EVs

Tesla has finally extended its warranty period in Australia.

A new electric compact SUV is getting closer.

Hyundai has placed heavy discounts across its range of electric Kona compact SUVs.

Sony and Honda Mobility (SHM) has unveiled its 2026 Afeela Prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The Afeela 2026 Prototype is an all-electric SUV, which will be the second of the brand’s proposed vehicles.Pricing has not been confirmed for the new Afeela SUV, but it is likely to be more than the Afeela 1, which starts from US$89,900 (A$144,000).The Afeela 1 sedan has been in the works for some time, with it first revealed as a concept in January 2023 at the CES.Reports emerged in early 2024 SHM was considering an SUV, with the latest CES announcement confirming the car will be a real thing. SHM is a collaboration between major entertainment company Sony and well-known car manufacturer Honda, combining to create a car focused on a technology vision. This tech-based approach and all-electric status sees the brand shape up as a potential rival to Tesla.This 2026 Prototype could be seen as direct competition for the Tesla Model Y, but it looks to come in at a significantly higher price point.SHM has also unveiled new elements for its vision, one is an intelligent drive system similar to what is available on some Tesla models. The advanced driver assistance system supports Level 2 autonomous driving, allowing travel from departure point to destination, with the company setting its sights on Level 4-equivalent capabilities in the future. There is also a sophisticated AI system in the car called the ‘Personal Agent’, which is an interactive conversational AI, using Microsoft's Azure OpenAI. This computing power is supported by a Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which offers high-level connectively and vehicle security.The 2026 Prototype looks like a raised version of the Afeela 1, keeping the same rough design and features.This includes the car having cameras instead of side mirrors among other cameras on the roof for its AI driving capacity and there are also no door handles.According to SHM, the 2026 Prototype offers greater spatial flexibility and accessibility in comparison to the Afeela 1.While we are yet to see an Afeela car hit the market, the company has confirmed there is progress on beginning production.Reservations for the Afeela 1 opened up in January 2025, with trial production runs of the car conducted at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio.The company has also confirmed deliveries of the Afeela 1 are expected to begin sometime in 2026. The new Afeela concept SUV is targeted for a launch in the United States market in 2028. 

Mahindra has thrown the covers off the electric version of its ultra-affordable 3XO small SUV in its Indian home market.

Hyundai has announced the pricing and specifications for its Elexio all-electric mid-size SUV. The Elexio comes in a single variant and is priced at $59,990 drive-away as a launch introductory offer. It will compete against the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5, XPeng G6 and the Geely EX5.The Elexio is similarly priced to the XPeng G6, which ranges from $54,800 to $59,800 (before on-road costs).It is more expensive than the Geely EX5, which starts at $40,990, before on-road costs, but cheaper than the Tesla Model Y that starts at $58,900 (before on-road costs).Its single electric motor produces 160kW and 310Nm and there is a range of 546km (WLTP) from a 88kWh lithium-ion-phosphate battery.DC charging from 10-80 per cent takes 38 minutes.The Elexio will only launch in Australia with the 'Elite' single motor variant and not the dual motor all-wheel drive variant available overseas. When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Hyundai Australia said the Elite grade will be the only option for buyers in the future at this stage.The Elexio is built in China as a product of Beijing Hyundai, which is a joint venture between Hyundai and BAIC Motor.  The car has undergone an Australian-specific tune, with suspension and steering tweaked to tackle demanding roads.The Elexio has been edging towards an Australian launch over recent months, with Carsguide spotting the SUV on the back of a truck in December 2025. It will join Hyundai’s increasingly growing electric SUV range in Australia, sitting in between the smaller Kona and the bigger Ioniq 5.Hyundai said it expects the Elexio to launch in Australia in the first quarter of 2026. 2026 Hyundai Elexio pricing Australia 2026 Hyundai Elexio electric motor and efficiency 2026 Hyundai Elexio standard features20-inch alloy wheelsHeated and power folding side mirrorsPower tailgate4-spoke leather steering wheelHeated steering wheelLeather appointed seatsHeated and ventilated front seatsKeyless entry and startWireless phone chargingRain sensing wipers27-inch digital driver and central touchscreen displayHead-up display6-speaker audio system2026 Hyundai Elexio safetyThe Hyundai Elexio has not been crash tested.9 airbagsLane keep assistBlind spot assistHigh beam assistHighway driving assistLane departure warningForward collision avoidance assistIn-cabin camera for driver monitoringParking collision avoidance assist2026 Hyundai Elexio dimensions  2026 Hyundai Elexio warranty and servicingThe Hyundai Elexio comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which can be extended to seven years if all servicing is with Hyundai and on time. There is an eight-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty for the high-voltage battery. Hyundai's 'Genuine Service Plan' is available with the car. Pricing has not been disclosed yet.

XPeng's P7+ sedan with impressive specs gets confirmed for Europe - but there's a catch.

We’ve been calling for it and it’s finally here!

There’s a new king in the global electric vehicle (EV) sales race.China’s BYD has officially dethroned Tesla as the best-selling EV carmaker in the world based on sales data from 2025.BYD claims to have sold a total of 2.26 million EVs during 2025, which is up 27.9 per cent year-on-year.For context, Tesla claims to have sold a total of 1.64 million cars during 2025, which is down 8.3 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting BYD’s EV sales now make up just under half of the Chinese carmaker’s total vehicle sales. A total of 2.29 million BYD plug-in hybrids (PHEV) were sold during 2025, which is down 7.9 per cent year-on-year.During 2025 BYD sold a total of 4.6 million vehicles globally, including 57,000 commercial vehicles like buses and trucks.BYD’s sales rise comes as Tesla growth has slowed due to incremental updates, changes or additions to existing models, weaker demand for the Cybertruck than originally projected, plus a slower rollout of its robotaxi service.Additionally, it’s likely Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s brief foray into US politics and aligning himself with US President Donald Trump soured the relationship some existing Tesla buyers had with the company.Despite this, Tesla rolled out its 'Full Self-Driving (Supervised)' semi-autonomous driving software to its vehicles in Australia during 2025. It was the first right-hand drive market to do so.Locally, full 2025 vehicle sales data hasn’t been released yet, however until November BYD has sold a total of 45,672 vehicles which is up 147.3 per cent year-on-year.The company’s best-selling vehicle in Australia is the Shark 6 PHEV dual-cab ute with a total of 16,398 examples sold until the end of November, followed by the Sealion 7 mid-size electric SUV.Tesla on the other hand sold a total of 26,271 vehicles in Australia until the end of November, which is down 24.4 per cent year-on-year.Although the Model Y mid-size electric SUV is still the best-selling EV in Australia with a total of 20,241 examples sold until end-November, sales of the Model 3 electric sedan tanked in comparison.Only 6030 examples of the Model 3 were sold until the end of November, which is down 60.7 per cent year-on-year. This is one of the steepest sales declines in terms of outright sales volume in Australia during 2025.Looking to 2026, BYD appears set to extend its lead and potentially become a top-three best-selling brand. It has a number of new vehicles launching in Australia, plus its new premium (and separate) Denza brand.It’s unclear what Tesla has in the pipeline for Australia during 2026. It just launched the updated Model Y Performance locally which is made in Germany unlike the rest of the local line-up which is made in China.The company has been rolling out the stripped-back Standard versions of its Model 3 and Model Y to more markets and it’s unclear whether Australia is part of that plan.

If you thought Jaguar was in a state of turmoil in late 2024, that period of reinvention and provocative communication has nothing on the latter part of 2025.