Consumer interest in electric vehicles is clearly running well ahead of supply, and in Australia in 2023 the focus is on a series of new offerings that are priced below $50,000.
The number of models in this price range is set to double in the coming year. Previously only the Nissan Leaf, the BYD Atto 3 and the MG ZS EV fitted in, or close, to the $50,000 price range. But in 2023 there are a couple of interesting new offerings about to hit the market.
ORA Funky Cat
ORA Funky Cat was announced last week with a starting driveway price of the Standard model nearing $45,000. It was also part of The Driven’s top EVs to look out for in 2023.
The standard base model is equipped with a 47.8 kWh battery pack which delivers up to 310 km of WLTP range. There is also a larger battery pack available to provide a range of up to 400 km.
Both batteries feed the powertrain with motors that can deliver up to 126 kW of power and 250Nm of torque.
After launching in the UK last year and finding quite a bit of success there, it’s launching here with the first batch of this quirky EV landing in Australia in April.
The Ora Funky Cat will come also come with a respectable 7-year / unlimited km warranty on the car while the battery receives warranty coverage of 8 years.
MG-4
The MG-4 will now be officially announced and formally unveiled at the Fully Charged Live show in Sydney next month. The hatchback ground-up EV is expected to have a price of around $40,000.
Given its success in other right-hand-drive like the UK where it won multiple awards, it already got a very high level of interest from Australian drivers.
The Driven’s readership has shown a lot of interest in this EV based on the design, range and it’s expected price tag.
In December, the MG 4 also received a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP that would make it popular for fleet operators in Australia to transition to.
It’s currently offered in the UK in two versions. The standard version is powered by a 51 kWh battery pack while the extended version comes with a 64 kWh pack.
The long-range extended battery pack can deliver up to 435 km of WLTP range which is ideal for most journeys including road trips around Australia.
The MG-4 has been seen testing in the streets of Sydney so it would be good to see it in person at Fully Charged Live next month.
BYD Dolphin
The BYD Dolphin journey has had a big following ever since it was locally unveiled alongside the Atto 3 SUV in February 2022.
If 2022 was the year when BYD launched Australia’s first ground-up EV under $50,000, then 2023 is shaping to offer Australia’s first EV under $40,000 with the expected launch of the BYD Dolphin.
Like many EVs in this price bracket, it is also expected to be eligible for state and territory subsidies that can help with the upfront cost of owning an EV.
BYD Dolphin hatchback will be equipped with BYD’s Blade battery technology. The extended range model which is likely to be the one launched in Australia is expected to do over 300 km of WLTP range from a 45 kWh battery pack.
This hatchback is not too far from official release onto our market since it’s been spotted testing in multiple locations in Sydney and Melbourne.
Affordable electric cars have been quite popular as seen by the BYD Atto 3. These have helped many more drivers to make the switch to an EV and the Dolphin is expected to continue that trend later in 2023.
MG ZS EV
MG ZS EV has been quite popular since its launch back in 2021 as Australia’s cheapest EV. Since then, it’s had a refresh in 2022 while still being promoted as a budget-friendly EV. The first batch of these arrived in Australia priced at under $45,000 driveaway.
At launch in August, the entry-level Excite variant was offered for $44,990 driveaway, and $48,990 for the Essence variant. Both offered up to 320 km of range as no extended battery variant was offered in Australia.
Last week MG quietly increased the prices of the MG ZS EV. The Excite version now starts at a tad over $46,000 in most states and can go up to $49,130 driveaway in Western Australia.
The subsidies are then applied on top of that. It’s also one of the few vehicles eligible for the Queensland EV subsidy where the EVs are capped at a purchase price of $58,000.
The MG ZS EV is also one of the few EVs under $50,000 in 2023 that’s the popular SUV segment and there are also plans to bring the long-range version with a 72 kWh later this year. To confirm the new variant, MG Peter Ciao, the CEO of MG Motor Australia recently said:
“We listened to our customer’s feedback and have fast-tracked the arrival of our long-range ZS EV with a larger 72kw battery pack and 440km of range to Australia,”.
Longer range is always welcomed by Australian drivers looking to make the switch to an EV, even if it is in the affordable segment as far as electric vehicles go.
Cheaper EVs are on the way
More affordable EV options can only help more people get behind the wheels of an electric car. Popular segments of hatchbacks and smaller SUVs will help not only the adoption but continue to help lower transport emissions across the country.
We look forward to seeing these and other cheaper EVs that are accessible in larger quantities in the coming months along with tracking their uptake as they hit the roads.
For a full rundown of the new EV models destined to reach Australia in 2023, please read:
The new electric vehicle models to look forward to in Australia in 2023
and
Australian electric vehicle buyer’s guide for 2023: the best and worst
Update: The article now includes details of the upcoming MG ZS EV extended range model.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.