Over the past six months, Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer Dreame, best known for its robot vacuums, has unveiled several concept cars, including an electric supercar with rockets strapped to its rear. The brand could easily be dismissed as just another outfit using cars to drum up publicity for its core business. Yet Dreame, it seems, has real ambitions to become an important player in the automotive space.

Dreame has yet to produce a single production car, and it has already set its sights on expanding internationally. That includes a launch in Australia, where it wants to crack the top 10 of the nation’s best-selling brands within just five years. If it pulls that off, it would be a monumental achievement.

Read: If You Ever Dreamed Of A Cheap Bugatti Sedan, China Has You Covered

The company has already appointed a local, James Moore, to lead its operations in Australia and New Zealand, and he says Dreame plans to launch its first cars next year. Don’t expect the wild stuff, though. There will be no production version of the Nebula Next 01 or the Next 01X SUV, nor the Chiron-inspired Kosmera sedan, nor the two rugged SUVs from its Star Motor brand. Instead, the company will likely sell more mainstream SUVs, with utility vehicles and a pickup possibly to follow.

Chasing Volume

“We are looking to benchmark ourselves at the mid to high tier. We are not interested in coming in as a race to the bottom,” Moore told Australia’s Drive. “We’ve seen many brands come in to compete at that budget price point, and it’s a very congested market. The amount of models we had selected from were… those volume segments of small SUV, medium SUV, large SUV, as well as potential pick-ups and utility vehicles as well.”

Moore added that the models bound for Australia will fall within three to four segments, focusing on the most popular areas of the market. He noted that, given the success of other brands, it’s possible an Aussie-focused pickup could also see the light of day.

Initially, Dreame’s vehicles will be all-electric, but it could add range-extender models and plug-in hybrids in the future, helping to broaden the firm’s appeal.

The purists can exhale. Porsche has no intention of building a fully electric 911 for the foreseeable future, sticking with combustion and hybrid power for the model that more or less defines the brand.

The experimentation will happen elsewhere. The next-generation 718 Cayman and Boxster are still on track for battery power, even after internal reviews and program delays threatened to muddy that plan. Both cars will be sold as EVs alongside combustion variants that will sit higher in the range.

More: The 911 Turbo S Sadu Edition Pairs 701 HP With A Craft Older Than Porsche Itself

Daniel Schmollinger, CEO of Porsche Cars Australia, spoke to local media CarSales about electrification plans in the sports car segment:

“We will go with the 718 electric as the first two-door electric sports car. The 911 for the moment stays what it is. With the T-hybrid technology, it shows what is possible without a full battery but still making use of this amazing technology.”

Porsche has always positioned the 911 as the last combustion model standing, even in a future where the rest of the lineup went electric. The plan has not changed, though the context around it has. Weaker EV demand has forced Zuffenhausen to walk back its electrification timeline, which only pushes a battery-powered 911 further into the realm of the hypothetical.

More: Porsche’s Next Hybrids Could Get A Trick New Electric Motor

The T-Hybrid system used in the GTS and Turbo S trims of the 992.2 generation leverages electrification to boost performance without taking on the weight penalty of a battery electric setup. Expect Porsche to follow a similar path for other members of the lineup, while sticking to non-hybrid solutions for iconic models like the GT3 RS.

The Macan Case

Schmollinger touched upon the subject of the Macan EV, admitting that initial sales volumes are no match for those of its aging petrol-powered predecessor. The latter will soon bow out of production in Germany, with Porsche stockpiling examples to meet market-specific demand.

Nevertheless, the CEO of Porsche Australia attributes the lack of interest for the EV to consumer readiness rather than the vehicle itself: “It’s not a decision against the car, or the Macan as such, it’s a decision against not being ready for electric. That’s totally fine. Everyone needs to choose the technology and the car they’re comfortable with.”

Hedging Across The Lineup

The response across the rest of the range is to offer everything. The Cayenne is sold with gasoline, plug-in hybrid, and full electric powertrains, and a hybrid version of the next Macan is in development to run in parallel with the EV. It is a portfolio built to absorb whichever direction the market actually moves.

More: Porsche’s EV Gamble Is Going So Well It’s Even Closing Its Ebike Arm And 500 Jobs

Synthetic fuel, the other lever Porsche has been pulling, remains a long way from relevance. Schmollinger admits the technology is “far from mainstream.” He also notes that he drives an EV himself, and that Porsche always expected EV adoption to move at different speeds in different markets, depending on charging networks, policy, and consumer appetite.

European brands have spent the past few years watching the affordable electric SUV segment fill up around them. Most of the continent’s biggest names arrived late to the fight, scrambling to put together competitively priced models that could hold their own against fresh entries from China and the established Asian players.

The VW Group’s new Skoda Elroq is one answer to that problem. It won’t be sold in the US, but it is available across Europe and several other markets including Australia, where we recently tested it in entry-level Elroq 60 guise. The rivals list reads like a roll call of the segment: Kia EV3, Nissan Ariya, Tesla Model Y, Geely EX5, and plenty more. To hold its own against that lineup, it needs to be more than competent.

Read: Skoda’s Smallest EV Has One Big-Car Surprise

Slotted between the large Enyaq and the smaller Epiq, the Skoda Elroq doesn’t initially announce itself as a standout in this crowded segment. Spend a little time behind the wheel, though, and it actually reveals itself to be quite a compelling proposition.

