EV News

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular in Australia as people transition from owning combustion- or hybrid-powered vehicles.One major consideration that many people have when considering which EV to buy is how much range it offers, but another factor that should be considered is how quickly the battery can be charged.EV and battery technology is continually evolving, but here is a rundown of the 11 EVs with the highest DC fast-charging rate that are either already on sale or confirmed for a launch in Australia.It’s worth noting that the fastest DC fast-chargers in Australia currently are 400kW and these are operated by AmpCharge. However, Denza has confirmed that it’s rolling out its 1500kW ‘Flash’ charging network at its dealers by late 2026 or early 2027.The forthcoming Denza Z9 GT electric shooting brake will launch in Australia in either late 2026 or early 2027, alongside the ‘Flash’ charging network.Final specifications have yet to be locked in, but peak DC fast-charging is up to 1500kW. This allows a 10 to 97 per cent charge in nine minutes.The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door, which is due in Australia during 2027, offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 600kW.This allows the 111kWh lithium-ion battery pack to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 11 minutes. It offers up to 460km of WLTP-claimed range.The XPeng X9 electric people mover has a peak DC fast-charging rate of up to 542kW. This allows for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 12 minutes.Two versions are available, the FWD Standard Range and AWD Performance.The former has a 94.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with up to 535km of WLTP-claimed range. The latter has a larger 110kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery with up to 580km of WLTP-claimed range.The recently revealed BMW iX5 will launch in Australia around mid-2027 and will follow after the launch of the new, petrol-powered X5 variants later this year.The iX5 60 xDrive is the only variant to be detailed so far and it offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 460kW.It has a 141kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 23 minutes. It offers up to 845km of WLTP-claimed range.The updated version of the XPeng G6 with the larger 80.8kWh LFP battery has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 451kW. It’s currently the highest in Australia.A 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 12 minutes.In RWD Long Range form there’s up to 525km of range and in AWD Performance form there’s up to 510km, according to WLTP testing.While the entry-level G6 RWD Standard Range with its smaller 68.5kWh can only DC fast-charge at rates up to 382kW, it’s still claimed to take 12 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 per cent. It offers up to 480km of WLTP-claimed range.The entry-level Zeekr 7X RWD with its 75kWh LFP battery can DC fast-charge at rates up to 450kW. It offers up to 480km of WLTP-claimed range.The 7X Long Range RWD and Performance AWD, on the other hand, with its larger 100kWh NMC battery can charge at rates up to 420kW. WLTP-claimed range is 615km and 543km, respectively.Mirroring the Zeekr 7X SUV, the forthcoming, entry-level version of the 7GT electric shooting brake has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 450kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery and can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 13 minutes.Other versions of the 7GT have a larger 100kWh NMC battery that can charge at rates up to 420kW.The top-spec BMW iX3 50 xDrive has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 400kW.It has a 108.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 21 minutes. It offers up to 805km of WLTP-claimed range.The entry-level iX3 40 with its slightly smaller 82.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 300kW. Despite this, a 10 to 80 per cent charge is still claimed to take 21 minutes. It offers up to 635km of WLTP-claimed range.The MG IM5 Platinum RWD and Performance AWD have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 396kW.They both have a 100kWh NMC battery pack and WLTP-claimed range of 655km and 575km, respectively. A 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 15 minutes.The entry-level IM5 Premium RWD, on the other hand, has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 153kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery, up to 490km of WLTP-claimed range and a 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 20 minutes.The MG IM6 Platinum RWD and Performance AWD have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 396kW.They both have a 100kWh NMC battery pack and WLTP-claimed range of 555km and 505km, respectively. A 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 15 minutes.The entry-level IM5 Premium RWD, on the other hand, has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 153kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery, up to 450km of WLTP-claimed range and a 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 20 minutes.The forthcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 390kW.It has a 113kWh lithium-ion battery pack and up to 542km of WLTP-claimed range. A 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 16 minutes.While Hyundai, Kia and Genesis models on the E-GMP platform, like the Ioniq 5, EV6 and GV60, among others, display a claimed 10 to 80 per cent charge time when plugged into a 350kW DC fast-charger, a common misconception is they have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 350kW.However, this is not the case. None of the aforementioned Hyundai Group brands quote an official peak charging rate, but real-world data indicates it’s around 240kW.

