicle besides the updated G6 that currently features is the X9 people mover.This spied G9L isn’t the only recent camouflaged XPeng prototype to be spied in Australia. Examples of the Mona L03 ‘coupe’ SUV and the forthcoming L05 SUV were spied in Victoria.It’s understood that the former is due to launch in Australia in 2027, while the latter is still undergoing validation testing for the Australian market.

I’ve been doing this for a while now, and I have had the opportunity to test and review all sorts of weird and wonderful metal. But this one might be a first for me.I can’t recall ever testing a vehicle that’s not actually intended to be bought by you, the CarsGuide reader. But so it is with the new Toyota HiLux BEV. You can have one if you really want one, but even Toyota concedes that its first all-electric ute isn’t really designed for the public buyer.Instead, it’s for mine sites, which Toyota has been studying for two years to deliver an electrified HiLux fit for a very particular purpose.Which is why, on paper, the numbers aren’t overly impressive. The Hilux is offered in two grades and three styles – the SR cab-chassis ($74,990), the SR double-cab pickup ($76,490) and the more luxurious SR5 double-cab pickup ($82,990), all prices before on-road costs – and all share the same powertrain componentry.That means dual-motor power, fed from a 59.2kWh lithium-ion battery. Range, then, is just 245km in the cab-chassis, and 315km in the pick-up. Critically, though, Toyota is quoting the more lenient NEDC figure there. In line with the more realistic WLTP protocol (which is the industry standard in Australia), those numbers would likely be less than 200km and around 270km, respectively.That is… not a lot of range for an EV. But remember that particular purpose I mentioned? Toyota tells me the average open-cut mine site is about 40 square kilometres, and workers there need an electric ute to only cover relatively short distances before it is docked to recharge (150kW DC, 10kW AC).They also, Toyota says, need their electric utes to do ute-like things, which is why this electric HiLux can still very much go off-road. There are two motors on board here, one front and one rear, delivering a total 144kW. Toyota doesn’t quote a combined torque figure, though each motor is capable of producing more than 200Nm.It’s fed to all four wheels through a single-speed transmission, and Toyota has debuted a six-mode multi-terrain select system, with Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud, Mogul and Snow modes.We tested the electric HiLux off-road, on a not-overly-challenging course to be fair, and the plug-in Toyota handled it all with ease and felt like it had more to give.It will also tow a 2.0-tonne braked trailer and the payload figures are around 725kg for the pickup versions and 855kg for the cab chassis – though we tested neither, and suspect your battery charge will drop like a bowling ball off a balcony when you ask the HiLux to carry or tow.The electric HiLux also looks a lot like a diesel HiLux. It is, and feels like, a retrofit, rather than a bespoke EV model, which they tell me is kind of the point. The minesites want the HiLux, they just don’t want the emissions. The big differences outside are, wait for it, the charging flap, the filled-in grille and aero-friendly wheel designs. Inside, there’s a new shift-by-wire gear selector, which has been moved closer to the driver. You still benefit from the tech overhaul given to the rest of the new HiLux range, which means twin 12.3 inch screens with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are some strange-feeling shortcuts at this price point, though. Your circa-$75K SR model gets fabric seats with manual adjustment, for example, and you’ll need to spend more like $83K to get a wireless phone charger included.Anyway, that visual familiarity extends to the drive experience as well. Yes, acceleration is smoother, quieter and more constant without stepping through gear shifts, and that all feels very EV. But the behavior of the HiLux feels very familiar, in that it still has that kind of jittery unladen ride that is pretty common in dual cab utes. I thought the extra battery weight would settle the ride down a little bit, especially because it's down low and quite heavy, and should act a bit like having a load in the tray. But it still feels plenty bouncy on the road, and especially in the passenger seat, which somehow feels the ride more than the driver.That's not a big criticism. It's symptomatic of virtually all dual-cab utes. Electric or otherwise, as it turns out.On the road, the power on offer is ample. It feels quite punchy off the line, and while it's not one of those EVs that throws you back in your seat, the power is instantaneous and constant, and smooths-out the acceleration. We pushed towards and beyond 100km/h a couple of times and the power didn’t die off it just kept smoothly climbing to triple digits. All of which I fear might end up being something of an irrelevant point, because as I've said, you are unlikely to buy this. Toyota says that private sales are going to make up about five per cent of the BEV's total haul. The rest are going to mine sites and the like, which is why so much of this vehicle has been tailored to work there, rather than in civilian life.But those who do opt for the electric version are going to find themselves with the smoothest and perkiest Hilux, possibly of all time and also the quietest.It bodes well for electrified utes of the future, if only they can extend their range out to something a bit more usable.

