Industry news

BYD has confirmed the pricing and specifications for the new Dolphin G DM-i plug-in hybrid (PHEV) hatchback for the UK ahead of first arrivals in September.There are four trim levels available, Active, Boost, Comfort and Sport. Pricing starts at £23,990 (~A$46,350) and extends to £29,490 (~A$56,990).The entry-level Dolphin G DM-i is £6005 (~A$11,600) more affordable than the entry-level Sealion 5 DM-i. For context, the entry-level Sealion 5 in Australia is priced from $33,990 before on-road costs.If the Dolphin G DM-i comes to Australia it could slide under $30,000, making it the new cheapest PHEV. This title currently goes to the aforementioned Sealion 5.At this stage BYD hasn’t confirmed whether the Dolphin G DM-i is due for an Australian launch.The entry-level Dolphin G DM-i Active is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors with a total system output of 129kW.It features a 7.4kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that allows for up to 39km of electric range, according to WLTP testing. Claimed total range is 1018km.The battery pack can only be AC charged at rates up to 3.3kW.The rest of the line-up is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors with a slightly higher total system output of 155kW.They have a larger 18.3kWh LFP battery that allows for up to 104km of electric range, according to WLTP testing. Claimed total range is 1039km.The battery pack can be AC charged at rates up to 6.6kW, plus it offers DC fast-charging capabilities at rates up to 39kW.As standard the entry-level Dolphin G DM-i Active comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, a 10.1-inch central touchscreen multimedia system, a four-speaker sound system and fabric upholstery.Stepping up to the Boost gains a larger 12.8-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 15W wireless phone charger, eight-speaker sound system, interior ambient lighting, synthetic leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, two 18W USB-C ports in the rear, electrically folding side mirrors and privacy glass.The Comfort gets larger 18-inch alloy wheels, Google Built-in multimedia operating system, fabric and synthetic leather upholstery, power adjustable driver’s seat, as well as a surround-view camera.Lastly the Sport gets black 18-inch alloy wheels and synthetic suede upholstery finished in black with either orange or blue accents.BYD hasn’t confirmed whether the Dolphin G DM-i will be coming to Australia, but the related Atto 2 DM-i has been approved for local sale.These types of government approval filings usually come a few months before a new model is confirmed for local sale. However, it isn't always a guarantee.If the BYD Atto 2 DM-i does launch in Australia it will complement the all-electric trims that launched late last year.

Tesla has sold out of a sought-after genuine accessory for its Model 3 electric sedan only days after its launch.The US electric carmaker is offering an air mattress for the Model 3 that fits across the folded rear seats and the boot.It’s made of three-inch high-density foam with a waterproof polyester exterior covering. It can be inflated with the integrated air pump and it comes with a carry bag and repair kit.This kind of air mattress is perfect for those who want to sleep in their vehicle overnight when camping.At this stage Tesla is only offering this air mattress genuine accessory on its US website. It’s priced from US$235 (~A$340).This Tesla-branded air mattress is not offered in Australia yet, although a number of third party accessory companies already offer a similar product. However, many don’t fit the exact contours of the vehicle.Tesla already offers genuine accessory air mattresses in the Model Y, Model Y L in Australia. They’re priced from $375 and $300, respectively.The US electric carmaker also offers a genuine accessory air mattress for the Cybertruck electric pick-up in North America.In Australia, Tesla has been going from strength to strength. In June a total of 8670 vehicles were sold, making it the fourth best-selling brand for the month.A lot of the heavy lifting was done by the Model Y electric SUV. A total of 8072 vehicles were sold in June, making it the best-selling vehicle for the month by far. It’s the first time an EV has ever been the selling-car.So far in 2026, Tesla has sold a total of 23,588 vehicles, which is up 66.7 per cent year-on-year. It’s now the 10 best-selling brand in Australia.

A Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) check is an invaluable way to make sure there are no nasties waiting for you after you have bought a second-hand car.Many used car buyers may remember the old state-based REVS check, which is now national and has been renamed PPSR. They both perform the same service.The PPSR is a national online register managed by the federal government and allows individuals to check if an asset - such as a car, boat or trailer - has any debts against it.This means if the previous owner has an outstanding secured loan on the vehicle you’ve just purchased, it can be repossessed if they stop meeting repayments.It can also protect buyers from buying an uninsurable vehicle. You can check to see if a car has been written off or stolen.You can perform the PPSR check for as little as $2 via the official government website, or $7 via an assisted phone call. You can pay with a credit or debit card.There are some providers that will do it for free on your behalf.A PPSR check won’t tell you how much is still owing on the vehicle, the owner of the vehicle or its ownership history, odometer reading or if there are any outstanding fines applied to the vehicle.If you decide to do a PPSR check, it is best to do it the day before or the day of purchase to get the most up-to-date information.The most sure fire way to do a PPSR check is visit the federal government - https://www.ppsr.gov.au/ - and follow the simple steps. It costs just $2 and you will have the results instantly on screen, with the certificate emailed to you within 10 minutes.Other third party websites such as Budget Direct Insurance will do the check on your behalf for free, but will collect your personal information in the process.All you need is the vehicle’s VIN or chassis number. A VIN number is a unique 17-digit code used to identify a car. The licence plate number will not work.The most likely spot to find a vehicle's VIN number is the bottom corner of the windscreen, and it is viewable from the outside of the car. If it isn’t there then it is likely in the driver’s side door jam near where the door latches when closed.You’ll also need a credit or debit card to pay for the transaction.The certificate issued will have a subhead that rears PPSR Registration Details. Under this it may say: “There is no security interest or other registration kind registered on the PPSR against the serial number in the search criteria details.”This means there is no current debt security associated with the vehicle. The word current is important, as this may change and it is why it is best to do the check the day of purchase.If there are details of the PPSR registration, then there is money owed on the vehicle and it could be repossessed if it isn’t paid off. As mentioned before, it won’t tell you how much is still owed on the vehicle.Underneath that there is another subhead - Additional Motor Vehicle Details - NEVDIS (National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System).This is where you will see if the vehicle has been written off or stolen. If it says not recorded under those sections then there is no current record of the vehicle being written-off or stolen.Some companies may charge up to $40 for the service as they will include additional information. According to the PPSR website these companies will use the “Powered by PPSR” logo to show that specific data was obtained from the official government website. They may also provide the certificate.

Alfa Romeo’s stylish and refreshed hybrid SUV is here. The brand has announced pricing and specifications for its updated Tonale small SUV in Australia. It will be offered as a petrol mild hybrid, with prices starting from $64,990 9before on-road costs), which is the same as before. Plug-in hybrid power is now an extra $1500, with prices starting from $78,990.The Tonale is similarly priced to the BMW X1 that is available in petrol ($66,700) and PHEV ($79,500) set-ups. It will also tackle the revamped Cupra Formentor that just got a sizeable $7000 price cut in Australia ($53,990). PHEV variants of the Formentor are $4500 cheaper than the comparative Tonale, starting from $74,490. The petrol mild hybrid Tonale is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 128kW and 240Nm, supplemented by a small electric motor and 48-volt battery.The PHEV also has a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, but adds a larger electric motor to boost power to 198kW and 270Nm, along with an all-wheel drive system.Its 15.5kWh battery has an all-electric driving range of 59km, according to WLTP standards. The car has received a new sharpened design as part of its refresh, including a re-thought front grille and new 19-inch alloy wheels. It also has several new interior features as standard.Seats are covered in a synthetic leather, and the front ones are electrically adjustable, with heating, ventilation and memory function. The steering wheel and windscreen washer nozzle are also heated. Elsewhere in the cabin, there is a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 10.25-inch central touchscreen, along with a wireless phone charger.It comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.There other convenience features like an electrically operated tailgate with hands-free function, and keyless entry and start. Alfa Romeo has introduced special edition variants of its Tonale and Junior SUVs, called the Ibrida Sport Speciale. The Junior is priced from $51,990, while the Tonale starts from $68,990, so they are both more expensive than base versions of their respective models. The Junior is a compact SUV, powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol mild-hybrid system, producing 107kW and 230Nm. It sits under the Tonale in Alfa Romeo’s range. The special edition flair to these models adds synthetic leather and Alcantara seats, as well as a sunroof and a glossy black body kit. 

