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Mark Higgins29 Apr 2021
NEWS

Six new electric cars coming to Australia this year

A rush of new models will open up the local market for EVs over the next 12 months

The onslaught of electric cars heading our way is rapidly gathering pace, and a variety of all-new EVs will be seen in Australian showrooms before the end of 2021.

These will be electric vehicles from mainstream and premium brands alike, and some car companies are already taking orders as interest and demand builds up in the marketplace.

BMW iX3

The Chinese-built, battery-electric 2021 BMW iX3 looks like an X3 SUV inside and out – and drives even better.

It’s rear-wheel drive, sprints to 100km/h in less than seven seconds and puts out a punchy 210kW and 400Nm of torque.

Recharging to 80 per cent capacity is completed in 34 minutes using a 150kW charger, and when fully charged the iX3 offers a driving range of up to 460km.

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Luggage space remains a decent 510 litres with the rear seat up and 1560 litres with the 40/20/40-split rear seat folded down.

While Australian pricing and specifications haven’t been announced – European pricing starts at €66,000 ($A103,000) – you can secure one with a $500 deposit at the BMW Shop on the German brand’s Australian website.

First deliveries of the BMW iX3 are expected in the fourth quarter of 2021.

You can learn more from reading our review of the BMW iX3. Details on the Australian reservation system were also recently announced.

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BMW iX

Also due to arrive in the final quarter of this year, the two-model 2021 BMW iX range comprises the iX xDrive40 and iX xDrive50.

The iX is a similar size to the BMW X5, but boasts a different interior and new iDrive system.

The two variants feature xDrive four-wheel drive systems, with the xDrive40 fitted with a 70kWh battery and offering a 400km range, while the xDrive50 has a battery producing in excess of 100kWh for a 600km range.

Performance is impressive, with the iX xDrive40 sprinting to 100km/h in six seconds and the iX xDrive50 reaching the same speed in less than five seconds.

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Both iX models can be recharged from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 40 minutes. A lot of natural and recycled materials are used throughout the vehicles.

As with the smaller BMW iX3, which arrives at around the same time, Australian buyers can secure one of the first BMW iX cars to land Down Under via the German car-maker’s local website.

Kia Niro EV

To be far more affordable than the battery-powered SUVs from prestige brands, the 2021 Kia Niro EV is the Korean car-maker’s first all-electric model in Australia.

Offering a 453km range from its 64kWh battery, the Kia Niro small SUV recharges from 10 to 80 per cent in just under an hour using a 100kW fast-charger.

The electric motor produces a useful 150kW/395Nm, which is good enough to go from zero to 100km/h in 7.8 seconds.

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If the UK-spec Kia e-Niro is anything to go by, there should be plenty of entertainment and safety tech fitted standard to the Australian battery-electric model.

After almost making it here last year, the electric Niro is definitely due in showrooms in 2021. Check out our review for our first drive impressions of Kia Australia’s all-important first EV.

Lexus UX 300e

Toyota’s prestige arm has been offering hybrids for years and now moves into electric vehicles with the 2021 Lexus UX 300e.

It’s set for a late-2021 launch here, with an estimated starting price of $70,000.

Power is stored in a 54kWh battery supplying the UX 300e’s electric motor, which is rated at 150kW and 300Nm of torque and is actually a development of the propulsion system on the 2021 Toyota Mirai – without the hydrogen fuel-cell bit.

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Recharging the battery fully takes an hour at 50kW and brings the range up to around 400km. Top speed is 160km/h.

Unlike the Europeans, this classy and compact front-wheel drive Japanese SUV won’t burn a monumental hole in your bank account. Nor will the four-seater stand out more than any other Lexus, as it doesn’t shout its EV credentials.

Best of all, the Lexus UX 300e is expected to perform at least as well dynamically as any other SUV from the brand. Expect typically high levels of luxury and refinement as well.

You can learn more from reading our review of the Lexus UX 300e.

Mercedes-Benz EQA

The latest EV tech makes an appearance in a small SUV wearing a three-pointed star.

Priced from $76,800 plus on-road costs and arriving mid-year, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 is a bargain-basement, battery-powered Benz.

Based on the GLA platform, the front wheels are driven to a range of up to 480km via a 66.5kWh battery that supplies an asynchronous electric motor with an output of 140kW/375Nm. Zero to 100km/h takes almost nine seconds and top speed is 160km/h.

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A spare 30 minutes is all you need to recharge the EQA from 10-80 per cent using a fast-charger (up to 100kW), while topping up the battery from 10-100 per cent via an AC wallbox or a charging station can be completed in a shade under six hours.

Standard kit includes 19-inch wheels, heated and electrically-adjustable front seats, two 10.25-inch infotainment screens, plus a swag of safety features.

Volvo XC40 Recharge

Another premium small SUV, the 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge is the Swedish brand’s first all-electric model and the first of five more EVs due to launch over the next five years.

Scheduled to appear in showrooms from July, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric drives all wheels through a pair of electric motors connected to a single 78kWh battery for a range up to 400km.

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Output is generous at 300kW/600Nm, the two motors flinging the XC40 Recharge EV to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds.

Standard equipment will include Volvo’s latest infotainment and safety tech. While it is similar in size to the petrol-powered XC40 and its interior isn’t radically different, its external appearance is quite different, most notably the lack of a traditional grille.

Related: More electric car reviews on carsales
Related: Will I enjoy driving an EV?
Related: Electric cars coming you need to know more about

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Written byMark Higgins
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