Electric Cars

Australia’s van segment finally has its first plug-in hybrid: the 2025 Ford Transit Custom PHEV.

Volkswagen has unveiled three new electrified concepts at the Shanghai auto show, including the brand’s first range-extender electric vehicle.Intended as a preview for VW’s future product plans in China, the three concept vehicles, which appear to be near production-spec, have been co-developed with the brand’s local partners SAIC Motor, FAW Group and Volkswagen Anhui.The concept range kicks off with the ID.ERA, a full-sized three-row SUV sporting the brand’s first range-extender platform. While specific powertrain details remain under wraps, Volkswagen says it can provide 300km of range in EV-only mode and deliver a comprehensive range of at least 1000km.As a smaller Jetta-sized sedan targeting younger buyers, the fully electric ID.EVO has been developed with high-performance 800-volt architecture that can support faster charging times and longer range than its 400-volt equivalents.And finally, the ID.AURA is a medium-sized electric SUV designed exclusively for the Chinese market. It utilises Volkswagen’s China-specific Compact Main Platform (CMP), with zonal architecture and AI integration. VW said the model has been developed for the “cost-conscious consumer”.The move represents Volkswagen’s desire to get back to competitiveness in China, where the once-dominant brand is losing ground to emerging domestic rivals such as BYD and Xiaomi.Volkswagen’s future product plans for the world’s largest car market consists of 30 new models by 2027, with a major emphasis on drastically cutting the time it takes to develop new products.The new approach, dubbed “China-speed”, will see VW aim to develop a new car in less than 34 months to keep apace with its Chinese rivals.In the pre-EV era, development of a car with a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) could take up to five years, but new Chinese EV brands have shown they can cut that time to as little as 18 months.Nissan has similarly said it is looking to cut the time it takes to develop a new model to 37 months as it seeks to return to profitability.All research and development of the new VW models will take place at Volkswagen’s new facility in Hefei, China. It remains unclear whether any will be sold in overseas markets.

BYD’s premium sub-brand Denza has pulled the covers off of its Z electric sports car concept at the Shanghai auto show.

The Audi Q8 60 TFSIe quattro S line has had a mid-life upgrade which sees tweaks to its design, technology and features. But do those upgrades make this large plug-in hybrid SUV one to look out for?

Chinese carmaker Zeekr has revealed its flagship 9X SUV at the Shanghai auto show ahead of the car’s official launch in the third quarter of this year.According to the brand’s local operations, the 5.3-metre long model is under active consideration for Australia as it looks to strengthen its two-strong line-up, currently consisting of the X electric SUV and 009 electric people mover.In terms of design, the 9X strongly resembles luxury SUV staples, such as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan or Toyota Century SUV. That said, it borrows its foundations from fellow Geely-owned brand Lynk & Co’s 900, which is slated for release later this month.Underneath, the 9X will carry a Xiaoyao battery pack from CATL that Zeekr claims will deliver 380km of pure-electric range, marking the furthest distance among hybrid SUVs globally.Zeekr hasn’t detailed the exact size of the battery, nor total power and torque outputs, but it will come paired to a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that delivers 205kW on its own.The entire configuration will see the 9X rocket from 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.0 seconds.Ride comfort will be secured through “industry-first” dual-chamber air suspension and active stabiliser bars, the brand says.Inside, there will be Rolls-Royce-style starlight headlining, while Zeekr’s 'G-Pilot H9' autonomous driving system with five Lidar sensors will also be fitted.The 9X’s twin, the Lynk & Co 900, will launch before the 9X, which the brand says has already attracted some 40,000 pre-orders. The brand is set to launch in Australia next year.It loses the 9X’s large chrome grille and LED headlight clusters for a flat front bumper panel and dual-'fanged' headlights. There are different wheel designs in addition to the 900’s unique rear LED tail-light bar design.Zeekr says the 900’s dual-electric-motor, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine set-up delivers a total power output of 650kW, while the time it takes to sprint from 0-100km/h rises to 4.3 seconds.Inside, the 900 boasts twin 30-inch 6K displays and six seats with 180-degree rotating functions.Pricing for either model is unclear, although in China, the 9X is anticipated to range from approximately A$110,000 for the base-spec to A$215,000 for the top-spec ‘Grand Edition’.Full pricing and specifications for the 9X are expected to emerge ahead of the car’s official launch later this year.

Chinese carmaker Dongfeng has revealed its "military-grade" Warrior M817 electric SUV at the Shanghai auto show.

The first-quarter results for Tesla are in, and they're abysmal, with the now-controversial electric vehicle brand shaving sales and profit over the first three months of 2025.

