The consensus on electric vehicles in Australia is that they are certainly desirable, but still far too expensive.
While cars like the Tesla Model 3 are selling strongly amongst those who are willing or able to fork out the current $65,500 before on-road costs starting price, there are many who can’t yet justify the stretch to even a car like the $46,990 drive-away MG ZS EV.
Many of those buyers are in cities, and many don’t even need a car as large as a Model 3. These are buyers who are perhaps ideally suited to life with a small EV hatchback – the kind which haven’t yet reached Australia’s shores.
Here are some cut-price fully electric cars from overseas which we think would have an impact in our market for this poorly-served group of buyers. We’ve included what we know about each car, what they cost overseas, and a little on each car’s chance for an Australian arrival.
Nissan Sakura
From: AU$25,359
Range: 180km
The Nissan Sakura is the Japanese juggernaut’s latest EV, sitting alongside the Ariya and Leaf in the brand’s Japanese lineup.
A kei-class city car, the kind which are usually ruled out in Australia for not meeting safety regulations, the Sakura is also a lot smaller than the kinds of cars which Australians usually buy.
Still, with an appealing pricetag of less than $30,000, it would bring the cost-of-entry down greatly for city-bound Australians looking to avoid ever paying $2 or more for a litre of fuel ever again.
Sadly, it’s likely a small car like this would draw the ire of ANCAP at best, and at worst fall short of the ADRs required for an Australian launch despite a seemingly healthy suite of active safety items and a relatively high level of cabin tech for a car in its class.
Plus, Nissan has made no secret of the fact that it wants an SUV-heavy range, steering clear of even the promising-looking new-generation Nissan Note hatch which could make a compelling hybrid rival to the likes of the Toyota Corolla or Hyundai i30.
Mitsubishi ek X EV
From: AU$25,328
Range: 180km
Mitsubishi might shy away from the ek X EV after its trailblazing but slow-selling i-MIEV predecessor performed poorly by all measures when it arrived in Australia back in 2010.
Times have changed though, and an EV with a starting price of less than $30,000 could be a far more appealing proposition than it once was. Like the Nissan Sakura, the ek X is a Japanese Kei-regulation city car, meaning it’s truly tiny, and with the range on offer, it’s certainly suited more to the confines of a city than the kinds of interstate driving preferred by many Aussies.
Still, with the brand’s electrification push the ek X EV could make a compelling and quirky entry offering, the likes of which simply don’t exist in Australia right now.
Mitsubishi needs something, too, as it’s notably lagging behind other top-10 Australian car brands, by not having a single confirmed electric model for our market.
Executives told CarsGuide earlier in 2022 that the Australian market is “not ready” for fully electric vehicles yet, citing the lack of infrastructure, and that it holds by its belief that plug-in hybrids are the right transitional technology for right now.
Dacia Spring
From: AU$28,568
Range: 225km WLTP
The Dacia Spring was a headline-grabber in Europe for claiming the title of the cheapest mainstream electric car, and it’s popular too, at one stage having been sold out for at least six months. Based on ageing Renault underpinnings and with an interior some might recognise from the previous Captur, the Spring is built in China, although comes with a few drawbacks which would make it far from ideal in Australia.
Sure, the range might suit many city commuters, but the 33kW/125Nm electric motor good for a 100km/h top-speed is hardly inspiring. Nor is the four-seat layout, or its one-star EuroNCAP rating, which the safety body went on record to say “debased” the safety of electric vehicles in Europe.
Surprisingly, Dacia is keen to sell the Spring in right-hand drive form for the UK when it can keep up with surging electric car demand (clearly buyers throughout Europe don’t mind its safety rating or lack of power), and Renault’s local importer, Ateco, has expressed interest in launching the Dacia brand Down Under around 2024. Interestingly, a second-generation Spring is said to be due around this time.
Fiat 500e
From: $34,122
Range: 180km
Fiat threw out a bit of a surprise when it made the new-generation 500 city hatch electric-only.
Sporting three battery sizes, with ranges starting from just 180km and working its way up to 460km, the 500e seems like a flexible option for Aussie commuters. Plus, it offers the classic looks of the 500 with a nameplate somewhat more familiar than the current cheapest EV options in Australia, which include the circa-$44k MG ZS EV and BYD Atto 3.
There’s been a lot of confusion around the future of Fiat in Australia, as its only product, the previous-generation combustion 500 hatch, is nearing the end of its time on this earth, but the brand’s Australian division recently confirmed the 500e would be headed to Australian shores… eventually.
It could be a price-leader depending on the spec which is imported, but whether it will stoop as low as its circa-$35k entry-price in the EU and UK remains to be seen.
Volkswagen e-Up!
From: $38,779
Range: 258km
Remember the Volkswagen Up? This cute subcompact hatch was sold in Australia for a short time before being pulled due to slow sales, despite receiving a positive critical reception.
Now ageing, it was scheduled to be retired in Europe too, but due to surging demand for electric vehicles across the continent, VW made the decision to continue building it at the eleventh hour.
In Europe, it fills the exact kind of demand discussed in this article, existing as an entry-level cut-price EV offering, to compete with the likes of the Dacia Spring and Fiat 500e, whilst also being a more comprehensive car than something like the ultra-compact Citroen Ami.
With 258km of WLTP-rated electric driving range, and a little 60kW/210Nm motor, the e-UP is purpose built for cities, but has just enough range for limited intercity trips, in a similar sort of setup to the significantly more expensive Nissan Leaf and Mini Cooper SE.
While it was originally engineered to be offered in right-hand drive, it’s perhaps a bridge too far for the current-generation e-UP to be offered in our market, despite the apparent demand for an entry-level EV. Volkswagen has stated in the past Australia is near the bottom of its priority list when it comes to electric vehicles thanks to a lack of local incentives or emissions requirements.
What we might see instead is the e-UP’s replacement model, thought to be a production version of the already-teased ID.1. Watch this space.
Keyword: The cheapest electric cars from overseas Australia needs! The EV bargains Nissan, Mitsubishi, and VW are keeping from Aussie shores