Australia's sub-$35K EV

I mentioned this sub-A$35,000  EV here, but this gives more detail.  (Remember when comparing Ozzie car prices with US ones that because of the exchange rate, Ozzie prices will start out 30% higher, to which you have to add 5% import duty and 10% GST, making the A$ price 50% higher than the US$ one.)

This report is from CarAdvice.

The budget hatchback will have a range of 500km and accelerate from 0-100km/h in 'less than 5.0 seconds', according to the Australian importer.

New details of the upcoming BYD electric hatchback – which importer Nexport claims will be sold in Australia for “well under $35,000” when order books open later this year – have been revealed exclusively to CarAdvice.

The Chinese-built five-door – which was unveiled as the EA1 in China last week, but will be sold locally under a different nameplate – has a range of approximately 500km, according to Nexport founder Luke Todd.

For reference, the MG ZS EV, which is currently the cheapest electric car offered in Australia from $43,990 drive-away, has a claimed range of just 263km.

Meanwhile, the 0-100km/h sprint will reportedly take “less than 5.0 seconds” in entry-level guise – comparable acceleration to the launch control-equipped Volkswagen Golf R hot hatch.

“Our range of six cars will completely change the automotive landscape in Australia, and we expect to be a top-five manufacturer within 24 months,” Mr Todd told CarAdvice.

“There has been a lot of discussion about the government’s role in electric vehicle take-up, but our view is that electric cars need to be able to compete with internal combustion cars on price – we believe we are the manufacturer to make that happen,” Mr Todd added.

Assuming the aforementioned performance figures are accurate – and the car is sold for under $35,000 with a reasonable warranty – the BYD hatchback could well be a complete game changer for the local market.

However, CarAdvice is yet to test drive the vehicle, or verify the somewhat-radical claims made by its local importer.

Order books are slated to open on 1 July 2021, with the first customer deliveries promised during the first quarter of next year (January to March inclusive).

For comparison, the Toyota Camry hybrid is A$33,500, but that's before additional 'drive away' costs which can add a couple of thousand dollars.  The cheapest Toyota Corolla hybrid is A$27,500 before on costs.  And note that these are not plug-in hybrids.   From the look of it, this BYD will fit somewhere between the Camry and the Corolla, so the price is reasonable. The cheapest Tesla Model 3 costs A$63,000.  

With running costs for EVs in Australia less than half the running costs of ICEVs, even with the new EV tax, it'll be a winner.