Until the late 1970s, when a car’s fuel needle began to slip towards empty, Aussies were still pulling into a service station to receive just that… service.An attendant would approach the driver’s window and ask how much fuel a customer wanted, the most common reply being, fill ‘er up!That helpful person duly filled the car, checked the oil and water, cleaned the windscreen, received the appropriate amount of cash, brought back the change and waved a happy motorist on their way.But then, the dominance of that wholesome exchange was blown away by the arrival of self-service petrol stations.All of a sudden the forecourt attendant was unceremoniously kicked to the kerb and a ripple of nervous trauma passed through the broader populace.The onus was on drivers to pull up and fill the car themselves. Second nature now, a revolution then.And with the rising popularity of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) we’re facing a similarly unsettling scenario with the switch from the familiar petrol bowser to intimidating charge pylons.No hose and nozzle, rather a thick cable and bulky connector plug. No panel operator to process your purchase, you’re on your own with a smartphone app or swipe card to get the job done.And arguably an even bigger shift is the ability to top up your car at home and/or where you work. It’s still unfamiliar territory for many, so for the EV curious worried about the process of charging an electric vehicle, never fear CarsGuide is here with a pre-flight checklist to help you get to grips with the brave new world of public or home charging. The first thing we’d recommend is a subtle mindset shift. Don’t think of an EV as you would a car powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE). Think of it more like your phone; a case of top-up rather than fill-up.The current crop of high-voltage lithium-ion EV drive batteries respond best to being kept between 20 and 80 per cent charged.Keeping that 20 per cent minimum in mind is helpful because driving an EV until the battery is close to depletion means you run the risk of failing to proceed before you can reach a charge point. Who needs the strain of pushing into the range anxiety zone?That mid-range charge band reduces the heat stress on a pack’s individual cells, which can accelerate chemical degradation and impact the battery’s effectiveness and longevity.To that end, DC fast-charging slows to a snail’s pace once the battery hits 80 per cent, anyway. So, better to save time and unplug at that point.That’s why so many car manufacturers quote a 10-80 or 20-80 per cent DC charge time for the EVs they’re hoping to land in your driveway. If you need every last kilometre of potential range for a road trip, by all means go to 100 percent on DC, but best not to make it a habit.If you’d like to dig deeper into the characteristics of different EV battery types, and there are several, we’ve got you covered here.But what about those two letters - DC, not to mention their related cousins - AC?If you were paying more attention than I was in high school physics you’ll know they stand for Direct Current (DC) and Alternating Current (AC).Without getting into the weeds on the differences, the main things you need to know are DC is high-voltage while AC is generally lower output as found in typical household three-pin outlets.  And rechargeable EV batteries can only store DC electricity, which means they need an onboard charger to convert AC to DC. It’s a long way to the top if you want to charge a car.Home or work charging is by far the most common means of juicing up an electric vehicle with AC the dominant form.The highest output you’ll find in a home charger currently in Australia is 22kW, which matches the AC capacity of the Porsche Taycan, its Audi e-tron GT corporate sibling and several others.This will require a three-phase upgrade, as will a slightly lesser 11kW charger, which is why many EV owners opt for a 7.2kW (single-phase) set-up. You’ll still need a registered sparky for the installation and charge times will be longer but you don’t run into the heat-related issues fast-DC charging brings, plus there’s less fuss and expense. And if you have solar and a storage battery, you're laughing.Or, simplest of all, use an adaptor cable that plugs straight into house power. Charging takes an age but that might be fine for you.There are a multitude of home wallbox-style chargers available. Even that massive hardware chain with the local primary school sausage sizzle out the front has multiple options available.You may have also noted council-provided AC chargers on a nearby telegraph pole. Free to use, they will range from 7.2 to 22kW output.The Australian Federal Government, as well as several state governments continue to invest in EV charging infrastructure, so the number of public chargers is set to continue growing steadily in years to come.  