nissan leaf tokyo oct2017 00000 h6kj
bmw i3s 001 fchj
renault kangoo ze 2 wdur
jaguar i pace 014 vwdp
hyundai ioniq ev 112 6vq2
Matt Brogan16 Jan 2018
ADVICE

Electric vehicles coming to Australia in 2018

There’s a lot of 'buzz' about the advance of the electric car, but the fact is choice for Australian buyers remains rather limited

Electric vehicles (EVs, or those that operate without the assistance of an internal combustion engine, unlike conventional, hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles) are being heralded as the future of personal mobility.

You may be familiar with Mitsubishi’s pioneering i-MiEV micro-car, Nissan’s top-selling LEAF hatch and Tesla’s large Model S hatch and big Model X crossover – and perhaps also its upcoming Model 3 mid-size sedan (due here in early 2019).

None of these battery-powered models have proved popular in Australia, where there are few local, state or national financial incentives to purchase EVs, but that won’t stop other manufacturers hopping on the electric bandwagon.

In 2018 a handful of new EVs will arrive in Australia, touting clean, green motoring for the environmentally conscious. Here we look at five such examples.

bmw i3s 001 fchj

BMW i3 and i3s
On sale since 2015, the city-sized BMW i3 will be updated this year with extra battery capacity, more equipment and a sporty new variant.

The four-seater will retail from $68,700 (plus on-road costs) for the base grade all-electric variant, the range-extending petrol-electric (REX) model selling for $74,700 (plus ORCs).

Sporty i3s and i3s REX models are priced from $69,900 and $75,900 respectively. BMW says the i3 can travel up to 200km on a single charge. The new i3 will be in showrooms from February.

hyundai ioniq ev 112 6vq2

Hyundai IONIQ
The Toyota Prius-sized IONIQ (pronounced ‘ionic’) from Hyundai will arrive in Australia in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric form this April.

The attractive five-door hatch claims 280km of all-electric driving and promises to “democratise” the EVs with an expected price tag of $40,000 (plus ORCs). In the US the IONIQ sells from $29,500.

With aluminium panels to reduce weight and simple suspension to improve packaging, the IONIQ is a useful five-seat family car with none of the typical EV styling quirks.

jaguar i pace 014 vwdp

Jaguar I-PACE
Set to compete with the Tesla’s Model X is Jaguar’s first all-electric vehicle, the family-sized I-PACE.

Slightly smaller than the oil-burning F-PACE, the I-PACE will feature all-wheel drive by means of an electric motor on each axle, and offer a range of more than 500km.

Expected in showrooms in the second-half of 2018, its anticipated the Jaguar I-PACE will retail from around $120,000 (plus ORCs) – approximately $50,000 more than the larger, entry-spec F-PACE Prestige 20d.

nissan leaf tokyo oct2017 00000 h6kj

Nissan LEAF
The second-generation LEAF is slated to arrive in Australia late this year.

The four-seat hatch made its international debut in Japan last year promising improved range – Nissan claims more than 400km from a single charge –plus connectivity and autonomous driving benefits over the outgoing model.

Nissan sold more than 300,000 examples of the first-generation LEAF globally, and though pricing is yet to be confirmed, we anticipate an asking price of under $50,000 (plus ORCs).

renault kangoo ze 2 wdur

Renault Kangoo ZE
Available from this month, the Renault Kangoo ZE small parcel van arrives in showrooms after years of local testing with Australia Post.

The all-electric ‘ZE’ (for Zero Emissions) van shares all but its engine with the conventionally-powered Kangoo, and boasts a realistic range of around 80km, Renault says.

It offers a payload of up to 650kg, or 150kg less than the diesel-engined Kangoo due to the weight of its batteries. There’s no word on price yet, but our guess is around $50,000 (plus ORCs).

Share this article
Written byMatt Brogan
See all articles
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Looking for an electric car?Get the latest advice and reviews on electric car that's right for you.
Explore the Electric Hub
Electric
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.

If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
Download the carsales app
    AppStoreDownloadGooglePlayDownload
    App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
    © CAR Group Ltd 1999-2024
    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.