QUICK FACTS

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

In Australia, three versions of the Elroq are available. Sitting at the base of the range is the Select 60, priced from AU$49,990 ($36,300), including all fees. Sitting above it in the range is the Select 85 available from AU$59,990 ($43,500), while the range is topped out by the AU$69,990 ($50,800) 130 Years Edition.

Positioned beneath the bodywork is a 59 kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack, while power comes from a single electric motor delivering 150 kW (201 hp) and 310 Nm (229 lb-ft). Crucially, the Elroq is rear-wheel drive, unlike rivals including the Kia EV3 and Geely EX5, which are front-wheel drive. In theory, this should eliminate any torque steer concerns and help deliver more engaging and enjoyable driving dynamics.

The price of the Elroq 60 is competitive, although certainly not class-leading. A more well-equipped Geely EX5 Inspire is available for AU$50,061 ($36,300), while the base Kia EV3 Air – Standard Range is available from AU$46,990 ($34,100), and the Air – Long Range is $52,990 ($38,500). Nevertheless, it’s nice to see something from Europe that largely matches the competition from Asia.

A Fresh, Modern Cabin

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Stepping inside the Elroq for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by just how spacious it is and by the overall fit and finish.

Modern EV interiors are growing increasingly homogeneous, and while the cabin of the Elroq is far from industry-shifting, it does have some intriguing elements that make it feel somewhat special.

The highlight of this base model is the fabric upholstery adorning the dashboard, armrests, seats, and center console. It’s a welcome point of difference from much of the competition that relies exclusively on hard black plastic or soft-touch leather. While it may not come through in photos, the fabric looks a little like dark grey denim, although it’s much softer than any pair of jeans you may own. Alongside the upholstery, the two-spoke black steering wheel is quite interesting.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

In terms of tech, the Skoda includes a 13-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a small 5.0-inch instrument cluster display. The cluster screen isn’t anything special, but it’s better than some rivals that don’t have one at all.

The central touchscreen houses all of the important car controls, and yes, that includes the climate control. There are some controls, like temperature and media shortcuts, pinned to the bottom of the menu, but it’d be nice to have shortcuts for fan speed as well. Below the central air vents are physical buttons for several driving settings and the front and rear demisting functions.

The overall build quality in the cabin is top-notch, but it’s a real shame that this base model has only manually adjustable seats, with no configurable lumbar support. This alone will likely some turn off some prospective buyers, particularly given that some rivals from China do have these features. Like with other Skoda models, an umbrella has been neatly fitted into the driver’s door, just like a Rolls-Royce.

As Skoda’s designers have avoided falling into the trap of trying to make the Elroq look too sporty with a teardrop-style roof, there’s more than enough head and legroom for adult passengers in the second row.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Most vehicles in this segment aren’t designed to tug at the heartstrings of enthusiasts like ourselves. Taking a step back and viewing the Elroq 60 as a vehicle to appeal to everyday buyers looking for something that feels premium, the Skoda ticks a lot of boxes.

First is efficiency. Skoda claims the Elroq 60 can average 15.9 kWh/100 km over the combined cycle, which should give it a theoretical range of 395 km (245 miles). During my week with the car, I averaged exactly 16.0 kWh/100 km, just shy of the claim, and driving across a mix of urban and rural settings.

In a world where more expensive EVs are now promising driving ranges exceeding 800 km (497 miles), a sub-400 km range of the Elroq 60 may not seem that impressive, and it’s not. However, it’s important to note that this is more than enough for the daily driving duties of the vast majority of people looking for an SUV like this, especially one that’s large enough to ferry kids around in.

As for charging, the Elroq 60 supports DC speeds of up to 165 kW. Again, that’s far from class-leading and means that topping up from 10-80 percent takes 24 minutes. This is better than the popular Kia EV3, however, which takes around 29 minutes to charge its 58.3 kWh battery from 10-80 percent. Plugged into an 11 kW AC house charger, and the battery can be fully charged in about 6.5 hours, so an overnight charge is all most owners will ever need.

Performance is also solid. Owing to the rear-wheel drive layout, there’s none of the torque steer found in some of the competition. All owners will experience smooth, unfettered power. Admittedly, the Elroq 60 isn’t particularly brisk, needing around 8 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h).

Dynamically, the Skoda feels excellent. Body roll has been kept to a minimum thanks to the excellent suspension setup, yet it remains compliant enough for daily use on even the roughest roads. Shod in Hankook tires, there’s more than enough grip on offer to hustle the Elroq through corners at an impressive clip, and when it does reach the limits of adhesion, it remains easy to control.

Very few electric cars on the market have particularly engaging or communicative steering, but for most drivers, that’s not a concern. What is nice is how light and direct the steering is, working just as well on the highway as it does in a cramped shopping mall car park.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Braking is an area where the Elroq 60 could be improved. Left in Drive, there’s no regenerative braking on offer at all, meaning the SUV will simply coast – seemingly endlessly. If you do want some regen, you’ll have to drive in B mode, which offers plenty of stopping power but crucially does not include a one-pedal driving mode, which is unfortunate. It’s also a shame there aren’t more ways to tweak the regen level on offer. Things could be worse, however, as some of the competition require you to dive through multiple menus on the central display to adjust the regen level.

Read: New Elroq vRS Is Skoda’s Quickest Production Car Ever

Among the key safety features fitted as standard to the Elroq 60 are autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist, and lane-centering assist, as well as front and rear parking sensors and an optional 360-degree camera.

I found the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering to function flawlessly on well-marked highways, and it’s quick and easy to turn the lane-centering on and off using the steering wheel controls if you’d prefer to remain in charge.