Toyota is either two steps ahead of almost everyone else in the car industry - or is set to waste untold millions on an unpopular technology.Despite the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) as well as the surge of interest in plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) the Japanese brand remains committed to hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) technology.Currently only Toyota and Hyundai are invested in the technology in Australia, which means not only are their limited models - the Toyota Mirai and the upcoming new Hyundai Nexo - but as even Toyota puts it almost “non-existent” refueling locations. In fact, Hyundai’s head office hydrogen station is the only refueler available in Sydney.But despite the lack of infrastructure for both refuelling and producing hydrogen fuel for vehicles, Toyota remains steadfast in its belief that its time will come. So much so it has committed to introduce the HiLux FCEV by 2028, which will join the diesel and EV variants of the popular ute.However, in order to ensure there is customer interest in the niche technology, Toyota is having to enter the fuel market and will produce its own hydrogen at its Centre of Excellence in Altona, Victoria. While Toyota has been a reluctant entrant into the EV market - with only the HiLux, bZ4X and bZ4X Touring offered locally - the company believes its investment in hydrogen will ultimately pay-off in the long-term. “ So we've been investing, like we were investing in hybrid technology development for quite a long time, we've been doing that with hydrogen as well, for a long time,” explained John Pappas, Toyota Australia’s head of sales and marketing.“We've had two generations of Mirai now in hydrogen - and we've learnt a lot. They've been lease programs with fleet customers. We understand exactly, to your point, that the infrastructure is pretty much non-existent. You can't get any scale. And that's been the big challenge, because the only way you can reduce the cost of hydrogen is by producing more and getting the scale.“So in order for us to do that, we've invested in Altona Centre of Excellence. We've invested in a hydrogen centre, and that is production storage of hydrogen. So we are now also investing in what we call relocatable refuelers, right?"So for example, when we bring the Hilux FCEV to market, we know that based on the infrastructure, like you're saying, you can't go to the bowser."So we're going to have to provide the ecosystem to some extent. There's many partners in this ecosystem of hydrogen, right? Viva Energy, and there's many partners, but in order to support the customer as we bring hydrogen fuel cell in, we're looking at supporting them also with relocatable refuelers,” he said.That’s right, Toyota will not only supply HiLux FCEV to fleet customers, but will also provide the fuel and refuellers to ensure they can keep running. It would be the equivalent of a car maker refining its own oil into petrol and then providing remote refuelling tankers. But such is Toyota’s belief in the long-term viability of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that it is willing to make the commitment.“ We'll produce the hydrogen in Altona, we've got an electrolyzer there,” Pappas told CarsGuide.“So we'll produce hydrogen, we'll then transport the hydrogen to locations that we've got the HiLux FCEV fleet base, in order to basically be able to refuel our customers, right? Now, obviously to do that you’ve got to partner with other people."Hyundai's been one of those partners for us, where we've actually developed consortiums to try and work with other people like Hyundai and the government to be able to try and promote an ecosystem for hydrogen.“So this is a long game. This is a long game. This is not where we're going to get suddenly the hydrogen HiLux is going to become the number one selling vehicle or we're going to be inundated with demand. Because the technology's going to take time, the infrastructure's going to take a lot of time."In line with that, we need to be prepared for that time, right? So that's why we're bringing in the hydrogen HiLux and that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing investing in hydrogen in Altona.”The Centre of Excellence is located at the company’s former manufacturing plant and includes a design centre in addition to the Hydrogen Centre. According to the company it can produce up to 80kg of hydrogen per day on-site. It is all part of the long-term play for the brand that hydrogen is the ultimate solution for carbon neutral trucking and heavy industry vehicles, as well as the likes of the HiLux and LandCruiser.“Looking at it from a technical point-of-view, the advantage of hydrogen is the ability to carry a lot of energy in a light weight,” Ray Munday, the Senior Manager Product Planning and Pricing at Toyota.“And so in terms of the need for pickup trucks, and also trucking industry, it's still a long way for batteries to be able to do that, several generations probably. So that's really the answer for hydrogen, is that there is a BEV that can do a lot of stuff, but it's a long way for battery tech to go there.“It's not like we're not working on other things but that is the reason for hydrogen is that technical advantage that exists there. And then that allows the combination of fast refuel and light weight, which in vehicles that need to tow, go a long way, carry a lot of weight, payload, driving range, they are critical factors for moving."Diesel can do a lot of that stuff, but of course diesel has challenges. And hydrogen is a zero CO2 emission fuel. If you consider what diesel is doing now, that's where something like hydrogen goes in the future.”Which means that hydrogen technology will likely be limited to heavy vehicles, such as trucks and buses, rather than passenger vehicles like the Mirai - assuming Toyota's long-term gamble pays off.

