EV charge points to be a ‘huge cost' for Australians
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The Australian
33 minutes ago
- The Australian
EV sales plunge forces Porsche, Fiat to slash prices across Australia
Car companies have slashed thousands of dollars from the prices of electric vehicles, with widespread discounts as buyers hit the brakes on electric vehicle sales. Electric vehicle sales in Australia are down 6 per cent compared to 2024 in the first six months of this year – and that's despite more EV options being available to customers than ever before. And we aren't just talking about the cutthroat Chinese brands reducing costs to compete – there are some surprising discounts to be had. MORE: AI system outrages drivers Porsche's Macan phases out petrol power in a bold EV move. Picture: Supplied The Porsche Macan is the most surprising offer on the table. Industry veteran Paul Gover posted on LinkedIn: 'Through all my many years in motoring I had never seen a discount on anything new from Porsche Cars Australia. Until today. 'Do Macan owners and shoppers want a Macan EV? The sales results say 'not yet'.' The German sports car specialist rarely offers deals. MORE: The best cars of the 21st century Macan EV shoppers get a '$5000 Trade-In Bonus' on all cars, plus a 'Deposit Contribution' for the new plug-in Porker ($3000 on the Macan, Macan 4; $4000 on Macan S; $5000 on Macan Turbo). Deals vary from showroom to showroom. Some are further sweetening the deal with a five-year factory warranty and five years roadside assistance at no cost. Another European brand doing discounts is Fiat. Fiat's 500e Abarth Scorpionissima. Photo: Supplied The pint-sized Fiat 500e is now being offered at a more fitting price of $38,990 drive-away – some $16,000 off the existing price ($52,500 plus on-roads). And the hotter pop-and-crackle Abarth 500e is now $43,990 drive-away, about $18,000 less than the original price with on-roads included. Fiat – part of the Stellantis Group – isn't the only marque in the stable to be chopping it up. Jeep is still doing $40,000 drive-away deals on the Avenger electric small SUV, which is the country's cheapest vehicle of its type. And there are even better prices on in-stock models with low kilometres, as low as $34,990 drive-away for a car with 2000km on the clock. MORE: Why tradies are wrong about utes 2024 Chery Omoda E5. Photo: Supplied There are also budget bargains to be had from China, too, with the outgoing Chery Omoda E5 being offered with up to $6000 off retail. The 430km-EV-range small SUV starts at $40,300 drive-away, and includes a free home charger – and it's one of the only EVs on the market with a full-size spare wheel. Cox Automotive analyst Mike Costello says the raging retail offers point to potentially bigger concerns in the industry. 'Discounts or incentives tell us there are still challenges to overcome in terms of increasing consumer demand, although there are plenty of signs that consumers will consider an EV if the price and performance is right for them. 'Over the next few years carmakers are expected to increase the number of EVs they offer to meet government efficiency targets, so there's every change that great deals will become a common sight,' he said. And while it isn't a full EV, Mercedes-Benz has even repositioned the mild-hybrid C43 AMG sedan to be almost $20,000 cheaper than before, too.
