Electric Cars

Chery has officially launched its Q small, pure-electric hatch in Thailand with pricing starting at the equivalent of around $20,400 and an introductory offer of roughly $19,500.Called QQ3 and priced from ¥68,920 (~$14,000) in the Chinese domestic market, the value-focused small EV will be offered across three tiers in Thailand - the entry-grade Qlick referenced above, mid-level Qool (~$21,700) and top-spec Quint (~$22,500).All but confirmed for local sale, the rear-motor, rear-wheel drive city car has regularly been spotted testing in Australia with CarsGuide invited to a preview drive in China only last month.And if Australian pricing is even close to the Thai Q line-up it will throw a ferocious cat amongst the EV pigeons, undercutting the current electric car price leader, BYD’s Atto 1 Essential at $23,990, before-on-road costs.In China, two powertrains are available – one with 58kW/90Nm and another producing 90kW/115Nm, the latter offered in Thailand, the first confirmed export market for the latest iteration of the car.Again, there are two LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery options in China, rated at 29.5kWh and 41.3kWh, respectively, but it’s the bigger pack only for Thailand, with range quoted at 400 km (NEDC).It’s safe to assume Australia would follow the Thai market battery and powertrain template.Measuring just under 4.2m long, a fraction more than 1.8m wide and close to 1.6m tall, the Q is shorter (-95mm) but wider (+41mm) than the BYD Dolphin while riding on an identical 2700mm wheelbase.DC fast charging at 85kW translates to a 30-80 per cent fill in 16.5 minutes with 6.6kW AC charging capability onboard. The car is also V2L (vehicle-to-load) capable.Boot capacity is a useful 375 litres with the rear seat upright and an impressive 1450L with it folded. A front boot adds another 70 litres and there’s a 35-litre compartment tucked under the rear seats.The Q is underpinned by Chery’s ‘T12’ battery-electric platform and rides on a strut front multi-link rear suspension set-up with disc brakes all around (ventilated at the front).Equipment highlights on upper grades for the Thai market include auto LED headlights and LED tail-lights, an 8.9-inch instrument display, 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen, dual-zone climate-control and wireless device charging as well as an electric front boot lid and tailgate.The flagship Q Quint picks up 17-inch alloy rims, ambient lighting, voice recognition, six-speaker audio, auto-parking, a powered driver’s seat and front proximity sensors.Safety includes up to 10 airbags and a suite of 21 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) functions including AEB, adaptive cruise, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic parking assist.Interestingly, Thai introductory pricing for the Q includes an eight-year/200,000 km warranty (seven-year/unlimited km in Australia), a lifetime high-voltage battery warranty (eight-year/unlimited km in Oz), five years’ 24-hour roadside assistance (up to seven years conditional here), a year’s “free insurance”, an AC portable charger and a carpet set.When contacted for comment on the car’s likelihood for Australian sale a Chery spokesperson told CarsGuide, “There’s a lot of interest around the Chery QQ3, but at this stage it is not confirmed for Australia.“However, a number of international models are currently under consideration for the local market,” they said.Stay tuned.

