EV News

Nissan Australia is ignoring its growing number of electric vehicles (EVs) available in other markets and sticking with just one in Australia, the Ariya mid-size SUV.Earlier this year the Japanese carmaker revealed the latest-generation of its Juke small SUV and confirmed it’s going all-electric.It will launch in Europe during 2027, but Nissan Australia confirmed it will not be coming to Australia.“The all-electric Juke will be built at our Sunderland plant in the UK and has been developed primarily as a Europe-focused EV,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson.“At this stage, there are no plans to introduce the model in Australia.”Additionally Nissan has recently launched a new-generation version of the Leaf, which is now also a small SUV. It and the new Juke are based on the same dedicated electric platform.There were initially plans for the new-generation Leaf to come to Australia but these have been put on hold.“With respect to the next-generation Leaf, we have decided to postpone its introduction to Australia following a review of the local business case,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson.At this stage it’s unclear when the new Leaf will now launch in Australia.Beyond the new Juke and Leaf EVs, Nissan also offers a number of other small electric models in other markets. These include the Nissan Micra, which is essentially a rebadged Renault 5, as well as the Nissan Sakura electric kei car in Japan.Nissan Australia has provided no plans to bring either small EV to Australia at this stage and it’s unclear whether this will ever change.“Nissan remains committed to electrification in Australia through a range of technologies, including battery-electric vehicles such as Ariya, as well as our e-POWER hybrid technology,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson.“We recently launched the updated Qashqai with our latest e-Power hybrid system and will add a 4x2 e-Power X-Trail model to the range in just a few months.”The Nissan Ariya was first revealed in 2019 and launched in certain markets in 2022. It didn’t launch in Australia until 2025.It has received a facelift in other markets, which hasn’t arrived in Australia yet.Although Nissan can’t provide a timeline for when the new Leaf will launch and has ruled out the new Juke EV, the Ariya might not be the only Nissan EV in Australia for long.The Japanese carmaker currently has its eye on importing models made by its Chinese joint-venture company, Dongfeng Nissan.These models include the N7 electric sedan and NX8 electric SUV, as well as the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute.No confirmation of what exact models are coming to Australia and when has been provided yet, however it’s likely that an announcement will come before the end of 2026 or in early 2027.Regardless, Nissan needs to introduce more low-emission vehicles as it already has more than $10 million owing to the federal government for not meeting the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) CO2 emissions target for vehicles imported.Nissan can either pay this fine or risk it doubling if it misses the deadline. Alternatively, it can trade credits with other carmakers that are under the threshold or introduce more low-emissions vehicles and beat the CO2 target the following year.It’s worth noting the CO2 targets get stricter every year and ultimately the only vehicle that currently produces zero grams of tailpipe emissions is an EV.