Australia’s love-affair with electric cars is a passing fling, at least according to one of the country’s biggest brands.Electric vehicle (EV) sales have increased dramatically in 2026, in particular since the start of the conflict between the USA and Iran began in February and sent oil prices soaring. EV sales are up more than 150 per cent year-to-date and Tesla’s Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in June, with more than 8000 finding new homes.EVs have gone from accounting for just 7.6 per cent of the total new car market in June 2025 to more than 23 per cent in June 2026.But despite this, Mazda Australia Managing Director Vinesh Bhindi believes this current sales scenario is a spike rather than sustainable growth in the foreseeable future and believes there are other factors at play.“ From an Australian point-of-view, yes there is disruption in the market with the oil supply issues, that has made some drastic changes,” he said.“But there's also another element, I think back in March, there was also this rumour of the FBT possibly disappearing in the May budget. So that also accelerated those customers who were looking at it.“But when you look at post-crisis, yes, the crisis is still in play, but it's not as severe. There are a lot more signs showing a return to normality, but we all know the crisis is not over yet. So one of the changes coming is the fuel excise step down. Again, it's good that it's a step down rather than an overnight. And then, how far and long that peace agreement holds will determine a few things.“But you take all of that aside, pre-March the market was normal and EV appeal was growing, which is what's expected, but at a normalised rate. Then post , it's come closer to what I call normalised. And then you look at the middle and say, ‘Was there any structural change that you could say is permanent?’ And the answer is no. The idea of this transition growing, accelerating is there, and will happen, but it's not suddenly gonna go from under 10 per cent to I think over whatever it was, 14 per cent at some points.”That opinion is at odds with Tony Weber, Chief Executive of the industry's peak body, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industry, who believes the latest EV sales surge has had a major impact. “The Australian automotive market has shifted on its axis during the first months of 2026. This year is likely to represent a significant turning point for the Australian automotive industry,” Weber said in an FCAI statement.Mazda has been one of the slower brands to adapt to the EV shift, Bhindi was speaking to CarsGuide at the release of the new Mazda 6e, only the brand’s second electric model. The brand has only confirmed the addition of the CX-6e SUV as its other EV option, which leaves it exposed as more buyers look for electric alternatives.Mazda sales are down over 17 per cent year-to-date and the brand has slipped behind BYD, which is focused entirely on EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The arrival of the 6e and future addition of the CX-6e clearly come at a good time for the brand, but Bhindi believes that there is no immediate rush as mainstream consumer demand is still growing.“ Oh, I think it'll grow from the 10 per cent, but at what pace is yet to be determined, because over time, consumers are getting comfortable with the idea of an EV and the lifestyle can match,” he said.Bhindi reaffirmed his stance that Mazda will look to cater to customer demand rather than any government legislation, such as the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), and believes the 6e is the right car at this moment.“ Now, I'm the first one to say we first look at what the consumer wants before we look at what the legislation is telling us,” he explained.“Because the consumer is the one who makes the final decision. And providing this car, again helps us as a business, but more importantly it is talking to that customer base that probably will be between 10 and 20 per cent in the years ahead that will say, ‘This is what I want.’”

Polestar is prepping a new luxury electric SUV and it has the Porsche Macan in its sights. A new Polestar 4 variant will go on sale in Europe this September with a new SUV body shape. It is expected to launch in Australia before the end of the year. Polestar said this new SUV will provide a more practical alternative to the strong-selling four-door fastback model. It gives Polestar a more direct rival to the Porsche Macan which starts from $129,800 (before on-road costs). There is no news on price, but we can expect it to sit around the $80,000 price point in reasonably close proximity to the existing model. Other potential rivals include the Tesla Model Y Performance ($89,400, before on-road costs) and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N-Line ($83,700).The biggest challenge for the new SUV could be the Zeekr 7X from Polestar's Chinese sister brand under common Geely ownership, priced from just $57,900 before on-roads.It is likely the Polestar 4 SUV will be available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive forms with the latter producing up to 406kW when it arrives in Australia.It will ride on the same 400-volt architecture as the existing Polestar 4, as opposed to the Polestar 3's 800-volt underpinnings.Driving range has been boosted by 10km to 630km for the rear-wheel drive variant, according to WLTP standards.Polestar has only revealed one teaser image of the car so far, showing the rear quarter.We will learn more about the Polestar 4 SUV in the coming weeks ahead of its September launch date. The four-door coupe variant recently got an update and a price cut in Australia, with that model arriving later this month. Its single-motor variant continues to start from $78,500, before on-road costs, while the dual-motor grade now starts from $86,350, which is $2000 cheaper. It has proved to be the brand’s best-selling model in Australia, and it will continue to be offered alongside the new SUV. Polestar is plotting more models in the coming years, including a Polestar 2 successor in 2027, and a Polestar 7 compact SUV in 2028.

