EV News

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

The Japanese sports car revival is almost complete.Honda has confirmed the price of its new Prelude ahead of its arrival in Australia in the coming months where it will take on the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, Nissan Z and Mazda MX-5 in a suddenly jam-packed affordable sports car category.Available in a single grade, the Prelude is priced at $65,000, drive-away, which is cheaper than Nissan’s twin-turbo V6 Z but more expensive than the other trio.The Prelude is based on the current Honda Civic and gets the same hybrid set-up as its more family-friendly sibling.Honda Australia boss Robert Thorp said the Prelude stays true to the original.“The 2026 Prelude is a bold reinterpretation of an iconic driver’s car for the hybrid era, developed from the same dreams with the same spirit and ambition as the first Prelude back in 1978,” said Thorp.The Prelude is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 104kW/182Nm, paired with an electric motor that is good for 135kW and 315N and helps drive the front wheels. Combined power is a claimed 149kW, which is more grunt than the Civic’s identical set-up pumps out.One of the new Prelude's headline features is the 'S+ Shift', which simulates the sound and feel of an eight speed transmission via a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).Honda claims the tech delivers the power kick during real gear changes and can mimic engine braking.There are also features borrowed from the red hot Civic Type R such as dual-axis strut front suspension, and it has Brembo brakes and a wider track for increased stability.Honda backs its vehicles with a five year/unlimited km warranty and five years' roadside assistance. A capped price servicing plan costs just $199 per visit for the first five intervals.Full Australian details will be revealed soon.

The new-generation Lexus ES sedan has been approved for sale in Australia ahead of its launch later this year.According to the Australian Government filing, only electric versions of the new 2026 Lexus ES have been approved for local sale thus far.Lexus has previously noted that the ES will initially launch in Australia with the ES500e flagship electric variant. It's powered by a dual-motor, all-wheel drive set-up with a total system output of 252kW.However, the Japanese carmaker has confirmed both electric and hybrid powertrains will eventually be offered in Australia.The only other ES variant that has been approved for local sale thus far is the ES350e which is powered by a single front-mounted electric motor with 170kW of power.Hybrid versions of the ES will likely be approved for local sale at a later point, indicating that they may launch after the electric versions.Globally there are two hybrid versions of the ES, the ES300h and ES350h. They are powered by either a 2.0-litre hybrid or 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain, respectively. Both are offered with either front- or all-wheel drive.Little other information about the ES is confirmed in the local approval filing.It measures in at 5145mm long, 1920mm wide and 1560mm tall, with a 2950mm wheelbase. This makes it around 170mm longer than the outgoing model and slightly larger than a BMW 5 Series.The tare mass is 2180kg in the single-motor version and 2280kg for the dual-motor version. Gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 2635kg or 2735kg, respectively.Either 19- or 21-inch alloy wheels will be offered. At this stage no other specification details have been confirmed, but there is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.0-inch multimedia touchscreen.This eighth generation of the Lexus ES was previewed by the 2023 LF-ZC concept and features an angular design with a fastback silhouette.

GWM Australia has officially confirmed a larger version of its Ora will land in Australia this year, with a first showing at the Melbourne Motor Show this weekend.The 2026 GWM Ora 5, an SUV version of the electric car that hasn’t quite set the sales charts alight, is what the brand refers to as the “next phase” of its electrification in Australia.It went on sale in Thailand, also a right-hand drive market, last month, with prices starting at the equivalent of about $31,000. This puts it head-to-head with the BYD Atto 2.The Ora 5 is also available as a hybrid overseas.While the car on display and earmarked for Australia is being referred to as an “all-electric small SUV” by GWM Australia at the moment, it’s not clear if there are plans to bring its hybrid version here.“HEV represents a new addition to the ORA range expanding beyond its existing BEV offering,” a GWM spokesperson said. “At this stage, the only information we can share is that all options remain under investigation for the ANZ region.”Features like a panoramic glass roof, power tailgate, 18-inch alloys and LED headlights are standard for the Ora 5, while a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine is the unit helping power the hybrid version.Claimed range for the EV is “up to” 430km tested under WLTP methods, which means it could be a realistic 400km+ EV range.The GWM Ora 5’s reveal at the Melbourne Motor Show will feature alongside displays of the plug-in hybrid versions of the Tank 500, new Tank 300, Cannon Alpha, Haval H6 and the Haval H6GT.