Verdict

The Skoda Elroq 60 helps prove that established European brands are up to the task of competing with the Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean rivals in the world of cut-price EVs.

This isn’t the type of vehicle that’ll ignite a burning passion among owners to go for a midnight cruise just for the fun of it, but it does exactly what it should and at a good price. Skoda has never been a massive volume seller in Australia, only delivering around 5,000 units last year. If locals can look beyond some of the glitz and glamor and tech gizmos found in some of the competition, they’ll find a very adequate EV with the Elroq 60.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Hyundai lit a fire under the performance EV world when it dropped the Ioniq 5 N a couple of years back. Not only was it the South Korean brand’s first crack at a high-performance electric car, it was arguably the first EV built with the driver, not the spec sheet, at the forefront.

Now comes the follow-up. The Korean brand has launched its second high-performance EV, the Ioniq 6 N. Created around the same philosophy as the Ioniq 5 N, and sharing many of its parts, the 6 N promises even greater performance with far more adjustability, a slightly higher price tag, and quicker lap times, aided in no small part by the lower center of gravity.

Review: The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Is A Ballistic Missile That Redefines EVs

The question is, can Hyundai have possibly made the already great Ioniq 5 N even better? We headed to Sydney Motorsport Park to find out, putting the Ioniq 6 N through its paces. It revealed itself to be a car so enjoyable to drive that it’s hardly even recognizable as an EV.

QUICK FACTS

What Makes It Special?

Significant improvements have been made to the Ioniq 6 to ensure it’s fitting of the N badge. It uses an 84 kWh battery pack and a pair of electric motors delivering 448 kW (601 hp) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque as standard, and 478 kW (650 hp) with the N Grin Boost function enabled and launch control engaged. The battery packs support charging from 350-kW DC fast chargers, with peak charging rates of around 250 kW, enough to charge the pack from 10-80 percent in 18 minutes.

Photos Hyundai Australia

Like any N product, this one is about much more than improved power. Hyundai has tweaked the suspension geometry, lowering the roll center and installing new dual-layer bushings. It also uses an advanced, new stroke-sensing electronically controlled suspension system that adjusts damping based on driving conditions and travel stroke. There’s also an electronically limited-slip differential at the rear, a steering mounting void bushing to improve response, and Hyundai’s Integrated Drive Axle.

Hyundai has also added 44 additional weld points and an extra 340 mm (13.4 inches) of structural adhesive to the body-in-white, and installed new brakes with 400 mm (15.7-inch) discs with four-piston calipers up front. There are also two brake-feel modes, a slew of regenerative-braking settings, and several aerodynamic improvements, including a rear wing that delivers 100 kg (220 lbs) of downforce.

Like the Ioniq 5 N, the number of functions to enhance the driving experience is dizzying. There’s the N Drift Optimizer, N Launch Control, and an N Torque Distribution that allows for 11 different adjustments to how power is sent to the wheels, ranging from 95:5 front-to-rear to 5:95 front-to-rear. Hyundai has also included its N Pedal system to boost regenerative braking on the track and improve tuck-in response, N Grin Boost to increase power in 10-second bursts, and N Battery to optimize battery temperatures for drag, sprint, and endurance settings.

In Australia, prices start at AU$115,000 (US$82,800). In the US, it’s expected to start at around US$70,000. The matte grey model you’ll see in some photos includes several carbon fiber accessories, including a towering AU$7,289 (US$5,245) rear wing, a AU$2,484 (US$1,787) carbon splitter, AU$4,810 (US$3,461) side skirts, and a AU$4,090 (US$2,943) rear diffuser.

Sporty Cabin Tweaks

Photos Hyundai Australia

The interior has also been tweaked, although it’s not dramatically removed from the regular Ioniq 6. Key touches include a new N steering wheel, new head-up display graphics, bucket seats, and new leather and Alcantara surfaces.

As the N is based on the facelifted Ioniq 6, it has all of the same features. These include a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment display, and, importantly, loads of tactile, physical buttons throughout, an increasing rarity in the EV space. It’s a lovely space to spend time, and the upgrades made to the N ensure it feels special.

Just like the Ioniq 5 N, the Ioniq 6 N is very much a niche product. This is not the type of vehicle that Hyundai expects to sell in high numbers. In Australia, roughly 500 expressions of interest have been received, although order books have yet to open, so it’s unclear how many of those will actually translate into buyers.

Driving

Photos Hyundai Australia

All it takes is a quick look at the Ioniq 6 N’s specs to understand that this is a car that means serious business. However, unlike some of the straight-line heroes that dominate the so-called ‘performance’ class of EVs, Hyundai’s latest creation is about much more than simply pulling away from an intersection quickly.

Of course, that’s not to say that this thing isn’t ferocious off the line. It is. According to Hyundai, the Ioniq 6 N can sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds with the N Grin Boost function enabled, which bumps up peak power to 478 kW (650 hp) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque for 10-second bursts. In our testing, we recorded repeated runs to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, while running from 60-120 km/h takes as little as 2.45 seconds.

Photos Hyundai Australia

While it’d be easy to shrug off these figures given how many quick EVs are on the market right now, it’s worth remembering that numbers like these were once the exclusive territory of high-end supercars costing half a million dollars, not a practical four-door sedan that stickers for a fraction of that and costs about a third of what a Porsche Taycan Turbo does.

Fitted as standard with Pirelli P Zero Elect tires, but equipped with P Zero Corsa rubber for our track sessions, the car simply bites into the pavement, delivering unrelenting, unforgiving acceleration.