One of the world's biggest petrol producers has just figured out a ground-breaking electric car charging solution.Shell produces more than eight million barrels of crude oil a day, but the company is turning the tables with its ‘Triple 10 Challenge’ concept electric car.It is designed to achieve three goals, which are a 10-minute charge time, a driving efficiency of 10kWh per 100km and a lifetime emissions footprint of 10 tonnes.Charging times are one of the main talking points when it comes to an EV future.Brands have been in fierce competition to produce super fast charging cars and infrastructure. Geely sub-brand Zeekr announced back in April it was prepping a system capable of charging from 10-97 per cent in less than nine minutes. Shell’s system focuses on improving the efficiency of how vehicles charge as opposed to pumping more power into the charger.It will use an advanced thermal fluid designed to prevent overheating, which has become the biggest roadblock to fast charging. The transfer of electricity creates friction, and therefore heat, slowing down the charging process. The liquid used by Shell is not electrically conductive meaning it is not susceptible to the high levels of friction faced during charging.Batteries are submerged in this liquid to directly prevent heating up as opposed to conventional cooling mechanisms that only mitigate overheating.BYD and Geely have approached the issue differently by distributing liquid-cooled chargers in China. This new system from Shell could change the charging game by using a less powerful charger and still achieving fast charging times. Many of the ultra fast chargers available boast power of more than 1000kW, but Shell’s system would only need 175kW to achieve similar charging times. Australia will soon receive BYD’s megawatt fast charging in what will be one of the first examples of ultra fast charging Down Under.There is no news on where Shell plans to use this technology, but it could be huge in Australia should it get off the ground, given the country’s challenges with adequate charging infrastructure. Shell’s driving efficiency aim of 10kWh/100km would be a strong performer in the EV world.Improved driving efficiency means EVs can travel longer distances between charges.This could be particularly useful for small cars that do not have the space for big batteries, like Shell's concept car.The similarly-sized BYD Atto 1's 30kWh battery has a driving range of 220km at 15.5kWh/100km, but this would be boosted to 300km at Shell's rate of 10kWh/100km.This would also bring down the size of batteries needed for EVs, reducing the amount of EV waste and strain on expensive recycling initiatives. EVs are often criticised for the environmental costs of acquiring precious metal resources and manufacturing the final product.Shell’s final goal is to have a total emissions value over the life of its concept car being 10 million tonnes. The company said this is roughly 50 per cent of the lifecycle emissions of comparable vehicles produced today.It's improved emissions value is down to a smaller battery, simplified cooling circuit and recycled components.Shell’s project remains in its infancy currently, but the hatchback model showcased demonstrates there is potential for commercialisation. 

Mini utes are the hottest new trend in motoring, and a brand new name has been added to the crush of bite-sized workhorses.Slate Auto is a new electric car company backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and its first vehicle will be the modular Slate Truck. It was first revealed in April, 2025, but there has been crickets every since ... until now.The Slate Truck is a little single-cab ute that can be converted into an SUV.It is a bare bones proposition with a starting price of US$24,950 ($36,200), which is several thousand more than originally promised.Turning it into an SUV with seating for five, but still two doors, lifts the price to US$29,950 ($43,450).The Slate Truck uses a 63kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery that delivers a driving range of up to 330km. It can absorb up to 120kW via a DC fast charger or 11kW when connected to a compatible AC charger.Power comes from a single rear electric motor that produces 135kW and 264Nm.It has a handy payload of 700kg, which drops to 570kg for the heavier SUV, with the tray a similar length to a dual-cab ute. It can tow up to 900kg.Its rear-wheel-drive layout means there is a useable cargo area under the bonnet, which trumps any diesel- or petrol-powered ute out there.Slate will begin delivering Trucks at the end of the year in the US. There is no word on if the vehicles will be exported to Australia.Slate is preparing to sell their vehicles direct to customers, with no conventional dealerships. This could make expanding globally easier, especially given Bezos’ expertise in global e-commerce.The Slate Truck isn’t the only small ute in the world, with BYD, Ford and Toyota all building new work ponies.This new breed of small utes isn’t built on a rugged ladder frame that is designed to handle serious off-roading, but are car-based utes in a similar vein to the old Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon utes.Ford’s new electric small ute has been spotted testing in the US and is the first vehicle from its new Skunkworks, which was created to develop the new low-cost electric vehicle platform. It is due to launch in 2027, with Ford aiming for a circa-US$30,000 (A$42,600) price tag.This would join its hybrid Maverick ute, which has been a smash hit in the US.Toyota has been caught testing a new Corolla Cross-based ute in South America, and is again expected to launch in Latin America next year.It is expected to be based on the company’s TNGA-C platform, which would grant it access to the Prius’ plug-in hybrid set-up, as well as the tried-and-tested 2.0-litre self-charging hybrid set-up.BYD has also confirmed the Mako ute, which is expected to burst out of South America.In Brazil, the Mako is a plug-in hybrid producing an expected 175kW, and promising a circa-100km EV-only driving range, along with a choice of two- or all-wheel drive.A European launch also seems likely – though under the name Shark 5 – given patent filings have appeared in the EU. Reports also point to a flagship 1.5-litre PHEV variant producing 200kW of power being developed.