BYD has confirmed two new versions of the top-selling Shark 6 dual-cab ute for Australia that will be available to order soon.The new, flagship BYD Shark 6 Performance is priced from $62,900 before on-road costs, which is $5000 more than the existing Premium trim.There’s also a new, entry-level Shark 6 Dynamic cab-chassis trim which is priced from $55,900 before on-road costs.It’s worth noting that this does not include a tray. BYD has been working with Ironman 4x4 to develop a heavy-duty alloy tray as an option, but pricing for this hasn’t been confirmed yet.A full pricing table is at the bottom of this story.The main change with the new Shark 6 Performance is it receives a larger and more powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.With the dual electric motors, one on each axle, it produces total system outputs of 350kW and 700Nm, which is 29kW and 50Nm more than the 1.5-litre turbo Shark 6 variants.BYD claims the Shark 6 Performance can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.5 seconds, which is 0.2 seconds faster than the Shark 6 Premium.It also has a braked towing capacity of 3500kg, which is 1000kg more than the Shark 6 Dynamic cab-chassis and Premium.Payload capacities for the Shark 6 Dynamic cab-chassis and Performance haven’t been confirmed yet, however, the existing Premium offers 790kg.A new ‘Crawl’ drive mode debuts in the Shark 6 Performance, which the company claims to improve the off-road capability over the existing “Mountain” drive mode. Essentially a low-speed cruise control, it operates at up to 20km/h and continuously adjusts torque to keep the wheels moving without slipping.While the ‘Crawl’ drive mode will initially be offered in the Performance trim, it’ll come to the Premium and Dynamic cab-chassis vehicles via an over-the-air software update later this year.It’s worth noting that no Shark 6 variant offers any form of locking differential. To date this has been reserved for the more premium, yet related Denza B5 and B8 SUVs.Full specifications haven’t been confirmed just yet but the Dynamic cab-chassis receives a smaller 12.8-inch central touchscreen multimedia system. The Premium and Performance have a 15.6-inch touchscreen instead.At this stage BYD has only released imagery of the new Shark 6 Dynamic cab-chassis. It’s unclear if the Performance will have any visual changes.