Toyota cancelled another of its upcoming electric vehicles last week -in this case it was its luxury arm Lexus and the LF-ZC sedan leaving it even more exposed to the premium Chinese EV assault.So, are we seeing the fall of an empire here with Toyota or does the Japanese giant have a secret plan?Toyota's axing of the Lexus LF-ZC sedan isn’t surprising, it’s very much in keeping with the company’s change of plan to pursue hybrids rather than EVs in the short term.In 2021 Toyota held a global address announcing that it would launch 30 new EVs by 2030. Well, we are now only about three and a half years away from the end of the decade and Toyota has only launched about three and a half  EVs - the bZ4x, Toyota HiLux, C-HR, and the longer version of the bZ4x - the Touring. The reason is a change of direction. Two years ago Toyota revised its plans and decided that the uptake of EVs wasn’t as strong as many had expected and decided to double down on hybrids instead.The decision made sense - the world was experiencing a slow down in the adoption of EVs and Toyota delayed pouring A$100 billion into the development of 30 new models.Toyota Australia's Vice President Sales at the time Sean Hanley told CarsGuide in January 2025 that the company had read the market accurately after all.“The plain truth is that demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in markets around the world is not living up to the hype,” he said.Hybrid sales were booming and Toyota changed plans and went back to doing what it had pioneered - hybrid powertrains. But March 2026 saw the world change again with the war in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz being blocked and preventing oil from being shipped through the channel. About 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas is transported through the channel and by the second month of the blockade the world’s petrol and diesel prices skyrocketed, particularly in Australia which sources its refined fuel from countries such as Malaysia which are supplied with oil from the Middle East.With this turn of events consumer interest in electric vehicles picked up again.Sales of EVs had gone from being down year-on-year by 61.9 per cent for cars (sedans and hatches) and down 12 per cent for SUVs in January 2025 to up by 77.4 per cent for cars and up by 150 per cent for SUVs.So why is Toyota still axing EVs? Well, never underestimate Toyota. The brand may look like it’s suddenly behind the eight-ball after a huge geopolitical change and it may also look like the victim of a surprise attack from a multitude of appealing Chinese electric offerings from brands such BYD and Zeekr, but Toyota is the world’s biggest car manufacturer and you can bet it either has a plan… or it can buy one.There are several possible plays going on here in my opinion.First, Toyota is probably banking on the spike in EV interest to fall once the conflict is over and believes consumers will return to hybrids. This is probably the most likely scenario, although I doubt people will return to buying petrol and diesel cars now without thinking about it as they did in the past. The fuel crisis has been a major catalyst in the switch to EVs.A second scenario is that Toyota is close to a solid state battery breakthrough and is holding off EV development until an affordable and practical example can be made, but this seems less likely.Toyota finding the solid state holy grail of batteries seemed like a possibility five years ago but Chinese carmakers such as Chery, BYD and battery maker CATL are reportedly already testing the tech in prototype form before an expected market launch between 2027 and 2030. When the solid state battery breakthrough comes it will be thanks to a Chinese carmaker - with recent commentary from Toyota itself placing doubt on the idea of the technology ever being ready for mass production.And third, which is probably going to happen, Toyota may decide to take the vehicles it produces in joint-ventures in China  and launch them globally.Toyota already has two major joint ventures in China - one with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) and the other with First Automotive Works (FAW).Toyota-GAC models include the bZ7 fastback along with Chinese versions of the bZ3X and bZ4X.And before you scoff at Chinese Toyotas, just look at the bZ7. To my eyes this is one of the most beautiful Toyotas from the past decade which isn't hard considering the brand is famous for making what some people consider whitegoods on wheels.And with the changing of the guard in Australia, Toyota locally now appears to have decided which plan to go they'll pursue.Toyota Australia's new Vice President of Sales, John Pappas has a slightly different take on the situation than his predecessor and appears to be embracing the possibility of the company using its global manufacturing reach to sell cars into the future. “So the beautiful thing, the benefit of being such a global company like Toyota, and being in around 180 markets all around the world, and having so many manufacturing plants, that enables us to assess - whether it's sourcing of the vehicle, spec, powertrain.”  The future may prove to be a bit of scenario one to start and then into scenario three with Chinese made Toyotas. Either way the world’s biggest car brand has plenty of options to survive and thrive.  

The first arrival of a BYD-owned shipping vessel to Australia has caused a stir as the brand’s top brass is confident troubles with supply in its home nation won’t affect Australian demand.The BYD Zhengzhou docked at the Port of Melbourne carrying 4809 BYD vehicles destined for Australian customers, part of a promise to deliver 30,000 new cars in the second quarter of 2026.BYD has already more than doubled its sales in the first quarter of 2026 compared to Q1, 2025, and if 30,000 vehicles are added to the existing count before halfway through the year, BYD will finish the first half with a remarkable 55,000 new cars sold in Australia.But on the morning media were given a tour of the BYD Zhengzhou in what could arguably be called a fanfare event, Toyota Australia announced it “has secured an additional 10,000 vehicles for local customers in 2026”.Toyota sold 59,675 cars in Q1 to BYD’s 25,243. BYD also remains behind Mazda, Kia, and Ford.The timing suggests Toyota wanted to remind Australian buyers who is number one in the sales race, but BYD’s commitment to meeting demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) is clear, and the brand’s top brass didn’t hesitate to say as such.Liu Xueliang, Group Vice President of BYD and General Manager of BYD Asia-Pacific Auto Sales Division, told Australian media during a conference in Port Melbourne that despite battery supply challenges in the brand’s home market, BYD would meet demand in Australia.Via interpreter, Mr Liu told CarsGuide that even at home in an EV-saturated market, BYD’s outlook is optimistic.“Sales in China have begun to recover in Q2, we achieved 380,000 units sold in May just past. “Growth has tightened a bit, but that does not affect supply to markets including Australia.“This is just one of our ships, but we’ve got many other ships that are arriving in Australia.”While Mr Liu wouldn’t be drawn on Toyota’s announcement, the theme that returned many times during the conference was BYD’s ownership of its own supply chain, and the control that grants.Given Australia’s demand for plug-in hybrids and EVs in 2026 is higher than it has been by huge margins, Liu Xueliang said this wouldn’t be the first time a BYD-owned ship would be seen in an Australian port.