A top-seller in France, Germany and in the UK, Audi Q4 e-tron volumes have never quite made an impact Down Under.It's not exactly hard to work out why.First introduced back in 2021 in Europe, Audi Australia waited until 2024 before it rolled the Q4 e-tron SUV and swoopier Sportback variant out locally. When it arrived, the premium all-electric compact SUV attempted to woo buyers with its stylish looks and upmarket cabin but its high price ruled out a challenge to the high-grade Tesla Model Ys that still account for most EV sales.Originally ripe for a replacement in 2027, Audi has recently admitted delays to the next-generation platform that should underpin the sequel to the small EV have meant that its current Q4 e-tron will have to soldier on until 2030.Later this year, the Q4 e-tron will be joined by the new A2 e-tron, yet another small crossover that is similar in size but be positioned under the entry Audi SUV.To keep the Q4 fresh, Audi will continually update Q4 e-tron from now on, with faster and cheaper variants already in the pipeline but the latest facelift is one of the biggest model upgrades yet carried out to any Audi, says its maker.Not that many will spot the body-coloured single-frame grille, revised lower bumper design, or even the fresh digital LED headlamps.At the rear, another new bumper and rear OLED tail-lights smarten up the Q4, but it's inside where designers and engineers blew the development budget.Climb in and you're now greeted by the same 'digital stage' hardware as the bigger, pricier Q6 e-tron.You'll love the new 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster that lives behind a single piece of glass alongside a 12.8-inch multimedia setup, and admire how smooth and intuitive all the tech is and appreciate the augmented reality head-up display.For the first time there's even the option of a 12-inch passenger display, which is unheard of in its class, Audi says.Sadly, you'll probably hate that designers have deleted the physical controls for the climate control, but to help compensate, there's a new round steering wheel that replaces the old car's squared-off tiller, and it features proper buttons and rotary controllers to help control some of the tech without having to dive into sub-menus.All the new tech runs the brand's latest Android Automotive operating system that introduces a ChatGPT-powered personal assistant.Under the skin, engineers have added a vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging capability, that allow owners to charge laptops, or an e-bike via a power socket in the rear boot, plus a vehicle-to-home (V2H) feature that can see the Q4 e-tron sell energy back to the grid, power your home, or be topped up using solar.In a bid to boost efficiency, the Audi Q4 e-tron is among the first VW Group vehicles to come with its latest APP350 e-motor that is lighter, features less internal friction and is blended with a trick silicon carbide inverter, new power electronics and fresh software that slashes energy use by 10 per cent.For now, it powers a new 150kW entry version that is paired with a 59kWh battery that provides for a 440km range for the wagon shape and an 8.1 second 0-100km/h sprint.A better bet for Australians is the Q4 e-tron Performance that misses out on the eco-donk but gets a single 210kW rear-mounted e-motor and a larger 77kWh battery for the longer 592km range that is combined with a brisk 6.6-second 0-100km/h dash.Also available will be the fast all-wheel-drive Q4 e-tron Performance that produces 250kW and sees the small Q4 e-tron launch from 0-100km/h in just 5.4 seconds, although the distance it can travel on a single charge falls to 554km.When it comes to charging speeds, the entry and mid-spec Q4 e-tron can only be topped up at 160-165kW, while the all-wheel-drive flagship can now handle a top-up of up to 185kW.All take around 27 minutes for a 10-80 per cent top-up, which means the Q4 e-tron is about to be humbled by the inbound Mercedes-Benz GLA that arrives later this year, which should match the bigger GLB's maximum 320kW rate and 16-minute recharge.At least the Q4 e-tron is quicker than the older BMW iX1 that takes more than 29 minutes (130kW) but that car is also set to be superseded by a new model late next year.The good news is, when it comes to its 4.6m-long footprint, Audi says the Q4 e-tron still leads the small electric SUV class for interior space, with a surprising amount of rear leg- and headroom and a large 515-litre boot