No Electric Sedan Should Drive Like This

However, it’s the handling and overall driving dynamics of the Ioniq 6 N that stand out more than the acceleration.

Like the Ioniq 5 N, the 6 N uses a pair of powerful electric motors at the front and rear axles. It includes the N Torque Distribution function, allowing drivers to move from as much as 95 percent front-power bias to 95 percent rear-power bias. However, to extract peak power from the two motors, it’s best to keep the power split in its 50-50 mode.

Even in this mode, with a 60-40 front-to-rear power split, the Ioniq 6 N feels inherently rear-biased and is even more playful than its SUV sibling. For several laps, I had the car’s power split in 50-50 mode with the ESC in Sport mode, and was left giddy by how the rear end gracefully starts to kick under power. When it does step out, the stability control system allows for a surprising amount of slide angle before reining things in, making the EV exceptionally easy to control at and beyond the limit.

Read: New Elantra N TCR Undercuts The Civic Type R By $7,000 With A Bigger Wing

Outright grip is exceptional and has been perfectly coupled with superb steering feel, despite it being an electrically assisted system. What’s particularly impressive is that the steering provides just as much feedback as Hyundai’s combustion-powered N models. There are no dramas in determining where the extremities of the grip are, either through the front or the rear axle.

Admittedly, the overall size of the Ioniq 6 N and its weight mean that both the road-focused P Zero Elect and P Zero Corsa tires start to overheat after three or four flying laps. This wasn’t helped by the fact that the tires of the cars we tested were dated back to 2023, so they were a little old.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Improvements have been made to the car’s N e-Shift function. This is the system that aims to replicate the feel of Hyundai N’s eight-speed dual-clutch, providing a satisfying thump in the back and a change in torque just like an ICE car. Whereas the Ioniq 5 N had seven of these fake gears, the Ioniq 6 N has eight. With shorter ratios, even though they’re not real, it’s possible to enjoy even more shifts.

Those who haven’t experienced this system may be quick to dismiss it. After all, how can an EV’s software possibly mimic actually shifting gears? However, the team of Hyundai engineers who developed the N’s eight-speed dual-clutch also developed this system, and it’s almost indistinguishable from a normal transmission. It’s bewildering at first, but quickly becomes second nature.

Alterations have also been made to the car’s N Active Sound+ system. As in the Ioniq 5 N, the Ioniq 6 N’s system includes three modes, Ignition, Evolution, and Supersonic, although changes have been made to all three. Whereas the Ioniq 5 N’s system uses two channels, the Ioniq 6’s uses six, providing a richer, louder, and more authentic soundtrack, particularly in Ignition, which sounds just like the exhaust of the i30 N. However, the Active Sound+ system doesn’t faithfully recreate the sound of a turbocharged four-cylinder quite as well as the e-Shift does act like a genuine dual-clutch.

On-Road Performance

Photos Hyundai Australia

On the road, the Ioniq 6 N revealed itself to be a shockingly good cruiser, yet one that can transform into an animal at the press of the N button.

Given the performance on offer, it should come as no surprise that the Ioniq 6 N isn’t as efficient as the regular model. Sitting on the highway, it’ll average about 19 kWh/100 km, which is respectable. However, start driving it in a slightly sportier manner, and that figure will quickly rise deep into the 20s. On the track, when driven at its limits without regenerative braking, it’ll deplete the battery pack by about 8 percent over a 105-second lap. Using regen, it’s possible to lower this to around 5 percent.

A key masterstroke for the Ioniq 6 N’s on-road performance is how well it rides. The new and improved suspension works wonders, soaking up bumps beautifully in its softest setting while still delivering a sporty feel. Amp things up into one of the more aggressive modes, and it’s far less jarring than an i30 N, remaining perfectly suitable for everyday driving.

While the street tires can overheat on the track, you’d have to find a very long ribbon of tarmac to get them to do so on the road. They provide loads of grip and excellent feedback about the limits of grip. Just like we found while on the circuit, there’s no other EV that feels like this on the road. Dynamically, the car’s hard to fault, and it’s absolutely more capable than the Ioniq 5 N.

Perhaps the feel of the brakes isn’t as nice as some other performance cars out there, but that’s clutching at straws. One thing’s for sure: there’s no noticeable shift from regenerative to friction braking, a trademark of other Hyundai Group EVs.

Verdict

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Car manufacturers have struggled to develop and build EVs that tug at the heartstrings of driving enthusiasts. In general, these cars lack soul and passion, often devoid of any personality at all. That’s not the case with Hyundai, and there’s a good reason why Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and others have all benchmarked the Ioniq 5 N.

The Ioniq 6 N is the culmination of everything Hyundai’s N division has been developing since its establishment more than a decade ago. It’s expensive for a Hyundai, but it’s cheap compared to a Porsche Taycan or an Audi RS e-tron GT, and delivers thrills that neither of those two can. As we enter a world where performance-focused EVs will become increasingly common, it’s nice to know Hyundai is keeping the preferences of car enthusiasts at the top of its agenda.

Photos Hyundai Australia

Data from Australia’s Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Electric Vehicle Council reveal that, of the 92,591 new cars, SUVs, pickups, vans, and trucks sold in April 2026 (up 2.2% over the same month in 2025), 16.4% were battery-electric. This works out to 15,185 vehicles. In contrast, April 2025 saw just 6,010 new EV sales.

