EV News

Nissan seems to have dumped its Skyline EV plans in favour of raucous RWD twin-turbo V6 revival.

Stellantis has begun road-testing an electric vehicle (EV) prototype with a new battery technology that’s aimed at making its EVs more efficient, sustainable and cost-effective.Developed in partnership with French battery technology company Saft over the last few years, the Peugeot E-3008 electric SUV is fitted with Intelligent Battery Integrated System (IBIS) technology.It embeds the inverter and charger functionalities directly in the battery pack, regardless of the chemistry or application, which in turn saves space and reduces complexity. It still offers both AC and DC charging capabilities, while still being able to power the vehicle’s 12V system.Stellantis claims this IBIS technology improves the energy efficiency by 10 per cent, according to WLTP testing, and improves power by 15 per cent with the same battery size.Additionally the weight is reduced by 40kg and there’s 17L more volume available, allowing for more design flexibility and better aerodynamics.Early results have shown that there’s a 15 per cent reduction in charging time. When plugged into a 7kW AC charger it only takes six hours to fully charge, rather than seven.Lastly IBIS technology is claimed to allow for easier servicing and maintenance, plus once the battery has reached the end of its usable life in a vehicle, it can be reused as a stationary unit.“This project reflects our belief that simplification is innovation,” said Stellantis Chief Engineering and Technology Officer Ned Curic.“By rethinking and simplifying the electric powertrain architecture, we are making it lighter, more efficient, and more cost-effective.“These are the kinds of innovations that help us deliver better, more affordable EVs to our customers.”Stellantis isn’t the only carmaker working on this kind of technology. Porsche is also working on a ‘modular multi-level inverter’ that combines multiple electric components into one unit.At this stage Stellantis has said it’s aiming to introduce this battery technology into its production vehicles by the end of the decade.

Is this a rare case of a brand underselling important hybrid drivetrain tech?

Australia is one of the most fiercely-contested sales arenas in the world today, with more than 60 brands and counting fighting for a modest 1.2-million-unit market annually.Tough doesn’t even start to explain the situation.Now, with the recent Climate Change Authority’s recommendation that electric vehicle (EV) sales jump from today’s 10 per cent market penetration to at least 50 per cent by 2035 to achieve emissions targets, it is vital that Australian buyers willingly take the leap into full electrification.To that end, here are five EVs not-yet available locally that could lure consumers in. Let’s go.Built at the old Fiesta supermini factory in Germany, the inexplicably-named Explorer EV (no relation at all to the larger, non-electric American Toyota Kluger-sized SUV with exactly the same badge – are there no other names, Ford?) is not what it seems.Under the boxy exterior is a Volkswagen ID.4 mid-sized EV SUV. This is a strong basis for any family-friendly electric car, offering a pleasing depth of quality engineering. Ford’s contribution has been in its unique styling inside and out, as well as on-brand dynamic tuning.Launched last year, initial sales in Europe tanked, but demand has really started to pick up lately, as consumers respond to the Explorer’s chunky styling, involving handling and sophisticated interior. With up to 600km of WLTP range available, efficiency is also impressive.This Euro Explorer is exactly the sort of EV Ford Australia needs: handsome, athletic, capable and clean.Especially as the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) will increasingly penalise carbon-heavy polluters like diesel-powered utes and SUVs – which is what Ranger and Everest are respectively, making up about 90 per cent of total local Ford sales.But there are no plans for Explorer EV to be imported. It seems like a no-brainer. What a shame.The retro-chic Renault 5 E-Tech city car is a sales and critical success, and deservedly so, offering an alluring blend of style, affordability and technology. Europeans are going gaga over this French supermini, and all indications suggest we soon will be, too. Fingers crossed.But its big brother, the Renault 4 E-Tech, might be an even-better fit for Australia, given it is a higher-riding SUV/crossover, with proper practicality lurking underneath that utilitarian design. With only hints of the original, ground-breaking R4 of 1961 – widely considered to be history’s first volume hatchback – the 2025 reimagining treads a fine line between post-modern-cool and ultra-contemporary-funk.Fun fact: unlike the original Renault 5 supermini of the 1970s, Australians could actually buy the first R4, from 1963 to 1967, and it was even manufactured in Melbourne.Chinese giant Geely has the resources and might to stamp its authority in the bottom end of the EV market in Australia with this – the Geome Xingyuan.And an anticipated sub-$30,000 entry price wouldn’t be the light urban crossover’s only strength.Aimed at the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and Hyundai Inster, the Geome has gone gangbusters back in China, with buyers liking and subscribing its cutesy organic styling, surprisingly spacious cabin and ease of operation – aided by plenty of pep, perky handling, decent range and a generous wad of safety tech. What’s not to like from an EV that, in China, kicks off from well-below $20K? At $25K the Geome would rule.With a name like that, this European EV supermini sounds like it should be Chinese, but the Grande Panda is very much an elegant – and thoughtful ­– slice of Italian design.Based on Stellantis’ Smart Car Platform that supports internal combustion engines as well as battery electric tech, accessibility was high on the Grande Panda’s engineering brief, meaning that, were it to join its glamorous 500e supermini sister in Australia, it should be priced very competitively. Like history’s best Fiats have always been.This is the sort of fun and fiery yet ultra-functional city car that the company is famous for – and the retro styling that harks back to the beloved, Giugiaro-penned 1980 Panda original makes no bones about that. Interesting detailing, great proportions and an inviting interior presentation are further drawcards, proving that Italy still knows how to make cracking small cars. And did we mention the Grande Panda was designed to be attractively priced?OK. This is little more than the high-flying Renault 5 E-Tech wearing a 2000s-era Mk3 Micra-esque face with adorable semi-circular LEDs to set it apart.But, in an era of capable if unexciting SUVs, ageing utes and even-older 4WDs, Nissan deserves to offer something fresh and youthful.And, anyway, until the late 2010s and Tesla Model 3, the brand’s Leaf small car was the most successful EV in history. Whether lightning strikes twice with the vital third iteration from next year remains to be seen, but in the meantime, the Micra EV proves that there is real heart as well as a sense of fun at Nissan. Even if it is so clearly little more than a badge-engineered R5. But there could be worse cars to be based upon.

Deepal's over-the-air update to the S07's safety systems, which allows certain functions to be permanently disabled rather than require them to be turned off every time the vehicle is started, risks falling foul of ANCAP, with the safety body demanding answers ahead of a potential revaluation of the model's safety rating.

How Deepal's werid 'Multitruck' is already stealing sales from Tesla's Cybertruck.

The zippy 2026 Zeekr 001 has hit the market in China as a rival to the Tesla Model S.

The Volkswagen Group’s long-awaited response to cheap electric vehicles (EVs) from China is shaping up to be one of next year’s most important global debutantes.

Porsche’s move into hybrid technology for its most iconic model is paying dividends, according to a key executive.

KGM Australia (formerly SsangYong Australia) has received a tick of approval from the Federal Government for the local appearance of a pure-electric version of its Musso dual cab ute.