Could a Jaecoo-badged version of the upcoming Chery Stockman ute be on the cards for Australia?The Chinese-made Chery workhorse is set to enter the super competitive dual-cab market later this year and it will be the first ute powered by a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain.Being part of the massive Chery Group, Omoda Jaecoo could potentially offer its own version of the ute if it can make a business plan stack up.Omoda Jaecoo Australia Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz told CarsGuide Chery Group shares platforms and tech, but he was coy on whether his brand was developing its own version of the ute.“So because we're part of Chery as a group, obviously we share platforms, we share powertrains, we share R&D and technology. So it's always possible that we could have our own version, but nothing's been confirmed at this stage,” he said at the recent Jaecoo J8 launch.When asked if he thought a ute would be a good fit for the brand in Australia, Munoz quickly said “yes.”“I always think that there's always room for another option for the Australian market, and yeah, ultimately the customer will decide whether that product belongs or not.”While not officially confirmed, a Jaecoo ute makes sense given the positioning of the brand. Under the wider Chery banner, Jaecoo is positioned as the adventure brand, although the coming iCaur brand is also undoubtedly an adventure brand.Yet another Chery brand, Jetour, has already detailed its version of the Stockman, dubbed the F700 for China.The Stockman’s powertrain combines a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with an electric motor delivering 350kW/800Nm sent to all four wheels.It has an EV-only driving range up to 100km, but this is calculated via the more lenient NEDC test cycle. Expect closer to 80km when tested to the WLTP cycle.Chery Group Australia’s management must also be looking at dual-cab ute sales and considering whether further growth is even possible.The 4x4 dual-cab ute segment has stagnated with year-to-date sales figures to the end of June down 11.1 per cent, or close to 12,000 units. A number of new ute models that have arrived in the past 12 or so months have failed to fire, including the MG U9 and its LDV Terron 9 twin, the JAC T9, Foton Tunland (all from China) and Kia’s Tasman.The only new ute that’s struck a chord with buyers is the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which is now Australia’s third best-selling 4x4 dual-cab behind the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.The Chery Stockman’s strong design and innovative diesel plug-in hybrid setup could help it buck the trend in the ute segment, but could a Jaecoo version do the same? Time will tell.Regardless of whether Jaecoo opts for a ute based on the new ladder-frame platform that underpins Stockman, there is a possibility that the brand could use it to form the basis of a large premium SUV - something Chinese marques are increasingly focusing on.Munoz wouldn’t be drawn on whether a new SUV model built on the platform was in development, but left it open to possibility.“It's certainly always appealing. I wouldn't be able to comment on whether there is something coming or not, but certainly, the powertrain now exists, the platform exists, so anything is possible.”Carmakers typically don’t spend millions developing new platforms and powertrains for a single model, so expect the diesel plug-in hybrid ladder frame to surface somewhere new soon.

A big change is coming for one of the most iconic sports cars in the world, with the next generation of Mazda’s convertible to go electric.Masahiro Moro, CEO of Mazda, has confirmed the fifth generation of the Mazda MX-5 must be able to forgo a combustion engine in order to be viable."The successor must also be ready for a scenario without a combustion engine,” the CEO told German outlet Auto Motor und Sport.The surprise confirmation raises one of the biggest questions regularly asked in regards to electric sports cars: what about the weight?Moro says the goal weight is between 1000kg and 1200kg. That would keep it close to the low weight of the current ND MX-5, which weighs around 1100kg, depending on the variant.“The challenge for us is to make the basic structure lighter without using exotic materials like carbon fiber.”Earlier this year Mazda’s General Manager of Global Sales and Marketing, Manabu Osuga, told CarsGuide electrification was unlikely for the fifth-generation MX-5.“At the moment, electric is going the opposite direction of fulfilling the MX-5’s (core) concept, as it needs to remain a lightweight sportscar, and electric means heavier,” he told CarsGuide in Melbourne.“We want to make the weight less than one tonne before additional equipment, then with additional equipment 1.1-tonne, but we don’t want it to exceed 1.2-tonne (in total) if it is to be a lightweight sportscar.”European outlets report similar statements from executives, with Christian Schultze, Director of Research & Operations at Mazda Motor Europe telling Dutch publication AutoRAI in February the same thing.“The moment you go fully electric, you fundamentally change the car’s architecture. That means different proportions, a different weight, and a different balance,” he said.An electric version of the fifth-gen MX-5 - which we expect to follow the generational NA, NB, NC and ND names of the first four - is coming, but it won’t be the only drivetrain available.Earlier this year, Mazda also announced the MX-5 would use the upcoming Skyactiv-Z engine, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with hybrid capability.A mild-hybrid would more easily allow Mazda to equip the MX-5 with a manual gearbox, as heavier electrification complicates the system and automatic transmissions become preferred.We won’t see the fifth-gen MX-5 until at least next year, for a launch likely sometime in 2028.