And it’s worth noting an EV can only take in as much energy as its AC/DC convertor will allow. Plug 22kW AC into a 7.2kW car and your maximum charge rate is… 7.2kW.When it comes to plugging in, that’s the process. Open the flap to the EV’s charge port, push the cable into the connector and press go on your charging device of choice.Only a few years ago there was VHS vs Betamax (for younger readers, they were competing video tape formats) style confusion over Type 2 and CHAdeMO connectors.Happily, the Type 2 style appears to have won the arm wrestle, which keeps things simple at home or when using a public charger.The car will indicate its battery’s state of charge as the electricity goes in, as will a readout on the charging cable, wall box or public pylon.Keep an eye on the number if you’re fast-charging but you can set-and-forget for a low-output overnight AC charge (potentially taking advantage of off-peak energy rates in the process). Simply switch off and uncouple when you’ve reached your desired level.To give you an example on time and charge rates, the pure-electric Renault Megane E-Tech is fitted with a 60kWh (kilowatt hour) lithium-ion battery, which Renault says will charge from 15-80 per cent, on a 130kW DC fast charger, in around 30 minutes.Switch to AC and the Megane’s 7.4kW capacity means you’re looking at a little over nine hours for a full (0-100 per cent) charge.   Using domestic 10-amp, single-phase power the wait time is 30.5 hours for a full charge.PHEVs are quicker to charge given their smaller batteries and ICE power onboard.   If you want to fast charge on a public DC pylon from providers like Chargefox and Evie Charging, one of the motoring clubs like RACV or NRMA or the Tesla Supercharger network, here’s how it goes.For reference, DC EV charge pylons in Australia will typically range from 50kW to 350kW output with a handful of 400kW Ampol Amplify sites now in place. Best to start by downloading the relevant app and setting up an account for the option that works best for you.Once that’s in place, using Evie as an example, the app has a location map showing where your nearest charging site is, how many plugs are available, $/kWh (dollars per kilowatt hour) rate, the maximum power of the charger and more.As you would at home, extract the (in this case, hefty) cable from the pylon, open the car’s charge port door and plug in. The pylon readout screen will tell you a connection has been made and encourage you to press start.A swipe card to use on the pylon’s payment mat is another option to get things underway.Once the charge has started the pylon will keep you updated on the rate of charge and the battery filling up can be monitored in the same way you would at home.Press stop when you’re ready, the charge will subside and the machine will allow you to take out the connector cable and replace the plug. Job done.And if you’re wondering how much it costs to charge your EV at home versus a public outlet, we’re recently done the arithmetic here.That’s about it. Good luck on your EV charging adventure.Drop questions in the comments section below. And EV old-hands, feel free to add your two bob’s worth in the comments, as well.

Many electric vehicles (EVs) are ridiculously rapid from a standstill but offer no emotion beyond being electric and fast in a straight line.However, one particular feature altered my perspective on this and how I engage with sporty EVs.This is the fake gear shifter. I experienced it for the first time in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N back in 2024 and felt so overwhelmed with all of the other new tech and customisation in the car that I didn’t get to properly test it out.However, I was recently handed the keys to an Ioniq 6 N and finally sunk my teeth into the simulated gear shifting, which Hyundai calls N e-Shift.Getting the boring stuff out of the way first, it essentially simulates an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It’ll replicate slight jerks when shifting gears and if you take control using the paddle shifters, it can bounce off the rev limiter.There are also numerous sound profiles you can select from, but my personal favourite is the classic one that simulates a combustion engine.It sounds comical when written down, but experiencing this first hand does dramatically change how you engage with the car.Rather than just planting the accelerator and silently getting to the speed limit, you get auditory and physical feedback that brings a smile to my face every time.It’s so thrilling watching the rev counter go up and to hear the ‘engine’ getting louder. Then it reaches the next level when it snaps into the next gear.It’s even fun just cruising around with the mode on as it’ll shuffle through the gears.One of the few things that get old in the Hyundai version of this technology is the idle sound. It can be a little drony, which grates after a while.I can see the irony in how these sensations mirror what’s already offered in internal combustion-powered sports cars, but every sporty EV needs a feature like this.Beyond Hyundai, a number of other carmakers already have technology that’s similar to this.Dodge introduced the so-called ‘Fratzonic Chambered’ exhaust on the electric Charger Daytona, which uses speakers and vibration motors to create a note that comes out of an exhaust pipe.Additionally, Porsche is now introducing simulated gear shifts and engine sounds in the Taycan and the new Cayenne Electric. The German carmaker had previously been against introducing this tech.