in the SUV/wagon versions.As part of the cabin overhaul there's said to be up to 25 litres of storage within, including a large 4.7-litre Jumbo Box between the driver and passenger.Dual air-cooled wireless charging pads have been added, which sit ahead of two new and improved cupholders.Behind the wheel, engineers have not been tempted to inject any extra spice to the driving experience. That means the Q4 e-tron still offers a smooth, quiet and refined driving experience, with low levels of wind, tyre and road noise.The two cars we drove rode on 20-inch alloy wheels, but it was the single-motor 210kW version delivering better levels of ride quality, compared to the quicker 250kW all-wheel-drive quattro version.Efficiency also seemed impressive with the single-motor version averaging a better-than-claimed 14.8kWh/100km on a mixture of driving.What's missing is the Audi is neither fun or engaging in a way we expect the next BMW iX1 to be as it will share much with the excellent iX3.Audi Australia has yet to confirm official pricing or spec for the Q4 e-tron, but the German brand has announced that all models will come with more kit than before. That includes standard sport seats, the Digital Stage dash, the dual inductive chargers we mentioned earlier, ambient lighting and a new air conditioner that can work while parked.Extras will include matrix LED front lamps, the passenger display, the augmented reality head-up display, three-zone climate control, adaptive dampers, a heated front windscreen, acoustic glass, a panoramic sunroof and a powerful Sonos sound system.Back in 2021 the Q4 e-tron was awarded the full five stars for safety thanks to up to seven airbags and a long list of driver assist tech, although that rating will be up for review as soon as next year.Like every other Audi, the updated Q4 e-tron should come with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty, with a further eight-year/160,000km protection for the high-voltage batteries.The Q4 e-tron gets capped-price servicing package, with service intervals primed to be every 24 months or 30,000km.There's no word on pricing yet, but expect a big adjustment over the current car, which is priced from $84,900 (plus on-roads) for the most basic wagon and stretches to $107,900 for the quickest all-wheel-drive Sportback quattro.

Polestar has updated and cut the price of its popular 4 coupe-SUV.The dynamic looking electric car has been given a refresh with some notable changes under the skin.It remains a two-tier range kicking off with the single rear motor version priced from $78,500, before on-road costs, which is the same as the outgoing version. The dual-motor grade is now $2000 cheaper starting at $86,350.The refreshed line-up is due in Australia from July/August.Polestar claims it has improved the vehicle's on road manners with tweaked suspension that includes revised high-capacity passive dampers, new spring and anti-roll bar settings and polyurethane rebound stops replacing internal rebound coil springs.This, the brand said, results in making the 4 more agile and comfortable in all driving conditions.Polestar has revised its option packs for the 2027 model year version. See table at the bottom for full detailsThe brand also said the 4 now has a reduced carbon footprint compared to previous examples.There are some simple changes inside such as the black seatbelt and rotary control for the Rear Motor version that switches to black with a gold stripe for the Dual Motor and full Gold when paired with the Performance Pack.Technical details remain the same. Rear motor versions use a single motor that makes 200kW and 343Nm. Dual motor examples up the ante with 400kW and 686Nm.At its heart the 4 has a 100kWh battery that can absorb up to 200kW via a DC fast charger, or 11kW when connected to an appropriate AC charger. AC charging can be boosted to 22kW at a price.Driving range is 620km for the Rear Motor and 590km for the Dual Motor.Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller said, “The upgraded Polestar 4 coupé is better than ever, offering a more refined ride with enhanced driving pleasure and stronger sustainability credentials. Overall, the Polestar 4 coupé delivers an even more compelling package without compromise.”Lohscheller also indicated to CarsGuide earlier this year the cost-of-entry for the more premium 3 would fall.He puts this down to production moving to the US from China, which consolidated manufacturing and reduced costs. 