MG has released full details including pricing for its MG07 range ahead of its Chinese launch.A fully electric four-door coupe is designed as a spiritual successor to the 1965 MGB GT while also tapping into the success of Chinese contemporaries like the Xiaomi SU7 and incoming Geely TT.Measuring in at 4886mm long, 1900mm wide and 1485mm tall, the MG07 is a relatively large liftback and an electric alternative to the MG7 combustion car currently sold in Australia.It features two battery sizes, either 67kWh at 400 volt or 91kWh at 800V granting it more than 600km or 800km of range respectively. Both batteries are from CATL and use semi-solid-state chemistry.All variants are front-wheel drive, with the base version producing 176kW/300Nm for a 6.9-second 0-100km/h sprint, while the 800V high-grade versions produce 235kW/350Nm, good for a claimed 5.9 second 0-100km/h sprint.Outside it features a new design direction for MG with clamshell-style front lights, and a bar-style rear light. It also features wheel options with white inlays clearly inspired (alongside other parts of this car) by the Porsche Taycan, and features an automatically deploying rear spoiler on the tailgate.Inside, the MG07 borrows high-end switchgear, hardware, and trims from SAIC’s IM luxury brand, while dressing it down slightly for MG’s lower price point.It still features a 15.6-inch 2.5k central multimedia touchscreen complemented by an 8.9-inch digital instrument cluster, over-the-air connectivity, dual phone charging bays and 256-colour ambient lighting.It features a 697-litre boot with an underfloor area that can be equipped with a 30-litre fridge/freezer, as well as a 168-litre frunk.The MG07 is priced between the equivalent of A$27,000 and $35,250 in China, suggesting a $35,000-$45,000 price tag once the usual premiums are added for the Australian market, if it were to launch here.If so it would serve as a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model 3 (from $54,900) and BYD Seal (from $46,990).Deliveries of standard 67kWh versions of the four-door liftback will start by the end of August in China, with long range 91kWh versions starting delivery in October.The MG07 is the latest in a trend of sporty Chinese domestic models designed both to move domestic brands upmarket, but also compete more directly with foreign brands in China.MG Australia has been contacted for comment to see if the MG07 is in line for an Australian arrival.As it stands, MG offers the MG7 2.0-litre turbo combustion equivalent (from $44,990), as well as the IM5 luxury electric sedan (from $60,990) locally.It begs the question - which of these trendy sporty models will be the first to launch in Australia? Geely’s recently-unveiled TT shares a similar format, but isn’t in the local division’s short term plans.The Xiaomi SU7 has been so successful in China that the carmaker can’t build cars fast enough to keep up with domestic demand, with waiting lists measuring in the hundreds of thousands of units.As to what’s next for MG in Australia, the future is unclear. The brand is expected to offer the LS8 and/or LS9 luxury large SUVs from its IM division as range-extender hybrids in the futureThe brand also revealed a new city-sized hatchback and lifted wagon destined for the European market at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.MG has had a decent year in 2026, up 6.8 per cent (to 23,146 units) in the first half, but this leaves it only holding its ground against a surge of fellow Chinese rivals.It now sits behind the successful BYD (52,335 units), GWM (30,359 units) and Chery (24,964 units).