The Australian
40 minutes ago
- The Australian
BYD, Chery caught in $185m Chinese EV subsidy scandal
Two of China's largest electric vehicle manufacturers, BYD and Chery, have been caught up in a multimillion-dollar subsidy scandal after a government audit revealed they improperly claimed more than $80 million in taxpayer funds. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, shows that from 2016 to 2020, the automakers received public subsidies for more than 13,000 vehicles that failed to meet official requirements. Preliminary results published late last month show Chery had applied for approximately 240 million yuan (approximately AUD $51 million) in funding for 8,760 electric and hybrid vehicles that did not qualify. MORE: EV boss calls for end to ute incentives BYD electric cars waiting to be loaded to the car carrier BYD "Shenzhen", which will sail to Brazil from the Taicang Port in Suzhou, in China's eastern Jiangsu province. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT BYD had 4,973,143 million yuan (approximately AUD $30 million). Both car brands accounted for close to 60 per cent of the total improper claims. The audit assessed more than 75,000 vehicles from more than a dozen automakers. In total, more than 21,700 vehicles across multiple brands were deemed ineligible accounting for 864.9 million yuan (approximately AUD $185 million) in questionable subsidies. No formal allegations of fraud have been made but the audit did flag issues such as missing supporting documents and failure to meet minimum mileage thresholds required under the phased out EV incentive scheme. Under the subsidy program, the Chinese government had previously offered generous cash rebates of up to 60,000 yuan (AUD $8400) per electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, paid directly to manufacturers, who were supposed to pass on the subsidy to their customers as a discount on the purchase price. MORE: Jet on wheels delivers wild luxury Chery had applied for approximately 240 million yuan (approximately AUD $51 million) in funding for 8,760 electric and hybrid vehicles that did not qualify. Picture: Supplied However, this did not always happen correctly. Regulators were particularly sceptical of dealer practices and sales strategies, calling out 'zero kilometre used cars', brand new vehicles registered to dealers and resold as used stock to inflate sales figures. The Ministry has not confirmed whether any of the funds flagged in the audit have been repaired or deducted from future payments. Chery denied the allegations and has said it acted transparently and said the audit only involved subsidy applications that had not yet been paid out. BYD has not yet commented. Read related topics: China Ties Danielle Collis Journalist and Reporter Danielle's background spans print, radio and television, she has contributed to outlets such as The Age, ABC, Channel Nine and many more. For more than four years, Danielle has worked as Liz Hayes' producer and investigative journalist on her show 'Under Investigation', covering everything from corporate scandals to Australia's most baffling crime cases. Danielle's covered a range of topics from breaking news, politics, lifestyle and now motoring. Danielle Collis
The Australian
40 minutes ago
- The Australian
Revealed: How Australia's cities rank for electric vehicle readiness
Shocking new data has painted a grim picture for Australia's electric vehicle future, revealing that our major cities are among the least EV-friendly in the entire world. A comprehensive global analysis by Compare the Market, which assessed 106 cities, found that some of Australia's major cities consistently landed in the bottom 10 across five crucial factors for EV readiness, including incentives and charging station availability. Each city was ranked based on the following factors: chargers per capita, national average electricity cost, incentives score, EV sales relative to the city's population, and the number of EVs per capita. While some cities are better equipped for electric vehicles than others, it doesn't look good for Australia. Canberra emerged as Australia's top performer, securing the 33rd spot globally with a score of 2.94 out of 10. Sydney placed 74th in the rankings. Picture: Daily Telegraph / Monique Harmer MORE: Major brand's unthinkable act in EV war Hobart ranked 89th, trailing behind the Gold Coast, which secured the 88th position. Perth performed a little better, achieving 66th place in the rankings. Brisbane also outperformed Hobart, landing in 85th position. And in a closely contested comparison, Melbourne was ranked 73rd, just ahead of Sydney, which came in at 74th. While electric cars have gradually made their way into the Australian market, they haven't achieved mainstream appeal, and most states and territories have limited incentives for EV owners. While Queensland and New South Wales have previously offered rebates and subsidies for EV purchases, they initiatives have since ended, with EV owners getting at least one incentive: discounts on car registration fees every year. Canberra emerged as Australia's's best city when it comes to EV friendliness. Picture: Jonathan Ng MORE: Jet pilot tech to change Aussie cars Canberra stood out as an exception, receiving full marks for its comprehensive incentives, which included registration discounts, rebates on the purchase of an electric car, and grants for installing charging stations, helping it achieve a higher ranking than other Australian cities. Another significant challenge affecting the adoption of electric vehicles in Australia is the national average electricity cost, which is notably higher than the global average. In addition to this, Australians encounter further obstacles in embracing EV technology, such as range anxiety and high initial purchase costs, which are often associated with soft resale values. Photo of roadside EV charging MORE: What is the best car of the 21st century? Dutch cities claimed the top three positions in the ranking: The Hague (5.14/10), Rotterdam (5.10), and Amsterdam (5.00). The report highlighted that these cities had the highest number of charging stations per capita, a key factor in the ranking system that allowed them to surpass other EV-friendly cities. James Chung Digital Content Creator James is a Digital Content Creator at and is part of the News Corp Australia's digital real estate team. His previous experience includes working for Sky News Australia.