Volkswagen has revealed a new electric counterpart to the T-Cross small SUV.The 2027 Volkswagen ID.Cross is based on the MEB+ dedicated electric platform like the ID.Polo, Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq.While this new electric SUV can be ordered already in Germany, it’s unclear if or when it will be coming to Australia.“The Volkswagen ID.Cross is currently being assessed for the Australian market as part of our ongoing product planning activities,” said a Volkswagen Australia spokesperson.“While we recognise the interest in the vehicle, we are unable to confirm local availability or timing at this stage.”All versions of the ID.Cross are powered by a single, front-mounted electric motor but there are three different power tunes. These are 85kW, 99kW and 155kW.There are also two battery packs available, 37kWh and 52kWh. The latter offers up to 427km of WLTP-claimed range.Both battery packs can be AC charged at rates up to 11kW, but the 37kWh battery can be DC fast-charged at rates up to 90kW and the 52kWh battery can be DC fast-charged at rates up to 105kW. This allows for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 23 and 24 minutes, respectively.Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability is available as standard across the line-up at rates up to 3.6kW. It’s available with the use of an adaptor that plugs into the external charge port.On the outside the ID.Cross’ design language is cohesive with the ID.Polo. There are available matrix LED headlights, a rear LED light bar with 3D elements, illuminated VW logos, as well as black-painted pillars to create the illusion of a floating roof.It measures in at 4153mm long, 1794mm wide and 1581mm tall, with a 2601mm wheelbase. This makes it 45mm longer, 34mm wider and 2mm shorter than the T-Cross. The wheelbase is also 38mm longer.Inside there is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that, like the ID.Polo, offers a view mode that emulates the first-generation Golf’s gauges, as well as a 12.9-inch touchscreen multimedia system.There’s also a panoramic glass sunroof with an electric sunblind, fabric-covered dash panel, piano-key shortcut buttons under the touchscreen, an available 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, heated seats and steering wheel, as well as keyless entry and start.There are a total of five seats, 475 litres of boot space with rear seats upright, as well as a 25-litre frunk.With the reveal of this ID.Cross, it’s unclear what this means for the combustion-powered T-Cross which was originally revealed in 2018 and launched locally in 2019. It was last updated in 2024.

Another luxe Chinese SUV has the Range Rover in its sights. The IM LS9 Hyper is a high-end six-seater SUV from the MG-owning SAIC Motor, launching in the coming days. The LS9 Hyper is the high-performance grade of the standard flagship large SUV from IM, which has already been on sale in China for some time.IM (short for Intelligence in Motion) serves as a premium arm of MG in Australia with only hybrid and fully electric products.Currently it only sells the IM5 sedan and IM6 mid-size SUV Down Under, both as EVs.It seems unlikely the LS9 Hyper is an immediate prospect for Australia, as the flagship SUV is yet to be confirmed for our market.MG Australia's previous CEO Peter Ciao told CarsGuide all IM models are part of its global strategy, so there is potential for the LS9 in some form in the future. The brand has confirmed it will be expanding its IM range in Australia over the course of 2026.The LS9 Hyper joins the BYD Great Tang and GWM Wey V9X on a growing list of lavish large SUVs from Chinese brands.It is dimensionally similar to a long-wheelbase full-size Range Rover.It measures up at 5279mm long, 2000mm wide, 1806mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 3160mm.The car is powered by a range-extender hybrid set-up in line with many of its rivals. It consists of a 1.5-litre turbo-engine responsible for charging its lithium-ion battery, producing 114kW, and three electric motors.The front motor produces 160kW, while the two rear-mounted motors produce 195kW each, combining for a 550kW total.It is expected to be able to accelerate from 0-100km/h in around three seconds.The car rides on a monocoque chassis so it is tuned for comfort and driving dynamics rather than the more off-road focus of some of its contemporaries.It boasts both all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering to further enhance handling and manoeuvrability. The car is set out in a plush 2-2-2 configuration and the interior features a combined 27.1-inch digital driver display and central touchscreen as well as a 15.6-inch passenger display.The current LS9 starts from 346,900 yuan, which is roughly A$73,000, but expect a decent bump on that price for this range-topping Hyper variant.Stay tuned for more on the roll-out of IM products under the MG banner in Australia soon.