GAC’s forthcoming ute is expected to forego diesel power in favour of electrification.Rather than trying to compete with the established internal combustion engine (ICE) offerings in Australia’s ute scene like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton, the as-yet unnamed GAC ute will only be offered as an electrified model.GAC Australia CEO Kevin Shu confirmed the ute’s powertrains at the recent announcement of GAC’s sponsorship of Melbourne City FC.“We're focusing on the new energy I think, rather than the traditional engine,” he told CarsGuide.‘New energy’ is a term largely used by Chinese carmakers that refers to electrified drivetrains like hybrid, plug-in hybrid or battery electric.When pressed on what that meant for the ute specifically, Shu said: “Plug-in hybrid or REEV.”REEV refers to a range-extender electric vehicle (sometimes called EREVs, or extended-range electric vehicles), which uses an internal combustion engine to generate power for an electric motor. Leapmotor’s C10 is an example of this, while fellow Chinese challenger XPeng is also planning to roll out the technology.He added that while a number of traditional rivals stick with pure internal combustion power for utes, GAC would chase new demand.“Competitors focus on diesel, petrol. We have to use customer demand.”The runaway success of the plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6, also from China, suggests this could be a smart strategy from GAC. The BYD is currently the third best-selling 4x4 pick-up in Australia, according to January to June sales figures.Chery has also confirmed its diesel-electric plug-in hybrid Stockman ute for a late 2026 launch.Shu reiterated that GAC is planning a further four new models for Australia next year. One of those could well be the Yue 7 SUV that will share underpinnings with the as-yet unnamed pick-up. However, it could push into early 2028.As reported by CarsGuide, the Yue 7 is a five-seat SUV that counts rivals including the Toyota Prado and Denza B5. It will be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 125kW, with dual electric motors (one on each axle) for a total system power output of 400kW.It will be fitted with a 46kWh battery pack allowing for an EV-only driving range of 188km on the lenient CLTC standard. There’s also a smaller 28.3kWh battery, with 116km of driving range.GAC says it stands apart from its rivals as it offers buyers four different powertrain options - pure internal combustion (ICE), hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle.Shu also dismissed spinning off sub-brands from the GAC parent brand.In the UK, for example, Aion is its own sub-brand. In some markets it also offers Hyptec, while Trumpchi is a China-market brand. There’s also the recent tie-in with Huawei, called Qijing in China or Aistaland internationally.Shu said the reason for maintaining GAC in Australia rather than launching so many sub-brands was because of ease of communicating GAC’s offer.One of GAC’s main competitors in China and Australia is Chery, which, famously, has multiple sub-brands and more on the way. They include Omoda Jaecoo, Lepas, Jetour, iCaur and Freelander.

Owners of European premium brands are trading in their cars for more affordable Chinese-branded cars, according to Omoda Jaecoo’s local boss.Chery’s burgeoning offshoot, Omoda Jaecoo, has experienced significant growth in the past 12 months, rolling out three models with multiple powertrain variants in quick succession.Capitalising on Australian buyers’ hunger for more affordable, feature-packed cars, Omoda Jaecoo sales have increased by a whopping 1177 per cent year on year, albeit off a lower base and fewer models.With four models available - the Omoda 9 and Jaecoo J5, J7 and J8 SUVs, the brand is now outselling bigger names like Honda, Suzuki, Lexus and another rising Chinese marque, Zeekr.Those sales have to come from somewhere, and Omoda Jaecoo Australia Chief Commercial Office Roy Munoz says while not many people are coming in and cross shopping with other Chery brands, he has some idea of the brands they’ve nabbed buyers from.“Not much of a Chery cross shop, surprisingly, and it's a mixed bag at the moment. We don't have specific data, but what we can see from the past 12 months are the vehicles that are being traded in,” he told CarsGuide.“So you might have a buyer from a legacy volume brand. You might have buyers from legacy premium brands also. So the likes of BMW, Mercedes, Audi, even JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) customers maybe stepping into the likes of a (Jaecoo) J8 or an Omoda 9 or even a J7 as well, even down to J5. So it's hard to pinpoint exactly where they're coming from, but customers are responding well just to that value proposition of these products.”Being one of the fastest growing brands by sales not just in Australia, but globally, is a solid flex, but Munoz explained it doesn’t come without challenges, especially in relation to customer experience.