See Also: For The First Time, Electrified Car Sales Surpassed Gas Vehicles In Australia

It’s not just EVs that saw strong numbers; hybrids were also in demand. In fact, 18,162 new hybrids found homes in April 2026, bolstered by the first full month of sales of the Toyota RAV4, which bagged best-selling car in Australia. Plug-in hybrids also saw 9,628 new units shifted in April 2026.

Petrol And Diesel Vehicle Sales Dwindle

While EVs, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids were enjoying the limelight, partly driven by tax incentives, traditional gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles took a hit in April 2026. Sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles saw a decline of 30.1% in comparison with April 2025 figures.

Diesel-powered new vehicle sales were down by 21.7%. These declines could also be attributed to the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has significantly affected crude oil deliveries to Australia. This has resulted in rising prices at the pump, as well as some scattered shortages.

For April 2026, BYD’s Sealion 7 SUV dominated the EV rankings, with 1,780 units sold. Meanwhile, the Tesla Model Y sold nearly 1,000 fewer units, although it was up 193.6% year-on-year, as last year’s model was due for replacement.

The BYD brand as a whole shifted 7,702 new units. Other strong sellers in the Chinese EV space include the Geely EX5 with 1,202 deliveries, and 1,006 units from Chinese brand Zeekr, of which 973 were its 7X SUV. Shifting our attention to the car segment, Tesla’s Model 3 narrowly beat BYD’s Seal, with 403 versus 370 deliveries.

Toyota Still Leads, Ford And Mazda Drop From Podium

Despite a 21.6% reduction in year-on-year sales, Toyota remained top dog in Australian new vehicle sales through April 2026. They shifted 15,185 units, followed by BYD with a 7,702 new unit tally.

BYD’s rise to second place means that Ford and Mazda, the historical second and third-place finishers, are now fifth and sixth, with 5,748 and 5,636 units respectively. However, the Ford Ranger held on to the silver medal as the second best-selling vehicle, sandwiched between the RAV4 and Hilux.

When looking at Australian new car sales as a whole, the new third- and fourth-place occupants for April are Kia and Hyundai, with 6,450 and 6,002 units sold respectively. Of course, these two automakers also have EVs and hybrids in their portfolio. The same is true for Chery in eighth place and MG in ninth, while Isuzu rounded off the Top 10 ahead of Mitsubishi.

Over the past few years, we’ve become accustomed to seeing new BYD models hit the market with absurdly low price tags. The record-breaking YangWang YangWang U9 Xtreme is not that kind of a car. It is, by some distance, the priciest thing the company has ever offered.

More: China’s YangWang U9 Smashed Bugatti’s Speed Record But Still Isn’t Officially The World’s Fastest Car

Li Yunfei, who runs branding and PR for BYD Group, posted on social media that several U9 Xtreme orders were locked in at the Beijing Auto Show. The price? North of 20 million yuan a pop, or roughly $2.92 million at current exchange rates.

This is more in line with hypercars from the likes of Koenigsegg and Bugatti than what we’d expect to see from BYD. It also makes it more than ten times as expensive as the ‘regular’ YangWang U9, which is available from 1.8 million yuan ($263,000).

Among those to have placed an order for the U9 Xtreme in Beijing was Nick Politis, an Australian businessman estimated to be worth over AU$4.5 billion ($3.2 billion). His car will be the only one sold in Australia and is expected to arrive early next year.

What will shoppers get for their money? Firstly, they get exclusivity, as just 30 units are bound for the production line. In addition, they get a car with four electric motors combining to produce an extraordinary 2,978 hp. This easily makes it the most powerful production car ever and the first to feature a 1,200-volt platform.

What Can It Do?

All of the power means the U9 Xtreme can hit 308.4 mph or 496.22 km/h, a feat it achieved last year to eclipse the top speed of the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, while easily defeating the official two-way average top speed record holder of the SSC Tuatara, set at 282.9 mph (455.3 km/h). It’s unclear if customer cars will be able to hit these speeds, or if they’ll be software-limited to a slightly more reasonable pace.

The U9 Xtreme is also quite capable around a track. While it’s heavy, it lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 6:57.147, outgunning the Rimac Nevera and Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Admittedly, it is slower than a 500-hp Porsche 911 GT3 RS and almost 20 seconds slower than the new Ford Mustang GTD Competition.

A year ago, electric sedans looked like a settled bet. Not anymore. As recently as October last year, Kia was planning to build and sell the all-electric EV4 in the United States, aimed directly at the ever-popular Tesla Model 3.

However, the American market for EVs is markedly different now than it was in early 2025, due in no small part to the Trump administration’s pro-ICE policies and abandonment of the federal EV tax credit. This has forced Kia to indefinitely postpone the EV4 in America. While the US won’t get it, at least not yet, the EV4 has landed in several markets, including Australia.

Read: Kia Finally Brings An Affordable EV To America, Fake Gears And All

To see if the States are missing out on an exceptional electric sedan, or if it is perhaps better off without it, we recently lived with one for a week. Sadly for our American readers, they don’t get to experience a very competitive EV.

QUICK FACTS

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

While much of the EV4 is similar to other current Kia EVs, much of it is also unique. For starters, it’s been developed in both sedan and Hatch guises, and in some markets, is sold in both configurations. Australia only gets the sedan, which is the version that the US was also going to receive.

Underpinning the EV4 is the familiar Electric Group Modular Platform (E-GMP) from Hyundai, but in this application, it’s a 400-volt system rather than the 800-volt architecture of models like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and others.