BYD’s Fangchengbao brand has released official imagery of a new electric shooting brake wagon ahead of its launch in the domestic market in the third quarter of 2026.Dubbed the Fangchengbao Formula S GT, this is essentially a shooting brake version of the Formula S sedan that's already been shown.It forms as a key rival to the Porsche Taycan which is available both as a sedan and shooting brake wagon.As reported by China’s Autohome, this car will come with a fully electric powertrain with the electric motors being fed by a second-generation Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP), allowing flash charging capabilities.No official power, range or performance figures have been announced yet, but it’s expected there will be multiple variants.It’s also understood the Formula S GT features adaptive suspension, as well as semi-autonomous driving capabilities due to the LiDAR sensor on the roof.In terms of design, this electric liftback bears some similarities to the Denza Z9 GT which is already confirmed for an Australian launch later this year.It also has a similar footprint, with the Formula S GT measuring 5.0 metres long and 2.0 metres wide, with a 3.0-metre wheelbase.Some exterior design highlights include semi-flush door handles, diamond-shaped tail-lights, plus an active ducktail rear spoiler.Fangchengbao hasn’t officially revealed any imagery of the Formula S GT’s interior yet.At this stage it’s unclear whether the Formula S GT, or even the regular Formula S, will come to Australia.The Fangchengbao brand doesn’t have a presence in Australia, though a few of its models are badged as Denza models locally.Even if it comes to Australia, it’ll compete closely with the Denza Z9 GT, which is due to arrive before the end of 2026.Power will come from three electric motors with a total system output of 850kW. This will allow for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 2.7 seconds.Additionally, the Z9 GT will offer flash charging capabilities at up to 1500kW.

Mitsubishi's plans to tackle BYD and Chery have just been revealed.The Japanese giant is planning to introduce 13 new models, including five hybrid and five plug-in hybrid models over the next five years. This could have huge implications for the brand in Australia, especially as it battles tough impending New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) fines. More electrified vehicles on sale could help ease those pressures. Mitsubishi Australia has been contacted for comment to see if there are any plans for these models to launch Down Under. The incoming Pajero is one of these new models, but it is just the beginning of a comprehensive shake-up from the brand. It will launch a small SUV, a compact SUV, two other undefined SUVs as well as a new ute, among other models falling into the off-road product plan.Additionally, there will be two new electric SUVs, with a pick-up and two Kei (Japanese city-class) cars also being planned. The brand also detailed some of its key weaknesses stating there was “significant room for improvement” required across the board. It identified the challenges for Mitsubishi in achieving differentiation to other brands - something which has become an increasingly big issue with the rise of Chinese carmakers.Brands such as BYD and Chery have introduced many models posing direct competition to Mitsubishi, but at much cheaper prices.“We will build a line-up that embodies our brand, centred on the off-road product group and ASEAN product group,”  “At the same time, regarding electrification, while we will continue to utilize collaboration models for EVs, we will focus our in-house development on HEVs and PHEVs.“Going forward, Mitsubishi Motors will focus on product segments where we have strengths, refine differentiated product characteristics that set us apart from competing brands, including Chinese brands, and establish a unique position in the automotive industry.”The return of the Pajero 4WD in Australia is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year, and appears to be the first of this new era for Mitsubishi.