“Well, customer experience, it's always easier to say is the primary focus and hard to do in practice, right? So, I guess in establishing ourselves, yes, being a fast-growing brand, it's not necessarily just about the sales. So, you could be fast growth in terms of sales, but are you fast growth in service? And by that I mean, are you fast to respond? Do you have parts readily available? Are customers generally happy? So for us, growth in terms of sales, yes, that is important. But sustainable growth, to be able to service and support your growing customer base is probably even more important for us.”Munoz acknowledged the new auto brand still has a ways to go when it comes to building a robust aftersales program, but highlighted where it is investing.“We still have a bit of work to do, and the work is being done as we speak. We're investing in not just human resources, but in our parts warehousing as well, parts supply, technician training, and ensuring that, because aftersales sells your second, third, fourth car. Sales sells your first car, primarily. So that customer advocacy is something that you don't build overnight. It’s built over time, and it's built through every customer interaction. So we treat each one as seriously as each other.”Munoz wouldn’t be drawn on sales targets for Australia, and he also said there’s no hierarchy within Chery Group dictating that Chery must be the top brand with others like Omoda Jaecoo, Lepas and iCaur sitting behind. This was once Hyundai Group’s strategy years ago - Hyundai was the main brand and Kia the smaller sister brand.“No, I guess we've got our own sort of strategies and growth ambitions. Certainly, as long as it's a Chery brand, we'd love to see it on top. Chery on top. Sorry, had to throw that in there. But certainly, I think you'll find when you look at the global data… in some markets Chery might be selling better, in other markets Omoda Jaecoo might be selling better. It really depends on how the market responds to those brands. But I've said it before: as long as a customer has purchased a Chery Group product, they're a winner.”

Mitsubishi could be planning an all-out hybrid assault with its new Pajero 4WD and Triton ute.The Japanese brand is reportedly planning to make its Thai manufacturing facility a production and export hub for electrified vehicles. Mitsubishi builds the Triton ute in Thailand and will produce the coming Pajero there, too.Mitsubishi Motors Chairman and CEO Takao Kato made the announcement on a recent visit with the Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, according to Nikkei Asia.The Japanese carmaker’s Thai production facility will reportedly be focusing on producing electrified versions of the Triton ute, as well as the forthcoming Pajero SUV.This indicates that Mitsubishi could be fast-tracking electrified versions of both the Triton and Pajero. The former vehicle is currently only available with diesel engines and the latter hasn’t been revealed yet, but it’s expected to share componentry.Around the reveal of the current, sixth-generation Triton ute in 2023, Mitsubishi had claimed it was developing an electric version.In October 2025, Mitsubishi Engineering Fellow Kaoru Sawase told CarsGuide the Japanese carmaker is still looking to make an electrified version of the Triton, but it’ll now more likely have a hybrid powertrain.“Of course there’s a need to reduce CO2 emissions,” said Sawase.“So along with the flow of the times, there is a need to develop Triton HEV, so we are working on that.”“So first we have to work on hybrid, not the way of plug-in hybrid.“In the past, we have announced to launch the battery electric vehicle Triton. But now the reaction has shifted a little bit.“We are now trying to quickly launch the electrified vehicle.”It’s worth noting that Mitsubishi already makes electrified vehicles at its Thai manufacturing plant. These include the Xforce Hybrid, Xpander Hybrid and Xpander Cross Hybrid.There are currently no Mitsubishi plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) or electric vehicles (EVs) made in Thailand.Globally the Japanese carmaker has already committed to introducing 13 new models, including five hybrid and PHEV models, over the next five years.It’s unclear how many of these new electrified models will be produced in Thailand.Although diesel-powered vehicles are still incredibly popular in Thailand, the local government is looking to boost and incentivise the production of electric vehicles (EVs).This has already caught the attention of many Chinese carmakers who have set up Thai production hubs for export markets. Examples include BYD, Chery, GWM and MG.This pressure from the Thai government and the investment from Mitsubishi to introduce more Thai-made electrified vehicles may benefit its Australian arm if the vehicles produced launch locally.Mitsubishi did receive credits last year from the recently instated New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) in Australia for beating its fleet CO2 targets, however these targets are tightening every year.One of the few ways of reducing the company’s fleet CO2 emissions, besides buying credits from other carmakers, is by introducing more low-emissions vehicles, like hybrids and EVs.Mitsubishi already offers the Outlander PHEV and has remaining stock of the discontinued Eclipse Cross PHEV in Australia.The Japanese carmaker has also confirmed it will be launching an EV that has been co-developed with Taiwanese carmaker Foxtron in Australia before the end of 2026.At this stage Mitsubishi hasn’t confirmed any other electrified vehicle launches in Australia yet.