The downside of this platform is slower charging speeds. According to Kia, the max DC charge rate is a disappointing 128 kW. On the flip side, this cheaper platform has allowed Kia to make the EV4 more affordable. It starts at AU$49,990 ($35,800) for the EV4 Air Standard Range, and goes up to AU$59,190 ($42,400) for the EV4 Earth Long Range, and AU$64,690 ($46,300) for the EV4 GT-Line Long Range that we tested.

To put these prices into perspective, the Tesla Model 3 starts at AU$54,900 ($39,300) and tops out at AU$80,900 ($58,000), while the BYD Seal is available from as little as AU$46,990 ($33,700), has a mid-range AU$52,990 ($38,000) version, and tops out at AU$61,990 ($44,400).

What do you get for your money? The Standard Range model utilizes a 58.3 kWh battery pack and a front-mounted electric motor with 150 kW (201 hp) and 283 Nm (209 lb-ft) of torque. Long Range versions have the same motor, but are fitted with an 81.4 kWh pack, boosting the claimed driving range from 456 km (283 miles) to 612 km (380 miles).

As we’ve seen from many other Kia EVs in recent years, the EV4 doesn’t want to blend in. It looks more like a concept car than one you can actually walk into a showroom and buy, with the sedan being even more striking than the hatch.

Likely eager to maximize cargo space, Kia has extended the roofline and stretched the rear window, so it almost looks like a cross between a sedan and an estate. Or, more aptly, it looks a bit like the hunchback of Notre Dame, because pretty, it is not.

Well-Equipped And Tech-Forward

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

The cabin of Kia’s latest electric sedan is similar to that of some of the brand’s other EVs, but it has unique elements that make it stand out.

Key features include a pair of 12.3-inch screens and a smaller 5.0-inch display sandwiched between them, used for climate control. As in the much larger EV9, this central screen is mostly blocked by the steering wheel, but there are also physical HVAC toggles positioned further down on the dashboard.

With wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the infotainment display feels modern enough, even if the software is a little simple to what’s found in some of the EV4’s rivals.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

The surfaces feel slightly more premium than those of the EV5, and there are nice metallic switches for the seat heater and ventilation functions near the door handles. There’s also an abundance of storage between the seats, as well as a wireless smartphone charger.

In addition, the Earth and GT-Line models get a pair of premium front seats with pillowy headrests that feel great. These seats also include a one-touch reclining mode. It’s also nice that the seats can be adjusted very low, ensuring that even taller drivers have heaps of headroom.

Review: 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Epiq Shakes Up The EV Hierarchy

The downsides of the EV4 sedan’s shape can be mostly felt in the second row. If you’re over 6 feet, there’s a good chance your hair will brush on the headliner. In addition, toe room is almost non-existent if one of the front seats is adjusted into a low position. While there are a couple of air vents in the rear, there unfortunately aren’t any temperature or fan speed controls.

Cargo volume is good, with Kia quoting 490 liters (17.3 cubic feet) of space in the trunk. Crucially, both rear seats can be folded flat, creating a large pass-through area that greatly enhances the car’s practicality.

Drives Like A Premium Sedan

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Given the specifications of the EV4, one can’t expect it to feel like a performance car, even in flagship GT-Line guise. However, it feels just as poised and polished to drive as the competition, as well as some more expensive electric offerings from Hyundai’s own stable, including the Ioniq 6.

The highlight of driving the EV4 isn’t the powertrain, its efficiency, or noise isolation, but rather how exceptional the ride quality is.

Like all other Kia models sold in Australia, the EV4 has undergone comprehensive local testing to fine-tune its ride, ensuring it perfectly irons out bumps and imperfections on the country’s often poorly surfaced roads.

It’s not an adjustable system, meaning there’s no way to stiffen or relax the ride as in some more expensive sedans. But it doesn’t need any adjustments, as it’s just about perfect and one of the most comfortable cars I’ve driven in quite some time.

Potholes and speed bumps are often a nuisance, but in the EV4, they completely fade into insignificance. It’s really quite extraordinary how well it rides, and it’s almost at the same standard as the Audi e-tron GT, which can cost over three times as much and has one of the more complex air suspension systems on the market. The Earth and GT-Line models have 19-inch wheels, while the Air sits on smaller 17-inch shoes, and may even be more supple.

The EV4’s sophisticated feel extends beyond its ride quality. Given that it’s down just 10 kW (13 hp) and 27 Nm (20 lb-ft) of torque from the EV5 SUV, I had expected the EV4 to suffer from the same torque steer qualms as its bigger brother. However, there’s not even a hint of torque steer under full throttle, perhaps in part due to the suspension setup.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

In addition, the EV4 doesn’t have quite the same propensity to spin up its inside front wheel as we found in the EV5. Admittedly, it’s not particularly quick and needs about 8 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 mph). That said, it never feels like it’s lacking power.

It’s a shame that the GT-Line doesn’t have a dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup as found in some of Kia’s other GT-Line-badged EVs, particularly since the cheaper BYD Seal Performance has twin motors and an impressive 390 kW (523 hp) and 670 Nm (494 lb-ft) of torque.

Kia presented a GT version of the EV4 earlier this year, complete with twin motors producing 215 kW (282 hp), but I’d have liked to see this powertrain offered in the GT-Line, given the price point. This would have allowed Kia to develop a full-blown performance version to rival the BYD and the Tesla Model 3 Performance.