Jaecoo’s big J9 luxury range-extended hybrid SUV has just been given the green light to land in the UK, according to reports, which hints at a future Aussie launch.The Jaecco J9 is related to the Chery Fulwin T11 on sale in China. It will wear the brand’s luxury Jaecoo badge in the UK, according to AutoExpress, but it's essentially identical to the T11 apart from some styling differences.The Fulwin T11 was launched in China in 2025 and made headlines for its claimed 1400km driving range. The Fulwin T11’s range extender hybrid system combines a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder petrol engine with one or two motors depending on the variant for front wheel drive or all-wheel drive.In China two batteries are available: a 33.68kWh battery for the single motor variant, and a 39.92kWh battery for the dual motor. The system is able to offer up to 220km of electric driving range.The range is impressive, but so is the Fulwin T11’s interior, which is expected to carry across to the Jaecoo J9.It is a big unit at more than 5.1m long and with a wheelbase of 3.1m. The Fulwin J11 is a six-seater over three rows, with two captain’s chairs in the second and third rows. The interior is spacious, opulent and tech heavy.A 30-inch 6K LED display runs across the Fulwin J11’s dashboard and a 17.3-inch screen is offered in the second row on all but the entry grade.Pricing and specifications have yet to be announced for the Jaecoo J9 in the UK, but the slightly smaller Jaecoo J8 in Australia starts at $49,990 drive-away. If and when the Jaecoo J9 does land locally buyers can expect prices to begin at about $60,000.CarsGuide has contacted Chery Australia for confirmation of the Jaecoo J9’s arrival and is still awaiting its response.

Tesla has seemingly rectified the most annoying flaw in its Model Y SUV with the introduction of a retractable sunshade to reduce heat radiating into the cabin through the car’s large glass panoramic roof.Launched as an accessory on the brand’s Chinese website at ¥1499 (~A$310), the manual sunshade will be available for delivery from Thursday this week.Installation appears to be straight forward with the single-piece unit trimmed in the same fabric as the original factory headliner and features metallic handles.DIY fitment should be the norm but Tesla is also offering professional installation for an additional fee.And unlike the myriad of aftermarket (typically clip-in) third-party options available, the factory unit is constructed with an integrated frame and uses a roller-type design to ensure low noise.It’s worth noting Tesla has published a patent focused on engineering the glass roof to help cool the cabin, so this new option may ultimately be a temporary solution.Suitable for 2025 and later Model Ys, Tesla said the shade has “undergone full-vehicle airbag deployment testing and multiple road tests to ensure safe use”. CarsGuide contacted Tesla Australia to check in on local availability and a spokesperson said, “At this point in time the retractable roof is just for China, however it is anticipated that accessories will be available outside of the Chinese market in the future.“What we have seen with Model Y L is an overwhelming global volume (for markets that do take it) which sees accessories take some time to come to market”, they said.

A new cut-price EV has been spied testing in Australia and this one isn’t from China.CarsGuide spotted an example of Indian carmaker Mahindra’s XEV 9e being tested on the streets of Melbourne, pointing to a likely local launch in the not-too-distant future.Mahindra’s Australian arm would not comment on the future of the electric SUV but CarsGuide understands it could be in showrooms before Christmas.The XEV 9e - the company’s first EV offered in Australia - is a tall, imposing car in the metal, with a high-set boxy rear end, sloping tailgate and squared off front end. It measures 4790mm long, 1905mm wide and 1690mm tall, with a 2775mm wheelbase.A Mahindra Australia spokesperson said the company regularly tests future models Down Under.Mahindra conducts suspension and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) testing on internal combustion engine (ICE) cars in Australia, while the company also does calibration testing on EVs. That work involves testing for charging infrastructure compatibility and over-the-air updates and telecommunications networks.Mahindra told CarsGuide back in July last year it was “committed to selling EVs in Australia in the not-too-distant future”, and while the company couldn’t officially confirm the models at the time, a spokesperson added “the BE 6e and XEV 9e are a good indication”.The XEV 9e is a rival for medium-sized Chinese-made electric SUVs like the BYD Sealion 7, Zeekr 7X, Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5 and the freshly launched MG S6 EV.Pricing is a mystery at this stage but you can bet Mahindra will maintain its strategy of undercutting all mainstream and many Chinese brands.Looking at rivals, the BYD Sealion 7 starts from $54,990 before on-road costs and the Kia EV5 is $56,770. But expect the Mahindra to start from the low-to-mid-$40,000 mark, not far off the smaller Geely EX5 (from $41,990 BOC).Both the XEV 9e and the related BE 6 are built on Mahindra’s new in-house INGLO EV platform and artificial intelligence software, which Mahindra says is the “fastest automotive mind in the world”.Both models come with a choice of a 59kWh and 79kWh battery pack. Mahindra says the BE 6 has 682km of driving range and the XEV 9e has 656km when fitted with the 79kWh unit.The BE 6 has a more angular, dramatic design more inline with the look and size of the Subaru Uncharted. It’s unclear if both models or just the XEV 9e will end up in Australian showrooms.One electric Mahindra model that is unlikely to make it Down Under is the XUV 3XO EV that was revealed in January, with the company ruling the tiny electric SUV out for now.Mahindra’s current Australian line-up consists solely of internal combustion engine models, with not even a hybrid on offer. It includes the compact XUV 3XO, mid size XUV700 and large Scorpio off-roader. A new Mahindra ute is also imminent.As well as capitalising on the boom in EV sales spurred by high fuel prices, Mahindra is also likely to benefit from more EVs now that the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard has kicked in when the XEV 9e hits our shores.Keep an eye on CarsGuide.com.au as more local details, including pricing and specification, come to hand.