Suzuki has a new electric Kei Car on the horizon and it’s reportedly likely to go global.As reported by Autocar, this new electric Kei Car from the Japanese carmaker is set to launch in the UK in 2027.It’ll reportedly be priced from under £20,000 (~A$38,400) in the UK and will rival the Honda Super-One, along with the BYD Atto 1, Renault Twingo, Hyundai Inster and Renault 5 E-Tech, among others.At this stage it’s unclear whether this new Suzuki electric Kei Car will come to Australia, but right-hand drive production gives a local launch a head start.It’s likely this car will be a production version of the Vision e-Sky concept, which was revealed at the 2025 Tokyo motor show.The concept has a tall hatchback look and measures in at 3395mm long, 1475mm wide and 1625mm tall.No other details have been confirmed yet, but with this type of vehicle a 30kWh battery and around 200km of WLTP-claimed range is typical.Beyond the forthcoming Honda Super-One, no other electric Kei Car is not currently available in Australia.Mitsubishi did launch the i-MiEV in Australia in 2010 and it was one of the first electric vehicles (EVs) available locally. It was a modified version of the Mitsubishi i petrol-powered Kei Car.The Japanese carmaker also explored the possibility of introducing the eK X electric Kei Car, but it didn’t follow through as the changes required for Australian Design Rules (ADRs) would make it hard to retain an affordable price tag. It also would likely struggle to achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating.Beyond the Japan-only e Every electric Kei-sized van, Suzuki currently only offers one other electric vehicle (EV), the e Vitara. It launched earlier this year and is a rival to the likes of the BYD Atto 2, Leapmotor B10, MG S5 EV and Jaecoo J5 EV. Front- and all-wheel drive variants are on offer and pricing starts at $46,990 drive-away.The Japanese carmaker is reportedly going to launch a third EV in 2029. It will likely sit between the e Vitara and the production version of the Vision e-Sky concept.“It most definitely won't be an electric Swift,” said Suzuki Great Britain and Ireland Director Automobile David Kateley to Autocar.No other details about this second forthcoming EV have been confirmed yet.

Volkswagen’s woes seem to be ever-growing in the 2020s, but one aspect of its production is likely to get a huge overhaul in an attempt to cut costs.Volkswagen’s CEO Oliver Blume raised an idea during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on April 30 that has seemingly started to take hold - building its China-only models in its underutilised German plants.As part of what Blume has called “the most comprehensive realignment in the company’s history”, Volkswagen will not only cut around 50,000 jobs on top of about 37,000 already cut since 2024, but will also consider a couple of ways in which it can lower production costs while utilising its connections with China.A report from Automotive News Europe says insiders have flagged three possible moves VW might make to fill production lines and improve the company’s efficiency.The first, and apparently the preferred option for VW Group’s top brass, is to use VW’s incoming China Scalable Platform (CSP) for global models, though the platform isn’t set to underpin models in China until 2028.Volkswagen has joint-ventures in China with Xpeng, SAIC and FAW and could lean on those in the meantime. The potential plan has reportedly raised concerns from VW’s workforce representatives, who say the brand’s Wolfsburg engineering teams should handle development of new cars.Another possible move is for the China-only VW ID Era 9X to replace the VW Touareg which just ended its production run in Europe.The range-extended electric SUV is a six-seater built specifically for China, developed with its joint-venture partner SAIC. It has become relatively popular compared to VW’s other electrified models, and reports say executives like the idea of it filling the large-SUV-sized gap left by Touareg in Europe.Another, less likely possibility is for VW to build XPeng models in its German plants, given its 5 per cent stake in the Chinese brand and the fact the XPeng G6, G9 and P7+ are imported to Europe.Automotive News Europe says insiders don’t see this as likely, reporting that executives see no value in becoming a contractor for a Chinese EV brand.Volkswagen is also expected to massively cull its global model line-up, with German newspaper Bild reporting a wide range of cars from all of its brands won't survive to another generation.