One good thing about the EV4’s single-motor setup is efficiency. Over my week with the car, I averaged just 14.3 kWh/100 km, beating Kia’s claimed 14.9 kWh/100 km and giving it a very achievable range of around 550 km (342 miles). It’s worth noting, however, that I spent most of my time with the EV4 driving in Eco mode and the regenerative braking in one-pedal mode.

The EV4’s steering has been well-calibrated and offers varying levels of feel depending on the driving mode. It’s also hard to fault how the EV4 feels under braking, with a consistent, smooth pedal feel and no noticeable shift from regenerative braking to mechanical braking.

While the EV4 does not prioritize performance, it handles shockingly well, thanks in part to the Goodyear tires. Front-end bite is great, and there’s plenty of grip.

Verdict

While the Kia EV4 looks a little odd, that doesn’t detract from the fact that it delivers exactly what an electric sedan like this should, at this price point.

It’s exceptionally efficient and undercuts many of its nearest rivals on price, all with the assurance of buying from a well-established brand with an expansive dealership and service network. The EV4’s ride is the standout, the cabin is well-equipped, and it offers plenty of range. If it were based on an 800-volt architecture that supported faster charging speeds, it would be difficult to fault. It’s a shame it won’t be sold in the US.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

BYD isn’t content with just taking on the Ford Ranger. China’s most successful automaker is already looking to move up a weight class to challenge the Ford F-150. That next step won’t involve the US market, though, as this larger model is being developed with Australia in mind.

BYD’s first pickup in Australia, the Shark 6, arrived in late 2024 wearing a face that looked more than a little inspired by the F-150. At 5,457 mm (214.8 inches) long, it sits just beyond the typical midsize footprint and comes equipped with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

More: Jim Farley Said Chinese Pickups Couldn’t Tow Like A Ranger. BYD Just Proved Him Wrong

The Shark 6 was a runaway success, becoming Australia’s best-selling PHEV truck in 2025 with 18,073 deliveries. For 2026, BYD has doubled down, introducing a Performance trim with a more potent powertrain along with a chassis-cab bodystyle driven by customer demand.

Moving Up to the Heavyweights

However, Australians have been asking for something even bigger. Liu Xueliang, managing director of BYD Asia Pacific, said: “Some customers have requested a full-size Shark 6, similar in size to the Ford F-150. We are on our way to try to get there.”

Word of the program first slipped out in early 2025, when David Smitherman, then CEO of EVDirect, said a full-size BYD pickup was “absolutely in development.” Since then, things have gone quiet on timing, but the working expectation points to a 2027 arrival if everything stays on track.

More: BYD Just Landed On Brazil’s Dirty List, And It Wasn’t For Its Cars

According to CarExpert, the real pressure isn’t coming from private buyers chasing something bigger. It’s fleet operators, particularly mining companies, that are pushing for a larger, more capable truck with electrification baked in from the start.

In Australia, the full-size segment currently includes the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, and Toyota Tundra. With a combined sales of 8,763 units in 2025, full-size trucks are a niche compared to the midsize segment, as the Ford Ranger alone sold 56,555 units becoming Australia’s best-selling vehicle overall for the third consecutive year. Still, the profit margins are significantly higher, which explains BYD’s interest.

Factory right-hand-drive conversions for full-size trucks don’t come cheap, and in Australia they can easily push past AU$150,000 (US$105,800). The F-150 starts from a little over AU$122,000 (US$87,000) in XLT trim climbing to over AU$152,000 (US$108,000) for the Lariat, both with the 3.5L engine. BYD sees an opening here. Build the truck properly from the start in right-hand drive, price it more sensibly, add a tech-heavy cabin and an electrified powertrain, and suddenly those inflated conversion costs start to look like yesterday’s problem.

More BYD Trucks On The Horizon

That move upmarket isn’t happening in isolation. Liu Xueliang has already suggested a fully electric counterpart to the Shark 6 is in development, aimed squarely at industries that no longer want diesel on site. Mining is the obvious target. If it lands as expected, it will go head-to-head with the electric workhorses now lining up, including the Toyota Hilux BEV, the upcoming Isuzu D-Max BEV, and the LDV eTerron 9.

More: Toyota’s Electric Hilux Costs $20K More Than The Diesel, And That’s Not Even The Worst Part

At the other end of the scale, BYD is also sketching out something smaller. A compact pickup is in the works, expected to ride on a unibody platform and use a plug-in hybrid setup. This one isn’t chasing job sites. It’s aimed at buyers who want the look and versatility of a pickup without committing to something oversized or overly serious.

Pupil transportation is one of the most visible ways a nation demonstrates its commitment to education. Every school day, millions of students travel from home to classroom using systems designed not only for efficiency, but for safety and equity. While Australia and the U.S. share similarities as large, developed, federal nations, their approaches to pupil transportation reflect important structural and cultural differences. 

By examining governance, fleet design, funding models, rural challenges, and safety standards, it becomes clear that both countries aim for the same goal—safe and reliable access to education—but achieve it through different methods.

Both Australia and the U.S. operate under federal systems of government but differently distribute the responsibility for pupil transportation. In the U.S., pupil transportation is primarily managed at the local school district level. States establish regulatory frameworks, and federal safety standards govern vehicle manufacturing. However, day-to-day operations—routing, hiring drivers, maintaining fleets—are typically handled by individual districts or contracted providers. This creates a highly localized system, where policies can vary significantly from one district to another.

In Australia, pupil transportation is largely administered at the state and territory level rather than by individual school districts. States such as New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia design and oversee their own school transport assistance schemes. The federal government plays a minimal operational role. This state-centered approach results in more centralized control within each state, even though policies differ between states.

