Some discussion in the paper today about a possible early end to the FBT relief. The statistics show it's overwhelmingly skewed towards higher income earners which is a reasonable point in favour of winding it up early given the country's fiscal position, but hasn't it been effective in driving the switchover!

Not trying to get into the politics of it but do you think we've reached the tipping point? Do we need to phase out the subsidies a bit sooner than 2029? Can the industry stand on its own two feet now without Govt support?

Does this make anyone keen to jump in earlier? Personally I was going to wait for the 7GT but decided to go early just in case and took delivery of a Volvo ES90 last week (They've only sold about four this year so if you see one wave - it's probably me!).

Hey everyone,

I'm planning to buy my first Tesla and have been going back and forth between a used 2024 Model Y RWD (with HW4) and the new base Model 3.

With the recent price cuts, the new Model 3 is now $45,900 before on-road costs (around $50k drive-away), which makes it pretty tempting.

But I've always leaned towards the Model Y for the extra space and practicality. My wife and I also want to do a bit of camping, and the idea of folding down the rear seats, throwing in a mattress and using Camp Mode sounds pretty awesome. We'd probably get a side awning or shelter too.

The problem is the used prices. I'm seeing 2024 Model Y RWDs listed by dealers for around $48k–$53k, which seems a bit steep considering you can get a brand-new Model 3 for similar money. And the refreshed Model Y isn't that much more expensive either.

Ideally, I'd like to pick up a 2024 Model Y RWD with HW4, reasonable kilometres and a clean history for around $42k–$45k drive-away. Is this unreasonable? Frankly asking tbh. I’m also not sure if buying from a private seller is a good idea since I’ve never done it before

A bit about my situation:
Based in Melbourne.

Won’t probably drive more than 7,000–9,000km a year given me and wife WFH. Car will be mainly for road trips and errands and visiting friends or family.

Planning to keep the car for at least 6–8 years.

Occasional camping and road trips, maybe 4–5 times a year.

Not in a massive rush, happy to wait until early/mid 2027 if it makes financial sense.

A few things I'm curious about:
Do you reckon used Model Y prices will drop further in 2027, especially with the new Model 3 pricing and refreshed Model Y putting pressure on the older models?

Is paying $45k–$50k for a two-year-old Model Y actually reasonable, or are sellers still holding onto outdated valuations?

Anyone who's owned both the Highland Model 3 and the older Model Y — which would you choose for long-term ownership?

For those who've camped in a Model Y, is sleeping inside with Camp Mode genuinely worth choosing the SUV over the sedan?

I'm leaning towards waiting for the right Model Y at around $45k rather than spending close to $50k on one now.
Would love to hear from anyone who's bought a used Model Y recently or has been following the Australian second-hand Tesla market.
Cheers!

Have decided to pull the trigger on a BYD Sealion 7.

Tossing up 2 options

- 2025 used demo - $50k. 3500kms. Essentially like new, very subtle cosmetic scuffs as you'd expect.

- 2026 new - 54k (58k minus 4k cashback)

Looking online I can't see any significant changes between 2025 and 2026 models (other than a few software updates which the 2025 should have had pushed through). Are there any other variables anyone is aware of?

Other than that, is there likely to have been any significant battery degradation from sitting in a dealer mostly un-driven for the 12 months? One less year of warranty but not sure how much weight that holds for 4k?

Thanks for any thoughts/aspects I haven't considered.

We'll be doing a NL either way and have looked in detail at the other threads relating to this.

Not sure if this is really relevant to the Q but including per the rules. The budget is up to 60k (but ideally the less the better). 13000km per year mostly city driving, with some occasions 2-300km trips (one way). Will be charged at home on solar/battery setup. Looking for an SUV - 2 child seats.

Cheers

Updated: thanks for all the responses! I'm going to pull the trigger on the new one. Just needed a sense check and was all very helpful :)

Hi all,

This is a dumb question but I am considering getting an EV for my next car and also planning on moving to a new state and can only afford an apartment. I see most apartments come with a parking space, but seems installing a charging station could be hit or miss depending on what is possible/available and permission.

EVs are new to me, so I assume in this case charging the car will have to be a matter of going to a dedicated charging place to charge?

Are there any other options or is it either charge at a charging place or charge at home (if possible)?

Thanks,

Big upgrades over the outgoing model: new 67kWh LFP battery (up from 60kWh NMC), 480km WLTP range, 165kW DC charging (up from 130kW), 11kW AC, and V2L added for the first time on a Renault in Australia. One grade, fully loaded, with Harman Kardon audio, Google built-in with Gemini AI, heat pump, massage seats and a 360-degree camera all standard.

Launch offer: deposit $200 online before 31 December and you get a free 7kW home charging adaptor (RRP $749) on delivery.

Thoughts on the update? How do you think the updated Megane will sell?