Built in China in partnership with Changan, the CX-6e joins the 6e sedan as part of a renewed EV push for Mazda Australia, which needs to get its emissions footprint down to comply with tougher regulations.The brand is giving the CX-6e its best shot at success with keen starting prices. The base GT grade starts at $53,990 (before on-road costs), making it one of the most affordable new electric mid-size SUVs from a mainstream brand.It is more affordable than the Kia EV5, Nissan Ariya and Tesla Model Y, but remains pricier than the Leapmotor C10, Geely EX5 and GAC Aion V.Deliveries for this new Mazda SUV will start in September.2026 Mazda CX-6e priceMazda’s new CX-6e from launch will only be separated by two different trim levels sharing the same battery and powertrain.2026 Mazda CX-6e powertrain and efficiencyLike its Mazda 6e sedan sibling, which has already launched in Australia, both launch variants use the same motor and battery combination.The CX-6e is rear-wheel drive only for now, equipped with a 190kW/290Nm electric motor.It is powered by a 78kWh LFP battery pack, which grants it a WLTP-rated driving range of 484km. Efficiency is yet to be revealed, but expect it to be marginally more than the lower-riding 6e sedan’s 15.9kWh/100km.Charging is completed in around 24 minutes (from 10 - 80 per cent) thanks to a peak 194kW charging speed, while the slower AC charging peaks at 11kW for a 0 - 100 per cent charge in eight hours.2026 Mazda CX-6e standard featuresSee the array of standard features below, with only a few luxury items separating the top-spec Azami from the base GT at the time of launch. Interestingly, the CX-6e gets a different interior treatment from the 6e, with an enormous multimedia screen spanning both front seats, and a large holographic head-up display replacing a standard digital instrument cluster.2026 Mazda CX-6e optional featuresThere are no significant optional features in the CX-6e range, with only the ‘Warm Beige’ alternate interior trim being offered as a $1000 option available on both the GT and Azami.2026 Mazda CX-6e coloursThere are seven colour options available for the CX-6e, including the brand’s signature Soul Red and an all-new colour not available on the related 6e sedan, Nightfall Violet Mica.Otherwise the standard colour palette includes machine grey metallic, aero grey metallic, airstream blue metallic, crystal white pearl mica, and jet black mica.In the case of the 6e, only the back, white, aero grey and crystal blue shades are no-cost, with the rest of the colour options able to be chosen at $595. Crystal blue is not available on the CX-6e.2026 Mazda CX-6e safetyThe entire array of active safety equipment is standard on the CX-6e range, including auto emergency braking with vulnerable road user detection and intersection braking, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, driver monitoring and radar cruise control.These join front and rear parking sensors, as well as the 360-degree parking suite.The CX-6e is yet to be rated by ANCAP.2026 Mazda CX-6e warranty and servicingExpect the CX-6e to be covered by Mazda’s standard five year and unlimited kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assist.The CX-6e can now be ordered, with the brand also replicating its strategy of offering pre-order customers a free spec upgrade to the Azami level at the price of the GT.This scheme has been expanded from 300 units for the 6e (which sold-out in two weeks) to 1000 units for the CX-6e.

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

Plug-in hybrids are here to stay. That’s the opinion of Skoda Australia director Lucie Kuhn, who believes that while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) may be a so-called ‘bridging technology’ towards fully-electric cars, the ‘bridge’ could last at least a decade.PHEV sales have risen sharply in recent years, making a comeback after many brands that previously offered the technology abandoned it in favour of a focus on fully-electric vehicles (EVs). But PHEVs, which use an internal combustion engine to support an electric powertrain, have been given a second chance thanks to longer electric-only driving range and a push from Chinese brands, such as BYD and Chery, that have made them more affordable.Under Kuhn’s leadership, Skoda Australia has introduced the Kodiaq PHEV with plans for the Superb PHEV wagon to follow soon. She believes this is the right time to introduce PHEV options, primarily because of the slow uptake of EVs in Australia.“Yes, I think so, and we actually had this observation also from Europe, where time has shown that the transformation hasn’t proceeded as fast as we all expected. And it's actually the same situation we observe here also in Australia,” Kuhn said.“Especially in a country with some relatively high geographical distances, I think we still will have a relatively big portion of customers still not being fully ready to go on their fully electric journey and rather go for some interim solution, a kind of solution that provides them a confidence that they can drive the car on a daily basis, on an electric mode, and when they go a little bit more further for some holidays or longer trips, then they can simply switch on the combustion engine and keep going.”Skoda has managed to, unintentionally, coincide the launch of the Kodiaq PHEV perfectly with a sudden spike in fuel prices, further enhancing the appeal of the large SUV that can drive up to 110km on battery and return a claimed fuel economy of just 1.9L/100km.But Kuhn still believes there is a barrier for buyers to overcome with EVs, and the introduction of more PHEVs will help bridge the gap between pure internal combustion engine options and the electric future. Exactly how long the bridge will be is unclear, but Kuhn is confident it won’t be a short-term solution. Instead she said it could last a decade or longer, assuming the Federal Government remains supportive of the technology.“ I think it's first a mental barrier, to overcome this and change this way of thinking and go fully electric. But it might also be driven legally. So the legislation is also something what will decide finally if the PHEV will be a long term technology,” Kuhn said.“Right now we consider it as a bridging technology, but we are speaking a long bridge, like 10 years at least. This is how long it will be minimally. But of course if at some point the government says I don't know, like Europe said, from 2035, no more combustion engines at all, or actually nothing that produces some pollution, then of course it's logically the end of the PHEV technology as well. But currently we don't have this, let's say, kind of global statement, it's currently only in Europe, but also Europe might reconsider, this kind of decision and maybe even bring it a little bit more forward there. The time will show, but the bridge in Australia is really long, at least 10 years.”Currently PHEV models generate credits for car makers under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard and will continue to do so for another five years. Whether the government chooses to extend that stance will ultimately determine the viability of PHEVs in the Australian market.