What’s Different with Pupil Transportation?

The key difference is the scale of control. U.S. decisions are often made at the district level. Australian decisions are typically made at the state level. Both models allow flexibility, but Australia’s approach tends to create more uniformity within each state.

Perhaps the most recognizable feature of American pupil transportation is the yellow school bus. The U.S. yellow bus is a national symbol. Nearly every public school district operates dedicated fleets painted in a standardized shade of yellow. Strict federal safety standards regulate construction, and compartmentalized seating design has been central to American school bus safety philosophy for decades.

Australia does not have the same universal yellow bus requirement. School buses in Australia may be white, yellow, or another color depending on the contractor or region. While clearly marked as school services, they do not carry the same nationally standardized appearance as American buses. This reflects a difference in cultural identity. In the U.S., the yellow bus represents childhood and public education. In Australia, school transportation is more functionally defined than symbolically branded.

Another major difference involves seatbelt policies. In Australia, seatbelts are common in school buses and often required in newer vehicles. In contrast, large American school buses traditionally rely on compartmentalization rather than seatbelts, although seatbelt requirements are expanding in some states. These differing design philosophies reflect variations in regulatory priorities and historical safety research.

One of the clearest contrasts between the two systems is how they interact with public transit. In the U.S., pupil transportation is generally separate from public transportation systems. School buses are dedicated vehicles serving only students. Even in large cities, districts often operate independent fleets rather than relying on municipal transit systems, though some districts do provide older students with transit passes.

In Australia, especially in urban areas, students frequently use public bus, train, or tram systems. Discounted or free student travel passes are common. Rather than maintaining fully separate fleets in metropolitan areas, Australia often integrates students into existing public transport networks.

This integrated approach can increase efficiency and reduce duplication of services. However, it also means that student riders share space with the general public. The American model, by contrast, prioritizes separation and controlled environments for school-aged passengers.

What’s Similar with Pupil Transportation?

Both nations face significant rural transportation challenges due to their size and geography. In the U.S., rural districts may cover hundreds of square miles, with students traveling long distances on highways and country roads. In states such as Montana or Texas long travel times are common.

Australia faces similar challenges, especially in remote outback regions. In some parts of Western Australia or Queensland, students may travel extremely long distances to reach school. However, Australia often applies strict distance-based eligibility rules. Students must live beyond a minimum distance from their nearest appropriate school to qualify for subsidized transportation. Families living closer may be responsible for arranging their own transport.

In contrast, many American districts provide transportation to all eligible students within the district, even if they live relatively close to school. The U.S. model often prioritizes broader access, while Australia’s system focuses on distance-based need.

In extremely remote parts of Australia, boarding schools are sometimes used as a practical solution due to travel distances. While boarding options exist in the U.S., they are far less central to the public education system.

Funding structures also reveal differences. In the U.S., transportation funding varies by state and is often supported by local tax revenue. This can lead to disparities in fleet age and service quality between wealthier and less affluent districts.

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Related: Pupil Transportation Around the World: A Comparative Look at U.S., Germany
Related: Pupil Transportation Around the World: A Comparative Look at the U.S. and Colombia
Related: Pupil Transportation Around the World: A Comparative Look at the U.S. and India
Related: What Differs Between Pupil Transportation in the U.S. and the U.K.?

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Australia typically funds pupil transportation at the state level. Many routes are operated by private contractors under government agreements. Rather than school districts owning large fleets, governments often contract services to private bus companies. This contractor-based system requires strong oversight to ensure compliance and safety standards.

The American system uses a mix of district-owned fleets and contracted providers. However, district ownership remains more common in the U.S. than in Australia.

Both countries prioritize safety, but enforcement structures differ. In the U.S., strict stop-arm laws require motorists to stop when a school bus is loading or unloading students. Violations can result in significant fines. This legal framework reinforces the protective environment surrounding the school bus.

Australia does not use the same stop-arm system in most regions. Instead, safety relies more heavily on general road rules, bus signage and public awareness. The American stop-arm system creates a highly visible and enforceable protective zone around students.

Despite these differences, Australia and the U.S. share core principles. Both aim to provide safe, reliable transportation that supports equal access to education. Both must manage long distances, rural isolation and funding constraints. Both rely on regulated driver accreditation and vehicle inspection systems.

The primary differences lie in structure and philosophy. The U.S. emphasizes a distinct, symbolic and highly regulated dedicated school bus system. Australia emphasizes state-level coordination, contractor delivery and integration with public transit.

In the end, both systems reflect national priorities and geography. Whether through the iconic yellow bus traveling down an American suburban street or a state-contracted bus crossing the wide landscapes of the rural Australian Outback, pupil transportation remains a vital link between home and classroom. Each country has developed a model suited to its environment, but both share a common mission: ensuring that distance does not prevent opportunity.

Watch for the next article in this series as we travel to another continent-sized country – Brazil.

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Bret E. Brooks is the chief operating officer for Gray Ram Tactical, LLC, a Missouri-based international consulting and training firm specializing in transportation safety and security. He is a keynote speaker, author of multiple books and articles, and has trained audiences around the world. He can be reached at BretBrooks@GrayRamTacticalTraining.com.

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New Poll: American Voters Support Federal Investments in Electric Vehicles Broad, Bipartisan Support for EV Investments and Incentives that Lower Costs, Expand Access, and Help the U.S. Beat China in the Race for Auto Manufacturing WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new bipartisan national poll conducted by Meeting Street Insights and Hart Research finds broad public support …

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