A wave of exciting new electric vehicles is hitting the Australian market, from Chinese newcomers like Aion and Foton to established players like Hyundai, Audi, and BMW. With a diverse lineup including electric utes, SUVs, and sedans—many boasting impressive range and features—there’s never been a better time to consider going electric, especially with the added tax benefits of a Fleetcare novated lease.
It started as a trickle that turned into a steady stream, but the next two years promises to rise to a veritable flood of new electric vehicles on the Australian market. Among them will be some familiar names with unfamiliar models, a selection of electric utes to whet our appetites, and some Chinese carmakers that are entirely new.
One of those Chinese upstarts is Aion. It’s the all-electric division of Chinese carmaker GAC. You may not have heard of GAC, but it’s another Chinese giant that will be bringing a small hatch to our shores to compete with the likes of Toyota’s Corolla. Details of where, when and how it will be sold are still sketchy, but Aion has ambitions to introduce a full range of vehicles here, possibly including sports cars and utes.
Speaking of utes, one Chinese offering arriving this year is the Foton Tunland G7. It’s the second coming for Foton, whose previous offering slipped under the radar and largely disappeared. On paper at least the G7 looks to be a more formidable offering, with a payload of 1090kg and towing capacity of 3000kg. Range should be around 500km, which is more than handy, with 130kW and 330Nm.
But Foton won’t have the EV ute market to itself by any means. There’s also the Geely Riddara (or possibly “Radar”) RD6 dual cab. It’s down on payload and towing capacity compared to other utes and eschews a ladder frame chassis for a car-like monocoque construction. It’s clearly aimed at the lifestyle market.
Not to be outdone, Isuzu is also entering the electric ute market with its D-Max Electric. It promises to be a serious working ute, with a 3,500kg towing capacity and a one tonne payload, and 130kW and 325 Nm of torque from its dual motors.
Also hailing from the Geely stable is the Geely E5, an SUV the Chinese maker sees as a rival to the Tesla Model Y. It’s powered by a 160kW/320Nm single motor propelling it from 0-100km/h in a brisk 6.9 seconds. With the battery integrated into the body it also offers a sports car-like 50:50 weight distribution. It’s far from the only impressive feature. It comes with a head up display and a sound system with no less than 16 speakers!
Hyundai
Chinese EVs might be coming thick and fast but the rest of the world’s carmakers are hardly standing still. Hyundai has a number of EVs heading down under including its luxurious Genesis Electrified G80, which gets a longer wheelbase, interior improvements, and a new battery offering 540km of range.
At the other end of the scale is the Hyundai Inster, a small SUV that’s just arrived here with a budget price tag starting at around $40,000. The Inster’s environmental credentials don’t end with that electric motor. The interior features lots of recycled PET and bio-propylene materials derived from sugarcane. Far bigger is the Korean maker’s Ioniq 9, a family-sized SUV over 5 metres long with a six or seven seat configuration. It’s offering up to 620km of range from a big 110kWh lithium-ion battery pack which can be recharged from 10 to 80% in as little as 24 minutes on a DC fast charger.
Europeans
European carmakers are also joining the rush to EVs, with Audi offering the Q6 e-tron, a mid-size SUV, and another rival to the Tesla Model Y. Also from Audi is the A6 e-tron, which is being offered in both sedan and wagon forms. EV ranges keep getting longer and longer, with the A6 e-tron 100kw lithium-ion battery offering up to a whopping 750km (WLTP). With no less than 405 kW of electric grunt under the bonnet it will hit 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds. But if that still seems a little ho-hum to you, then the Audi e-tron GT could be just what you need. It hits that mark in an almost unimaginable 2.8 seconds!
Somewhat more sedate motoring comes in the form of the BMW iX3 Neue Klasse. It’s a mid-sized SUV. With four separate motors and an entirely new platform it will showcase BMW’s electric credentials. With a fast DC charger you an add 300km of range in just 10 minutes, thanks to its new cylindrical battery cells.
That’s by no means the end of the new EVs that are either here already, or heading our way soon. In fact Australian motorists are now spoiled for choice from an ever-expanding range of exciting electric cars that are great to drive, cheap to run, and kinder on the planet. And with the range of government incentives on offer obtaining an EV through a Fleetcare novated lease makes more sense than ever.
To find out more about the many benefits of a Fleetcare novated lease on these, or any other EV of your choice, contact Fleetcare today on 134 333.