Honda has added a sporty flagship RS grade to its local HR-V line-up, the e:HEV hybrid variant bringing a unique exterior cosmetic package, big rims and an interior makeover to the top of the compact SUV range.Priced at $44,400, drive-away, the newcomer adds a relatively modest $1500 premium on top of the previous top-spec HR-V e:HEV L.Carspotters should look for a ‘Bernina Black’ finish on the RS grille and exterior door mirrors, garnishes on the lower section of the doors and bumpers, 18-inch alloy rims filling the wheel arches and RS badgework.Powertrain outputs are unchanged at 96kW and 253Nm from the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and ‘2-Motor i-MMD’ hybrid system sending drive to the front wheels via a continuously variable auto transmission.The e:HEV RS is offered in the five main HR-V colours - ‘Platinum White’, ‘Premium White Silver’, ‘Slate Grey’, ‘Premium Crystal Red’ and ‘Botanical Green’ as well as the RS-exclusive ‘Crystal Black’.Introducing the new model Honda Australia Director of Automotive Robert Thorp said, “The introduction of the RS is another example of Honda’s focus on hybrid following the expansion of CR-V and Honda ZR-V hybrid ranges. “We anticipate by the end of this year, more than 80 per cent of Honda sales will be hybrid,“ he said. 2027 Honda HR-V pricing 

BMW beefs up its incoming electric car range with a cleverly priced variant.The new BMW iX3 40 variant will arrive in Australia in the formal quarter of the year priced at $89,900 (before on-road costs).That price puts it almost on par with the petrol-powered X3 SUV, and makes it cheaper than the previous-generation iX3 it replaces.It is also $20,000 cheaper than the fully loaded iX3 50 launch variant, which is due to arrive in showrooms this month.The new 40 grade’s price isn’t by accident. It slips under the Luxury Car tax (LCT) threshold, which also means it is eligible for the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption when leased through a salary sacrifice arrangement.The FBT exemption has been a key driver for electric car growth in the past 12 months. The federal government scheme has been so successful that it has been forced to wind it down as it is costing taxpayers more than 10 times what the government originally forecasted.Keen BMW buyers will need to be quick as the cheaper iX3 will no longer be eligible for the scheme from April 1 2027.The iX3 40 comes with a single rear-mounted electric motor that makes 235kW and 500Nm. It can sprint to 10km/h in 5.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 200km/h.It is fitted with a circa-82kWh battery that delivers a driving range of up to 635km, according to the benchmark WLTP cycle.The iX3 50 uses a massive 108kWh battery for a driving range of more than 800km, and a dual motor set-up that ups the grunt to 345kW and 645Nm.BMW claims the iX3 can absorb up to 300kW of juice when connected to an appropriate DC fast charger.This can add up to 300km of range in 10 minutes in optimum conditions, and can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 21 minutes.It can accept 11kW via an AC charger, with buyers able to option it to accept a max of 22kW.There is a big list of standard equipment, with highlights including 20-inch alloy wheels, M Sport package, panoramic sunroof, auto tailgate, Harman/Kardon stereo, heated front seats, ambient interior lighting, wireless device charger and more.BMW iX3 prices