The Skoda Peaq has just been announced as Europe’s latest electric family SUV rival.The big seven-seat electric SUV is expected to land in Australia in 2027, where it would complement the mid-size Enyaq and compact Elroq electric SUVs in Skoda's expanding EV range in Australia. It would pose a challenge to other electric three-row SUVs, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 ($119,750, before on-road costs) and Kia EV9 ($97,000).There is no news on how much the Skoda Peaq will cost in Australia, but Skoda has confirmed it will have a starting price of below 50,000 euros in Europe (about $80,000). Cars from Europe usually carry a sizeable premium when put on sale in Australia, so expect it to sit above that $80,000 mark.The car will be available with a single rear electric motor, producing 150kW and 350Nm, while a dual motor all-wheel drive wheel layout boosts power up to 220kW and 545Nm. The Peaq will be fitted with either a 63kWh battery offering a driving range of 459km (WLTP), or a 91kWh unit offers 647km or 613km, depending on it being RWD or AWD. The car has both AC and DC charging capabilities, with a 10-80 per cent charge at 160kW, taking 27 minutes for the smaller battery, while the larger battery takes 28 minutes at 199kW. The car has a sleek overall presence, measuring at 4874mm long, which makes it shorter than the EV9 and Ioniq 9. It will also be the first Skoda model to feature flush door handles. On the inside, there is a 13.6-inch vertical central touchscreen using a Google Android software system, along with a digital driver display. There is also a 16-speaker audio system, pumping out 755W. The car has a large panoramic sunroof spanning most of the roof space.The Peaq will launch with a Sportline variant that gives the car a sharper look, along with optional two-tone paint.

Chinese carmakers are leading the way went it comes to EVs, but this one brand is flipping the script.Every car in the top 10 best-selling EVs for May 2026 was built in China, including the Jaecoo J5 EV.The J5 EV claimed the title for the best-selling small SUV in May 2026. Omoda Jaecoo’s Australian Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz said the brand is not classed as a specialist electric carmaker, despite this result.The J5 EV was one of Chery Group’s first fully-electric models put on sale Down Under, with much of its range adopting petrol or hybrid set-ups. It was the group’s most successful model in May, but Munoz said it is doing so while tackling more EV-specific competition.“Being that Omoda Jaecoo, and I guess Chery as a wider group, is not just an EV brand. We are a traditional car company,” Munoz on CarsGuide.  “It also proves that we are a technology company where an EV is within our capability as well. “To be able to achieve that, not being known as an EV brand is a true testament to the capabilities of Omoda Jaecoo and Chery as a group.”A petrol variant of the J5 recently launched in Australia, with Omoda Jaecoo still eager to cater for an internal combustion engine consumer base. This approach contrasts many of Chery’s key rivals, such as BYD, that does not offer any petrol-only models in Australia. It demonstrates Omoda Jaecoo trying to cover all bases. A plug-less version of the J5 is also due in showrooms before the end of the year. It comes as many legacy brands also phase out petrol-only options for key models. One of the J5’s rivals the Kia Seltos will launch for its new generation with a hybrid offering, ditching its popular pure petrol variant. It will become more difficult for brands to have pure internal combustion engines in their lineups with Australian emissions regulations becoming more stringent in the coming years. Munoz said Omoda Jaecoo is aware of the potential impacts of New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) fines on a strong sales return for the petrol J5. He said the brand would balance to ensure it meets its NVES obligations, with J5 EV acting as a shield to provide credits at this stage. 