BYD has officially revealed its new Yangwang U8L SUV ahead of its debut at the Shanghai auto show later this week.Positioned as an ultra-luxury, ultra-large, off-road-capable SUV, the U8L will arrive in China as a longer-wheelbase version of the U8, which is set to launch in Australia before the end of this year.The U8L is expected to welcome significant design and technology updates over its smaller sibling, some of which have been previewed by CarNewsChina.Starting with dimensions, the U8L is expected to grow to a staggering 5600mm long from an already large 5319mm to accommodate a more spacious three-row, six-seat configuration.For comparison, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan lines up at 5314mm long, while a seven-seat Range Rover Long Wheelbase is 5213mm long.The larger frame will drop the U8’s rear-mounted spare wheel in favour of a flat tailgate paired with a black roof, golden exterior paint, newly designed alloy rims and retractable door handles.A trio of displays on the dashboard, including a 23.6-inch driver’s display, a 12.8-inch central multimedia display and a 23.6-inch passenger screen, are expected to be carryovers from the U8, along with quilted leather upholstery, dual rear-passenger displays and a 22-speaker Dynaudio audio system.The U8’s standard trunk volume of 1031 litres, which expands to 2050 litres with the rear seats folded, is expected to grow even larger with the longer proportions, although an official figure remains unconfirmed.Changes to the powertrain haven’t been detailed, with the U8L not expected to sway too far from its U8 sibling. It packs a quad-electric-motor, four-wheel drive set-up with a combined output of 880kW/1280Nm.Additionally, the U8 carries a 49kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) ‘Blade’ battery pack and a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. Electric range is claimed at 180km, while comprehensive range is claimed in excess of 1000km (both under the CLTC protocol).The U8L will carry BYD’s Tesla-rivalling 'God’s Eye' advanced driver-assist technology, which uses a mix of cameras, Lidar sensors and artificial intelligence to provide semi-autonomous driving functions.Despite the U8's confirmation for the Australian market, a local debut for the U8L remains uncertain at this stage. Any prospective launch date is certain to depend on the U8's reception.The U8 launched under BYD’s luxury Yangwang sub-brand in China in 2023 with a price tag of 1.098 million yuan (A$231,500). The U8L's pricing in China is expected to exceed that figure, with more information likely to follow its official reveal in Shanghai this week.

You might not have heard of CATL, but you’ll have heard of the brands its electric car batteries are used in: Toyota, Hyundai, Tesla and plenty of others.

Production plans for Tesla’s low-cost Model Y have been delayed again, according to industry sources, with a start date now slated for as late as early 2026.According to Reuters, three sources with knowledge of the matter said production had been pushed back by at least a few months from Tesla’s most recently publicised production date of the first half of this year.The brand is now reportedly offering a range of revised targets from the third quarter to early next year. The reason for the delay is not clear.Two of the sources confirmed that Tesla is aiming to produce 250,000 of the cheaper Model Ys in the United States by next year. Production is also planned for Europe and China, the latter of which being where Australia-bound Teslas are built.Questions around plans for the affordable models, which will also eventually include a stripped-back Model 3, is set to be a key line of inquiry following Tesla’s first quarter earning results on Wednesday.Low-cost Teslas have long been anticipated by customers and investors alike, with plans dating back as far as 2020 when CEO Elon Musk first floated a price tag of $25,000 (A$40,000) for future budget models.The same price tag has since been floated for the incoming, fully-autonomous Cybercab, which is now also delayed.Reuters reported that the new stripped-back Model Y will cost 20 per cent less to produce than the current version, presumably by losing some standard features and carrying a smaller, short-range battery pack. Tesla has previously said a 53kWh unit would replace the current Model Y's 60kWh battery.An updated version of the current Model Y will land in Australian showrooms from next month with a starting price of $58,900 before on-road costs.Positive news couldn’t come any sooner for Tesla, whose stock has fallen by 44 per cent in the US off the back of Musk’s controversial role in the Trump Administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).Rising competition from Chinese EV brands, such as BYD, has also seen the brand’s small and aging line-up undercut in key overseas markets such as China, Europe and Australia, with Tesla recording its first-ever decline in annual deliveries in the fourth quarter of last year.U.S. President Donald Trump’s huge 145 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports, including vehicle components, are also set to hit a quarter of vehicles Tesla produces in the US, according to Fortune.In Australia, Tesla’s sales to March 2025 were down by nearly 60 per cent compared to the same period last year, with sales of the brand’s best-selling model in Australia (and globally), the Model Y, falling by 54.4 per cent.BYD, meanwhile, has seen its sales in Australia grow by 95.6 per cent over the same period, though largely off the back of its plug-in hybrid Shark 6 ute.Chinese electric car conglomerate Geely has emerged as another threat, with sales of its EX5 electric SUV – which is the cheapest model in its class in Australia – clocking 188 sales in just its first month.