Subaru has confirmed a three-row, large electric SUV will launch later this year, with underpinnings borrowed from a model from common collaborator Toyota.The 2026 Subaru Getaway, a seven-seat electric car sharing its platform with the Toyota Highlander EV, was initially revealed on April 1 in the US.But it’s no April Fools’ joke, even though Subaru Australia General Manager Scott Lawrence had indicated to CarsGuide just weeks prior that the brand wasn’t looking to Toyota to make a Subaru seven-seat SUV happen.“I can't quite comment on that,” Lawrence said when asked about rumours that Subaru would use a rebadged version of the Highlander EV, the North American-built sibling to the Kluger.“I think there are some really exciting options in that space of seven-seat … That's not one of the priorities to get the seven-seat (across the line).”CarsGuide has contacted Subaru Australia for comment, but the international reveal of the Highlander confirmed the brand is indeed sharing a platform with Toyota.The interior of the Getaway, for a start, is a direct pull from the Toyota Highlander electric SUV. Its specs also mirror the Highlander in many ways, including the two battery options being a 77kWh or 96kWh unit. The long-range 96kWh version (technically 95.8kWh) will be the only one available from launch.Subaru claims the long-range version of the Getaway will be capable of an electric driving range of more than 480km, with a 150kW maximum DC charge rate for 10-80 per cent charging in about half an hour.The Japanese brand also confirms the Toyota-clone interior will have the same 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, plus as much as 1290 litres of luggage space with the third row folded. That last point is something Subaru of America is happy to claim is “more than the Kia EV9”, and on paper it’s correct.While Subaru claims the Getaway will have 313kW and a 0-60mph (0-97km/h) tim of under 5.0 seconds, the entry level’s specs are yet to be determined.It’s not known if the Getaway will ever land in Australia, given Toyota has nixed the idea of the Highlander EV, and the models are built in left-hand drive for North America."The latest Subaru global unveilings are exciting, and while they’ve generated plenty of interest, we’re unable to comment on future product," said a Subaru Australia spokesperson.

The iconic Smart car has been spied in camouflage ahead of its return in China.The Smart #2 is a tiny electric two-seater city car, and will be the closest thing to the iconic Smart ForTwo made by the brand since.The original Smart ForTwo was on sale in Australia in the mid-2000s, equipped with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine.It is expected to be officially unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show later this month, with a European launch scheduled for 2027.Smart Australia has confirmed there are no plans for the car to launch domestically at this stage, with an immediate focus on Chinese and European markets.If it ever did come to Australia, it would have to be one of the most affordable electric cars in the country to be competitive. It would need to challenge the BYD Atto 1, which has a starting price of $23,990 (before on-road costs). The budget EV space has been growing in Australia, with more offerings representing competitive deals around the $30K bracket.The incoming MG4 Urban and just-launched GAC Aion UT both start from $31,990, while the Chery QQ3 is anticipated to launch with a similar, if not cheaper, price tag. However, the Smart #2 is even smaller than these rivals. This means it would almost be in a league of its own if it were to launch Down Under.There is limited other confirmed information available about the car, but it is rumoured to have a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 30kW, according to CarNews China. It measures up at less than three metres long, with a wheelbase of less than two metres. The #2 is the latest of the brand's reboot, which has seen several vehicles spawn as the product of a joint venture between Geely and Mercedes-Benz. Smart currently has two models on sale in Australia which are the #1 hatchback and the #3 crossover. The more rugged #5 SUV is expected to join the range later this year.