This month we farewell our Hyundai Inster after several months. Are we glad to see it go or is this a pleasantly charming little city car?Before we continue, it’s worth noting that we did get the Extended Range variant back after it had been crashed into shortly after our second month of testing began. Read our second chapter for more on how it compared to the Standard Range, but we managed to finish our testing with this version of the car which, at least on paper, seems to be the pick of the range.As mentioned in the previous chapter though, the Standard Range version (which is $3500 cheaper than the $42,500 Extended Range we have) is completely fine, and in some ways superior.Having recently driven many of this car’s more price-savvy rivals from China, I noticed how nice and relatively unobtrusive the Inster is to drive.While some more affordable cars, even a size up from the Inster, are full of invasive driver aids, annoying ergonomic features or controls, and sub-standard software, the Inster is refreshingly easy to get along with, and does a bunch of the no-brainer EV driving stuff really well.For example, there are four levels of adjustable regenerative braking, from barely noticeable, to full single pedal mode, and these are nicely tuned so that they feel natural, whatever level of electric motor feedback you might be comfortable with.I’ve already mentioned the nice steering and ride in previous chapters, which makes this car feel a cut above its size bracket let alone its price bracket.The active safety features which helped the Inster earn a four-star ANCAP safety rating (harder than you might think for a car this small) are relatively unobtrusive, or at the very least, easy to turn off.The lane keeping aid, which at times can be a bit heavy handed, can simply be turned down by holding a button on the steering wheel for a few seconds, rather than having to dig through menus on the touchscreen. The rest of the safety kit is relatively tame, saving you menu-diving time on start-up.Then there’s the cabin practicality on offer. The Inster is a car seemingly very aware of its limited footprint. To that end, while you don’t get a centre console box, there are bag hooks hidden everywhere, like on the passenger side of the dash and there are fold-out hooks hidden at the edge of the armrest. Clever.I mentioned in the first chapter how surprisingly spacious the cabin feels in both rows of seating, but one trick this car has is a second row on rails.This means you can roll the seating row forward to either reduce or entirely remove legroom and expand the boot capacity massively.It’s a rare feature on most city cars delivered to Australia, but much more common on Asian-market models, like Kei cars from Japan.It means you can have kids or pets in the second row which don’t need as much space, while maximising boot space, or passenger room when you’re not carrying as much stuff. This makes it versatile, but as you might imagine the airport run isn't it's strong suit.Upsettingly though, there’s no frunk. While it might seem gimmicky, frunks can actually be a useful place to put charging cables when the under-floor storage is hard to access because you’re carrying luggage.I took the Inster for a spirited drive before I returned it to really test out its driving chops, and walked away impressed.The amount of grip on offer and the solid feeling of the suspension is backed up with a good amount of agility in corners. It combines nicely with a bit of drivetrain punch in Sport mode to make for a fun little car to really push, even if the Hyundai N-style carbon-fibre-look digital dash overhaul is a bit ill-fitting.It took a significant amount of work to get the tyres to eke out a squeal, to my surprise, and the suspension travel is limited enough that much of the uncomfortable feeling when the battery starts to ‘float’ the whole body of the car on undulating roads isn’t present.Sure, it’s not objectively fast, but probably quicker than you expect, and it’s always better to drive a slow car at 110 per cent than a fast car at 10 per cent.Efficiency wise, the Inster did pretty well. The final number I pulled from the car after around 1500km behind the wheel was 13.8kWh/100km. It’s lower than many of its larger rivals, which do between 14.5 and 17kWh/100km.As for charging, it can be annoying that the port is on the front of the car, because it means you need to go nose in to some spots. At least it’s on the kerb side for when you're using outdoor roadside chargers.The maximum charging speed is quoted at 120kW, but I’ve never seen it go faster than roughly 70kW, even on stacks capable of 150kW. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t need it. The battery is so small it still charges in half an hour or less.Ownership looks like a decent story, too. Not only will this car cost a lot less in charging compared to a fuel alternative, but the Inster only requires a service every two years or a whopping 30,000km.Unfortunately, Hyundai charges $655 per visit. A head-scratcher given a combustion alternative like the Yaris Cross with so many more expendable fluids and moving parts is more affordable to look after.