China’s XPeng is currently known for its electrified SUVs and passenger cars, but it hasn’t shut down the prospect of making a ute.“The format probably is something we are looking into,” said XPeng Vice Chairman and President Dr. Brian Gu to CarsGuide, noting how the term ute is used in Australia, rather than pick-up.“Clearly it’s not a big format in China because China doesn’t drive that format, but I understand in Australia, limited countries in Latin America or in Africa or Middle East, those are actually pretty popular.“So we are thinking about whether it’s a format we want to develop.”“It is going to require quite different development processes,” added Dr. Gu, specifically calling out the chassis.Tesla, which XPeng refers to as a key rival, already offers an electric pickup, called the Cybertruck.It’s a large pick-up that’s primarily aimed at the North American market, but is still not confirmed for a local launch despite previous reports.A number of other Chinese carmakers already offer electrified utes or pick-ups and many identify Australia as a key market for these types of vehicles.BYD offers the top-selling Shark 6, GWM offers the Cannon Alpha PHEV and soon the Cannon PHEV, JAC is launching the Hunter PHEV ute, Chery is soon launching the Stockman PHEV ute and MG is bringing the U9 EV ute.Japanese brand Nissan will bring its Frontier Pro/Navara Pro PHEV ute, which has been developed as part of a joint venture with China’s Dongfeng.XPeng may or may not develop a ute, but it is already developing SUVs that are capable of light off-roading.“Well, I think SUVs we understand and we want to make sure it’s capable of being driven not just in the beautiful highway lanes, but that can also take on certain … limited off-road capabilities,” said Dr. Gu.“In fact, some of the GX owners actually drove it off-road. It was actually not bad.”The XPeng GX recently launched in China and it is confirmed to come to Australia at some point. No concrete launch timing has been locked in yet.It’s available in China with both battery electric (BEV) and range-extender (REEV) hybrid powertrains.It’s built on a car-based platform, rather than a rugged ladder frame, called SEPA 3.0, which has an 800V electrical architecture, as well as semi-autonomous driving capabilities and rear-wheel steering.While the BEV version of the GX can be had in either rear- or all-wheel drive forms, the REEV version is only available with all-wheel drive.It remains to be seen whether XPeng is developing any vehicles with a body-on-frame chassis that are more capable off-road.

This is BYD’s latest budget-friendly EV destined for Aussie shores. The hugely popular Chinese brand has opened expressions of interest for its Atto 3 Evo electric mid-size SUV in Australia. The Atto 3 Evo is an updated version of the Atto 3 that is currently in Australian showrooms. There is no official news on when we might see the Atto 3 Evo, but the local branch has been contacted for comment to learn of any launch plans. It has identical dimensions to the standard Atto 3, so it will continue to battle in close proximity to Chinese rivals like the MG S5 ($41,990, drive-away until 31 July 2026) and Leapmotor B10 ($38,990, drive-away until 30 September 2026). It will also be a size-up competitor to the Hyundai Kona Electric ($46,990, drive-away until 30 September 2026) and Kia EV3 ($47,600, before on-road costs).The Atto 3 Evo is already on sale in the United Kingdom, and its specification shows a big change underneath.It ditches the current version's front-wheel drive layout and is available with a single rear-wheel drive motor producing 230kW and 380Nm, or dual motors producing 330kW and 560Nm and all-wheel drive. This represents a solid boost on the current front-wheel drive Atto 3 that only produces 150kW and 310Nm.The Atto 3 Evo can sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 200km/h.It boasts a 75kWh battery also representing a noticeable step up on the standard Atto 3. This increases driving range up to a maximum 510km, according to WLTP standards, which is nearly 100km more than its sibling.DC charging at 220kW from 10 to 80 per cent takes as little as 25 minutes. The Atto 3 Evo’s interior features a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and 8.8-inch digital driver display, along with a wireless phone charger.It is available with synthetic leather seats. Front seats are electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated. Expect pricing information closer to launch, but it is likely to sit above the $39,990 (before on-road costs) price tag of the current base Atto 3. The Atto 3 Evo replaced the Atto 3 in the UK this year, so a similar move could be on the cards in Australia in the future.The Atto 3 was BYD's first model to go on sale in Australia back in the mid-2022, and it continues to be a steady seller in its budget-focused lineup.