Electric cars are finally having their mainstream moment in Australia, and now make up over 16 per cent of Australia’s new car market.Sales have significantly jumped year-on-year, helped along by a much wider availability of more affordable models, but also an unprecedented fuel crisis, which has made the cost of running a petrol- or diesel-powered vehicle front of mind for many.This surge of new options has also seen the list of top-selling electric cars undergo a significant re-shuffle, with new brands featuring heavily.Tesla notably takes the crown for the best selling EV in Australia for the first half of 2026, with its Model Y achieving 20,396 total registrations according to Electric Vehicle Council data. This is due to an eyebrow-raising 8072 unit tally in June thanks to a literal boatload of cars arriving.Next down the charts is BYD with its smash-hit Sealion 7 mid-size SUV. The Sealion 7, which is a key rival to the Model Y, can be had at a more keen $54,990 price-point with similar specs to the Tesla that starts from $58,900 before on-roads.Alongside the plug-in hybrid Shark 6, the Sealion 7 is a major part of BYD’s success story in Australia over the past year.The next two players down compete at the entry-level to their respective segments.Geely’s EX5 clocked up 6756 registrations in the first half of 2026, a quiet achiever in an extremely competitive part of the market. While it goes into battle against a range of rivals in the $40,000 price bracket, it has more than doubled the sales of its closest rival, the previously-popular BYD Atto 3, and it sold 20 times the volume of the similar Leapmotor C10.Below the EX5 is the Jaecoo J5. While this model is now available with petrol power, it is the EV version that has been on sale longer and managed to secure fourth position for the first half of the year, racking up 6113 units.This is no doubt largely thanks to the electric version’s extremely keen $36,990 before on-roads price-tag and generous dimensions for a small SUV, making it the sweet spot for many first time EV adopters. It also undercuts the Atto 3 and Leapmotor B10, and has good visibility in the market thanks to Omoda Jaecoo’s rapidly expanding dealer network.Rounding out the top five electric cars in Australia for the first half of 2026 is the Zeekr 7X. A smash hit for Geely’s premium arm. The 7X stands out for its radical design and strong specs at a generous price point (from $57,900 before on-roads). As a result, the brand tells us that it is attracting not only aspirational buyers, but also buyers who were previously driving BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes.Previous top-sellers, the Model 3 and BYD Atto 3, have now dropped out of the top five, amassing a little over 3000 sales each. Kia’s also-popular EV5 mid-size and EV3 SUVs fell short of the list with less than 3000 sales each.All of the electric cars in the top five for the first half of the year were built in China, with the exception of the Performance grade of the Tesla Model Y (which would account for only a small proportion of its sales), showing the country’s leadership in the electric car space.Mainstream brands are struggling on the EV front, with cars like the Toyota bZ4X mid-size SUV amassing just 1718 sales. Volkswagen is in a similar position, with its similar ID.4 amassing just 1183 sales.Even MG, which was the original Chinese-backed success story in Australia, has tumbled down the charts. Its MG4 hatch has lost hundreds of sales year-on-year. Its S5 and S6 electric SUVs are struggling to compete with newer players, amassing just 1713 and 647 sales respectively.The share of EV sales in the Australian market will inevitably grow as tough new emissions laws start to shape the line-ups of most brands.

In a collaboration between carmaker BYD and fast food outlet KFC, drivers in China can order takeaway though an embedded app in their vehicle.The initiative between BYD and KFC sees the central media display in a BYD vehicle turn into a large menu for the restaurant, similar to a self ordering touchscreen you'd find in-store.The app locates the closest KFC store, sends the order through and navigates the driver to pick up the food.A journalist writing for Chinese motoring publication Auto Home road-tested the app and highlighted the voice interaction as a strength, but that pulling over and putting the vehicle into “Park” to access the full menu was required for safety reasons.   The embedded ordering app is not the first time BYD and KFC have collaborated. In April this year the businesses announced KFC would offer a BYD vehicle charging service at its restaurant locations.Apart from the tasty opportunity for humans to fill up themselves, the chargers are a draw, too. They are the fastest BYD has ever built, delivering up to 1500kW that can provide up to 2km of range a second. The ultra fast chargers are only compatible with second-generation BYD Blade batteries.In April there were already 5000 KFC outlets hosting BYD's chargers and by December the expectation is for there to be 20,000 locations in operation.The numbers are mind boggling and only highlight the sheer scale of commercialisation in China.As for the tech coming to Australia - there’s no word on that. For now, Aussies will have to order their takeaway the old fashioned way and do it through an app on their phone.    