Renault has introduced an updated version of its pure-electric Megane E-Tech SUV with the aim of delivering “more character, dynamism and technology”.Launched globally in 2022, the Megane EV didn’t hit the local market until early 2024, so while it may feel early for an upgrade of the first-generation model, this is in fact a mid-life facelift.While the 160kW/300Nm synchronous motor is unchanged (as is the car’s 7.6sec 0-100km/h time) the updated Megane is 20 mm taller, in part to accommodate a bigger 67kWh LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery (up from 60kWh), with a WLTP range of up to 500km (up from 454km).DC fast-charging speed has also increased to 165kW (+35kW) with a 15-80 per cent charge claimed to now take 24 minutes, down from 30min.The previous base 7.4kW AC charge capacity (as specified in Australia) has been boosted to 11kW, with a 22kW bidirectional charger (enabling vehicle-to-load discharge) optional in Europe.Springs and dampers have been retuned in light of the larger battery and the steering has been recalibrated to “deliver a more direct response and greater precision at the wheel, for a more natural feel”.Cosmetic changes include a redesigned front end with only the headlights untouched. A more prominent body-coloured bumper section sits between new light graphics in the form of eight diamond-shaped elements in a chequerboard pattern (replacing previous side intakes). The gloss black grille also incorporates a diamond pattern and repositioned brand logo while at the rear the tail-lights remain full-width but have been given a 3D treatment with no covering lens.Inside, on the entry Techno trim, the dash is trimmed in a textured TEP (Thermo-Expandable Polyolefin) material with trim elements on the doors and dash in wood or a grey patterned finish.The top-spec Esprit Alpine picks up new Spectral Grey door panel trim and LED adaptive mood lighting.In terms of tech, the updated Megane E-Tech now features the openR link system with Google built-in.A dual-screen layout combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12-inch multimedia screen in a single seamless display.The system includes Google Assistant for voice control of the main in-car functions and Google Maps for navigation.Renault has also claimed early-adopter status in introducing a wireless charger meeting the Qi2 standard (Magsafe on iPhone) for new-gen smartphones, using a magnetic ring to deliver maximum charging power without overheating.Introducing the updated Scenic, Chief Growth Officer & CEO Renault Brand Fabrice Cambolive said, ”As more and more customers turn to electric vehicles our priority is to make this transition simple and attractive. The new Megane E-Tech electric is fully in line with this dynamic.“The introduction of a new LFP battery plays a key role in this evolution, improving range and charging performance,” he said.CarsGuide contacted Renault Australia for comment on the updated Scenic E-Tech's potential for local launch and a spokesperson told us, "The Renault Megane E-Tech facelift is due in Australian showrooms in the first half of 2027. Prices and specifications will be announced closer to showroom arrivals."

The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker AWD Touring is the flagship version of this electric SUV line-up in Australia.It’s now priced from $69,990, before on-road costs, following a $4000 price cut it received before its arrival.This flagship version is priced identically to the related Toyota bZ4X Touring which is only offered in a single, range-topping trim.It’s still priced competitively against many rivals like the Skoda Enyaq, Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.4 and Zeekr 7X. There are cheaper rivals out there but they typically don’t offer all-wheel drive.Power comes from a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with a healthy total system output of 280kW. This is enough to send it from 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, making it the fastest production Subaru model ever offered in Australia.The electric motors are fed by a 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack sourced from CATL. Claimed range for this entry-level model is 488km, according to WLTP testing, which is notably less than the entry-level model due to its larger 20-inch alloy wheels.Standard equipment includes LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, 14.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, dual wireless chargers, a digital rear-view mirror as well as blue and black leather-appointed upholstery.The Subaru Trailseeker received a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP on the related, European-spec E-Outback and Toyota bZ4X in 2025.The entire line-up receives the full safety suite, which is great peace of mind. Highlights include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitoring, front and rear parking sensors as well as a surround-view camera.Like all Subarus, the Trailseeker is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is getting rather lacklustre for a mainstream brand now.The warranty coverage for the high-voltage battery is eight years or 160,000km, which is standard across many brands.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. The first five services are capped and total $984.18, averaging out to around $197 per service.