Chinese EVs make major inroads as Australian market charges ahead

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By Xin Xin, Alexis Hooi (China Daily) 08:05, March 14, 2025

A visitor inspects SAIC's MG Cyberster electric sports car at the Everything Electric show in Sydney on March 7. (Ma Ping/Xinhua)

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers are gearing up for accelerated growth in the Australian market as Canberra ramps up regulatory measures to smooth the country's transition to greener transportation.

At the recent Everything Electric show in Sydney, which ran for three days starting on March 7, Chinese EV makers took center stage among the diverse range of items on display.

Ian Wilcox, a property valuer from Newcastle in New South Wales state, checked out one of the latest EV offerings on display from Chinese auto giant BYD, saying the vehicle was way ahead of its foreign competitors in many aspects.

"We already have a BYD. We're really impressed with it, and we've taken some long journeys in it," Wilcox said.

He said his current BYD electric vehicle has many features that are better than its non-Chinese competitors, including a long battery range that enables him and his family to use it on camping trips. "It's amazing, the BYD is probably our favorite vehicle these days," he said.

In 2024, the Australian government passed legislation to introduce a new vehicle efficiency standard to regulate the carbon dioxide emissions of new passenger and light commercial vehicles, implemented on Jan 1 of this year.

The legislation has the stated dual aims of giving consumers more choices of low-emission vehicles and reducing Australia's carbon emissions and reliance on the volatile global oil market.

Visitors enter the exhibition hall of the Everything Electric show in Sydney on March 7. (Ma Ping/Xinhua)

Sparking demand

The Electric Vehicle Council, the peak national body representing the EV industry, said in its 2024 report that to meet its climate targets, Australia will need over 50 percent of all new car sales to be EVs by 2030.

Dan Caesar, head of the team behind the Everything Electric show, said rapid developments in technology and expertise were fueling the strong trend toward EVs, with Australian consumers' interest in the vehicles high.

The range of EVs for sale in Australia was now "exceptional" and some models were being seen at the show for the first time. "Choice reduces costs, and China is obviously creating some of that competition …which can only be good for the consumer," he said.

This year's show, billed as the main industry event in the Southern Hemisphere, hosted at least 36 major exhibitors, including global EV brands from China.

"Chinese-made EVs are rapidly gaining popularity in Australia, with BYD leading the charge as one of the most popular brands," said Julie Delvecchio, CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council.

"Other Chinese EV manufacturers, including Zeekr and Geely, are also emerging in the Australian market. What draws Australians to Chinese-made EVs is their affordable price points, modern features, and diverse range of models. These factors are driving healthy competition in the Australian market, making Chinese EVs an increasingly appealing choice for a wide variety of consumers," she said.

More than 300,000 Australians are driving EVs and nearly one in 10 new cars sold in Australia are now EVs, said Delvecchio.

A total of 1.22 million new vehicle sales were recorded last year in Australia, with a rising number of motorists turning to greener choices like plug-in hybrid models, according to industry figures.

At the Sydney show, Chinese EV manufacturers expressed optimism about the Australian market. David Smitherman, CEO of Chinese auto giant BYD's Australian distributor EVDirect, said there is "massive potential for growth".

"Last year we sold 20,000 vehicles. This year our expectations are more than double that number," he said.

"There's a lot of work to be done, but with BYD's superior technology and performance, we're in a really good position to grow the brand here in Australia.

"Australians are very tech-savvy. We're opening up greater choice to Australians which they are really quickly adopting," he added.

Dan Caesar (left), CEO of the Everything Electric show, and Scott Maynard, Polestar's managing director in Australia, introduce Polestar's electric vehicle models during the opening of the event on March 7. (Alexis Hooi/China Daily)

Wider range

Among the Top 10 bestselling EVs in Australia in February were Chinese vehicles including SAIC MG's MG4, BYD's Sealion 7 and Atto 3 along with the luxury crossover Zeekr X, a new entrant to the Australian market, according to The Driven, a leading industry news site.