The new electric passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles coming in 2023

New electric passenger cars coming in 2023

Abarth Nuova 500e

The Fiat 500 is one of the most lovable and distinctive designs on four wheels – and it will soon come with an EV focus. The Abarth Nuova 500e – which leverages the skills of Fiat’s sports tuner Abarth – has a single motor driving the front wheels. It’s due late in the year, with pricing south of $60K.

BYD Dolphin

Newcomer BYD is already kicking some decent goals, and the Dolphin is set to become the Chinese brand’s most affordable model. The five-door hatch may wear a different name when it arrives in the first half of 2023, with pricing close to $40K.

As with the Atto 3 that’s already on sale, it will employ BYD’s in-house battery tech and is expected to be healthily equipped.

BYD Seal

As the only brand to challenge Tesla on global EV sales, BYD has some big targets, and the Seal is at the pointy end of the brand’s aspirations. With the Tesla Model 3 in its Crosshairs, the Seal (it could also use a different name locally) aims to offer more value, with prices expected around $60K.

Drivetrain options include a single motor driving the rear wheels, or two e-motors for all-wheel drive.

Cupra Born

The brand is only fresh onto the market, but early in 2023 Cupra will beat parent Volkswagen in getting an EV to market. Priced at $59,990 before costs, the rear-wheel drive hatchback is primed to take advantage of EV incentives. Despite its compact exterior dimensions, there’s decent interior space and the promise of a playful driving experience.

Hyundai Ioniq 6

The Korean brand’s answer to the Tesla Model 3 arrives early in the year.

Sharing its 800V electrical architecture with the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, the swoopy sedan will be offered as a rear-drive or more powerful all-wheel drive. Pricing and the model range is expected mimic the Ioniq 5, so expect to pay upwards of $70K.

MG 4

MG was one of the early movers on affordable EVs, and now it wants to continue that momentum with more of a tech and performance focus. The MG 4 rides on a new EV-only architecture that sends drive to the rear wheels with a single-motor setup, or all four with two motors. As with other MG EVs, expect sharp pricing kicking off north of $50K. 

GWM Ora

It’s officially the Ora Good Cat overseas, but the compact electric hatch will likely take on the name of parent company GWM for its Australian arrival. With an emphasis on city liveability and catchy styling, the GWM Ora should be among the most affordable EVs on the market when it arrives early in the year.

GWM Lightning Cat

Its name is yet to be announced, but the car known as the Ora Lightning Cat is on its way down under in the second half of the year. With low-slung Porsche-like lines and a four-door body, the Lightning could provide an interesting budget alternative into sporty electric motoring.

Peugeot e-208

Peugeot considered not bringing the next generation 208 to Australia. But it appears the brand is on track to make it an EV proposition locally. Expect premium pricing.

New electric SUVs coming in 2023

BMW iX1

The smallest BMW SUV will soon spawn an electric counterpart. The iX1 takes the familiar five-door shape of the X1 body and replaces anything to do with petrol with electricity and batteries. Two electric motors promise snappy acceleration, but it comes at a premium; the $82,900 plus on-road costs price tag is almost 30 per cent more than a petrol variant.

Kia EV9

Though the news hans't been confirmed yet, the EV9 large electric SUV is expected to make it to Australia some time later in 2023. With bold styling and a futuristic cabin showcased in the EV9 concept car, expect seating for up to eight people and a six-figure price tag.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

Hyundai is expecting to get hold of more supply of its popular Ioniq 5 throughout 2023, making it easier to buy. But it’s the imminent arrival of the N-version that has many excited. The Ioniq 5 N will comfortably be the fastest production car to wear a Hyundai badge when it arrives late in the year (there’s a chance it could slip into 2024).

Hyundai Kona EV update

There’s nothing official yet, but a replacement for the ageing Kona is expected to be revealed early in the year before making its way Down Under around mid-year. An EV version – which would continue to fill the role of Hyundai’s most affordable EV – should arrive later in the year

Kia EV6 GT

Kia’s EV excitement kicks off early in the year with the arrival of the EV6 GT. Big performance from its dual-motor setup ushers in a new level of performance for the brand – and its first six-figure price tag. Boasting 430kW, it’s claimed to hit 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds.

Lexus RZ 450e

The Lexus equivalent of the bZ4X will likely start around $100,000, but it’ll also bring some interesting innovations, including the option of a yoke-style steering wheel which looks like it’s been ripped from an airplane . The steering wheel is a quarter of the size of a traditional wheel and is rectangular in shape, rather than a traditional circle. Early reports say that it takes some getting used to, but does offer a unique driving experience.

The Trademark Lexus attention to detail and a 10-year battery warranty should help distinguish it from the contenders in the mid-sized SUV space.

Peugeot e-2008

The French brand’s electric journey kicks off in 2023 with at least three new battery electric models. Details are yet to be confirmed, but expect an EV version of the 2008 compact SUV to provide some European flair in the compact electric SUV space.

Polestar 3

The fledgling EV brand welcomes its second new model in 2023, although it’s touch and go whether it makes it to Australia. The sizeable five-seater shares its architecture with the upcoming Volvo EX90 (which arrives late in 2024) and promises a driver focus. Clean styling and modern technology – including Smart Eye’s driver monitoring – should provide a Swedish-influenced alternative to the German luxury SUVs.

Renault Megane e-Tech

The crossover version of the Megane hatch brings some serious EV tech that is also shared with the Nissan Ariya (a car unlikely to make it here in 2023). Due late in the year, the Megane e-Tech will likely compete on price with the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2. Riding on a dedicated front-drive EV architecture, the e-Tech promises loads of technology and a spacious interior.

Subaru Solterra

The Solterra is a clone of Toyota’s first EV, the bZ4X, which arrives soon. It will only be offered locally with a dual-motor all-wheel drive system for Australia, reinforcing the AWD positioning of the brand locally. The mid-sized SUV has already been homologated for Australia and is ready to go, pending stock arrivals, which are likely to happen later in the year. Expect pricing approaching $70,000.

Tesla Model Y Performance

The Model Y SUV has quickly become the top selling EV in the country off the back of a single model variant. But dual-motor Performance versions, which are running late, are due early in the year. It’ll bring a big performance boost for the five-seater. Tesla has also left the door open for a Long Range model (slotting between the entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive and flagship Performance) sometime during 2023.

Toyota bZ4X

For the brand that has dominated the hybrid discussion for two decades, Toyota has been slow to the pure electric party. But that all changes in the second half of 2023 with the arrival of the bZ4X. The delayed mid-sized SUV uses either a single-motor front-drive layout or a dual-motor all-wheel drive. It’s expected to offer an unbeaten 10-year battery warranty, playing to Toyota’s strength around longevity.

Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5

Volkswagen’s EV journey kicks off in the second half of the year with the ID.4 mid-sized SUV, as well as the sleeker-looking ID.5. Each rides on a new dedicated EV architecture that maximises interior space and efficiency. Expect a circa-$60k start price when it arrives in the second half.

New electric commercial vehicles coming in 2023

Ford e-Transit

The electric version of the Ford Transit van is already attracting plenty of interest from businesses keen to lower their carbon footprint. The promise of lower running costs and less time off the road for servicing is also a big part of the e-Transit appeal.

Despite the savings you might make with the lower running costs, don’t expect the e-Transit to be cheap when it arrives mid-year.

Peugeot EV van

Peugeot has also committed to an EV version of at least one of its commercial vans, with the Expert or Partner a likely candidate. The market for electric commercial vehicles is warming, and Peugeot believes it can bring a compelling offering.