Do you think electricity will become more expensive with everyone moving to EVs (or for any other reason)? It’s cheaper than fuel at the moment, but if that were flipped (and with the ‘kilometres travelled’ road tax added for example), would you still drive yours? Or will this just never happen and you think electricity prices will remain basically what they are?

What do you do if there’s a power outage on your street and your battery is flat?

Are they really so environmentally friendly (ignoring emissions, obviously that part is) - what about the manufacturing of batteries, and burning coal to generate electricity to charge the batteries if you don’t have solar panels? I don’t know anything about how much power they actually need/draw so this could be a non-issue.

Hot summers: does the air con work well and does the Australian heat reduce the life of the batteries?

Curious how many in this group bought an EV from a purely environmental position versus money saving (or both/some other reason?)

How much and how often is your servicing and is insurance more than you were paying for a hybrid or ICE car? I see people say the savings are really worthwhile when you have solar and battery storage at home. What about without this? Is it REALLY that much cheaper?

Security: can the software be taken over or something if Chinese companies wanted to? Do you worry about your data?

Hi, I am looking to buy a Tesla model YL, I have a Goodwe ESA 48kw battery installed for my single phase home. I am looking to now get a Goodwe 7kw HCA G2 charger.
Has anyone got this installed? How did you go about this? Did you get you battery installer to also install this or could reach out to a different installer? What would you recommend and how has your experience been?

It may look like a lazy post but isn’t. I have done my deep research, watched videos, read heaps of articles, done a bunch of Test drives which ultimately helped me land into choosing a Zeekr 7X.

But guess what? I almost “hit” the buy button until I found out it’s listed as banned for P-platers in VIC/NSW. My son is on his Ps and prefer to keep it open for him to drive it if needed.

I’d appreciate suggestions on similarly equiped car worthwhile buying as I don’t know at this point what can I get instead.
Thanks

Looking to lease a J5 through work and when I was going through the quote it had a whole bunch of accessories like Dash Cam, public chargers, home chargers etc. I just want to know what does it come with, and what if any accessories should/do i need to get?

Hi Australian EV gods.

I'd like some advice please and what you would do.

I have test driven both cars I like them both, but the range is further at around 80-100kms more and the engine is about double the power from 85kw to 150kw on the UT but the software and driving on the road isn't as nice as the Geely, felt like the car struggled a bit more handling bumps and Aussie roads, also the software felt unfinished at least from what I could tell at the time.

The UT comes with a wall charger though but costs around $3000 more I think, I've looked at the added features of the Luxury version and I can live without them, I'm doing a novated lease and waiting to hear back from Oly on the cost.

I'm also waiting to hear back from my property manager if they will allow me to get an electrician to install a home charger.

Warranties seem the same, but brand recognition seems far more in favour of Geely over the GAC, correct me if I'm wrong.

I worry that the Geely will be limiting for those times I want to do a road trip, I'm not too fussed about the engine power it doesn't bother me much.

And now I have decision paralysis, so I'm keen on any comments please.

This will be my first EV, I rent also.

Edit: thank you everyone for your input and comments. I’m reading them all and taking everything on board.

I never thought I’d buy a new car, as I don’t view it as a good financial decision. I’ve always owned older cars and love not having to be precious about someone scratching it, the cheap insurance, and free servicing (husband).

However, I want something taller than my Toyota Corolla hatchback for getting a baby and toddler in and out of, as well as improved safety features and fuel efficiency. I settled on a Corolla Cross hybrid, as the RAV4 was bigger than what I wanted. Secondhand prices are a few thousand less than brand new with 30-50,000 km on the clock already, so I went with new.

The dealership said I can cancel if I change my mind and I won’t lose the deposit. I never wanted to spend so much on a car (originally the budget was \~$30-$33k, but became $42k in the end) and as much as I AM kind of looking forward to driving something new for the first time in my life, and I like the car, I can’t help but feel like it’s so much money for what could be very outdated in terms of the future of cars and everyone seemingly moving towards EVs, and the fact it still relies on fuel.

I never had any interest in EVs, don’t get how they work, all the acronyms (PHEV and BHEV?) and the charging etc, we don’t have solar or any special charging outlets. We would be able to charge at home and I assume that would still be cheaper than fuel. I really don’t like the idea of a cheap Chinese car that won’t last, but I’m sure people will tell me that’s not the case any more and they’re built well. Are they as safe though, especially for young kids? The main reason I haven’t looked into them properly is I have loved the reliability of Toyotas, and fuel is what I know. However, I know just sticking with what is familiar and comfortable is not necessarily the best way forward or a wise way to live.

Am I making a bad decision here going with a hybrid? I’ve seen there are people who are very biased towards both ends of the spectrum (ICE and EVs) and really want everyone to have what they have, so it’s hard to know.

I’m feeling confused and dreading the day the dealer calls me and says it’s ready as I’m so unsure what to do, and I’ve never spent this much cash on a car before (current car is 21 years old, cost me $5k and has done 250,000 km so far without skipping a beat). Help!