The Tesla Model Y has just had its biggest sales month in Australia, and it has put it among the best sellers of all time, including the legendary Holden Commodore.The Model Y achieved 8072 sales in June 2026.Its sales have almost doubled year-on-year, up 95.5 per cent, with nearly 10,000 more than what it achieved in the whole of 2025. Tesla’s most popular model eclipsed the sales results of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux by more than 2000 units in June. It is also the first fully electric car to top the sales charts in a single month.The Ranger and HiLux ute duo usually comfortably sit at the top of the charts in Australia each month, but the Model Y has shot ahead of them.It’s not just established players the Model Y is taking down. It’s even chasing the records of heroes past. The Holden Commodore was one of Australia’s most popular models ever, and by the late 90s and early 2000s was reaching its peak with the VT, VX and VY versions.It achieved more than 9000 sales in a month on three separate occasions between 1998 and 2000.It peaked with 9667 sales in October 2002. Model Y sales could continue to rise in Australia due to soaring fuel prices and emissions regulations.  The Model Y has led the way for EVs for some time in Australia, and it continues to bat away hugely popular alternatives like the Zeekr 7X.The ongoing Iran war and fuel price increases have no doubt impacted its increased popularity in Australia, along with many other EVs. This sales increase has also coincided with the arrival of the Model Y L six-seater, which the brand said "capturing a significant share" of sales. Tesla usually delivers every vehicle that is shipped to Australia that month, but something the shipping cycles don't lie-u to the same amount every month, which can result in unusually low or high results in any particular month.Tesla sold about around 2000 units less of the Model Y in April 2026 than it did the previous month, which Tesla Australia said was down to the delivery cycles of the vehicles. The brand said it has been able to satisfy increasing demand through the production capability of the Shanghai Gigafactory.

Hyundai’s Chinese joint-venture has revealed more details on its upcoming Ioniq V coupe as it nears its overseas launch.The new member of the Ioniq family moves the brand in a new design direction, but with the same retro-futuristic vibe found with the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 SUVs which are sold in Australia.The wedge-shaped coupe features a new headlight signature, with thin strip-style LEDs rather than the blocky pixel LED light fittings the Ioniq brand is known for. Interestingly, these styling motifs are also seen on the upcoming Avante (likely to be called the i30 sedan in Australia), suggesting a new design direction for Hyundai.The Ioniq V also features frameless doors, and an interior that's virtually unrecognisable for a Hyundai, with a dramatic and minimalist dash and new octagonal steering wheel. Like the recently launched Elexio, which is also a Chinese-built joint-venture model, the Ioniq V features a multimedia screen spanning both the centre and passenger side.In this case it's a whopping 27 inches and has a 4K resolution. It also features a head-up display sunken into the dash, similar to the one perched atop the dash in the Elexio.The brand also revealed the car’s exterior colour palette, which will include seven colours, from the usual white, silver, grey, and black, to more adventurous shades like gold, green and purple.The company also confirmed it will use an array of local suppliers in China, like sourcing its 800-volt battery from CATL, its self-driving system from Momenta, and various software and hardware components from other Chinese companies.At 4900mm long, 1890mm wide, and 1470mm tall the Ioniq V is similar in size and four-door coupe design to the Polestar 4. Hyundai says its design allows for an 86 per cent usable floor area ratio.Hyundai Australia told CarsGuide the incoming Ioniq V is “under study” for the time being. It is likely it will be significantly more affordable than the outgoing Ioniq 6 (which started from $67,300 before on-roads), which could help the company comply with tough new emissions rules as some of its pricier Korean-sourced models struggle for sales in the face of cheaper options flooding the market from China.The Elexio, Hyundai’s first China-sourced model for Australia (priced from $58,990 before on-roads), has gone on to register 639 units since its recent arrival, nearly tripling the tally of the more expensive Ioniq 5’s year-to-date sales.The next Ioniq model for Australia will no doubt be the Ioniq 3, although it will be sourced from Europe, casting doubt on whether it will be price competitive with Chinese rivals.Hyundai’s renewed push into the Chinese market with its BAIC partner (which has had $1.1 billion USD invested in it) will also spawn a larger and also more dramatically styled SUV to join the Ioniq V at a later date, with 20 new models planned in total.The company has racked up 94,697 units in China so far in 2026, making it a minor but growing player in the world’s second largest market.Expect full specs and more information for the Ioniq V to be revealed closer to its launch later this year in China.