Edited to add: for the next 5 years or so I don’t anticipate driving more than 5000 km a year (if my quick maths is correct).

My wife and found out we are having twins in the middle of next year. We already have a toddler, but our current cars aren't fit for purpose (two small ICE sedans). I like the idea of an NL for an EV maybe used or new.

I have watched a few videos about buying used EVs ney seusually don'tecommend it. I am not sure how much of that is jud fears inshapingar people or and how much reflects real challengesople buying used EVs.

I have also looked at the calculator linked in this sub, and it seems a novated lease is a good option for us. I still need to check how it would affect our child care subsidy.

In any case my questions are:

1. Which areEVs arest EVsfor fittingcar seats and leastill leavingace for prams? It seems the Ioniq 5 is a good option, although turmyfe really cares about for parking and the sorts.likes used EV as scary as it is made to be?

Also I'm happy to be pointed to other things I might be missing.

We expect to drive around 20,000 km a year. I think we are comfortable with a 70k budget, and there is no charging at the apartment but I can charge at work or in nearby.

Hey everyone,

I'm part of a research team at Monash University, and we're doing a survey to explore what Australians think about electric vehicles (EVs).

Whether you own an EV, drive a petrol car, are thinking about switching, or have absolutely no interest in EVs. We'd love to hear from you!

The survey takes around 20 minutes, is completely anonymous, and is open to anyone aged 18+ living in Australia.

Survey link: https://monash.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dcyG2DQelemhloG

Thanks heaps for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Kind regards

Hi all,

I'm hoping to lean on the combined might of the AustralianEV subreddit to speculate as to why this car is a repairable write-off: 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 6, 62434321 - Pickles AU as I'm really keen on one of these but at over $120k brand new, it's a bit out of my reach.

It's only got 23kms on the odo and the only damage visible from the photos is a missing side skirt on the passenger side. The concern is obviously what can't be seen, i.e. under the vehicle.

I've contacted Pickles for more details but they said the only info they have is what the vendor gives them, and is all on the website (so nothing). They don't allow in-person inspection either.

What's peoples opinion of second hand EVs and what should I be looking out for and worried about?

I am talking brands and years to avoid as well. I want to go electric. My car is dying. But I have never gone new for anything but I don't know what to look for in EVs.

I guess I am looking for an SUV but smaller is fine. I should be able to charge at home. I only really travel the school run OR I drive interstate. Rarely in-between.

Hey all,

Need help choosing a used EV.

Currently the top 2 contenders are 23 Cupra Born, and 23 Single Motor LR Polestar 2.

Main issues with each are:
- Polestar
Lack of cupholders, bit too big, Feels cheap in some aspects, FWD

- Cupra
Only 4 seats(interior pack), lack of one pedal driving, lack of an app, drum brakes

Have a Tesla GEN3 EV charger at home so not much of an issue there.

Looking for guidance between the two or any alternative options?

Budget: ~35k
Body style: flexible but not larger than a Medium SUb
Daily: 10km drive daily, not driving farther than 30km often really

Thanks (NSW)

Hi there, I found a used 2024 model y on Carsales with low kms (20k) for $41k. Is this a good price for a private sale or what would you offer? Given the amount of EV’s with 8 year warranty new for $35k, I don’t want to overpay for a used vehicle. Would you also get it inspected?

Hey Australian EV enthusiasts!
I was lucky enough to be the first to receive the beautiful Polestar 5 a couple of days ago and decided to Vlog the experience, as I figure no one else will be able to showcase 'the first' of this.
Be kind; I have never done this before, but I figure some people may enjoy it.
More photos are at the end of the video:
https://youtu.be/oemIZuXln-c

- we have 18kw in batteries
- drive about 440km in a month
- occasionally go on longer road trips but mostly in-state (Victoria)
- want a car we can fit a double mattress in the back to camp in. (So hatch/suv)
- hoping to spend under $35k so interested in 2nd hand

Has anyone taken their Kia EV3 off road? It’s at the top of our potential buy list. Not looking to do serious 4WDing, but we do several trips a year to Perisher for skiing, we love camping, and also plan on driving state forest roads to trailheads, driving to kayak put-in locations, etc. Is it worth looking into an after market lift kit?

With OverflowEV going to a paid model in November, what other services/apps are people using that are free?

Alternatively are you hosting it yourself, if so what app do you recommend?

Mazda cx6e and 6e are touchscreen only, pretty much like Tesla.

Mazda mulling return to buttons: 'We will keep considering' https://www.drive.com.au/news/mazda-6e-cx-6e-return-to-buttons-under-consideration-if-customers-ask/

But didn't the Chinese Government mandate physical buttons from next year anyway, so Mazdas cars would have physical buttons in future Chinese made models anyway wouldn't they?