“We are now two months into the government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard and, while the supply of battery electric vehicles has risen dramatically, consumer demand has fallen by 37 per cent this year compared with the first two months of 2024,” says automotive industry boss Tony Weber.
That’s bad news for Transport Minister Cath King’s plan to get us into battery cars and her Modern, Cheaper-to-Run Cars Awareness Ad Campaign. And the government and the industry can’t blame it all on the Mad Musk although the NYT tells us the furore about Elon’s cabinet role saw Jenny Trebb take a $30k loss to trade her Tesla for a Merc.
“Two weeks ago, I was called a Nazi in the parking lot at Kroger [like Woolies or Coles in Australia],” she said.
But the drop in EV sales is good news if you are one of the 6 per cent of Australians who are still EV curious because you can buy a bargain, and bargain better for that bargain than you could bargain a few years ago.
There are a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t buy an EV, but you are just thinking about two: losing money the minute you drive your new (insert one to the 88 EVs you can buy now) out of the showroom, and range anxiety.
Our advice
● Buy a used EV, rather than a new one.
● Make sure you have plenty of battery warranty: it should be eight years/160,000km although from 2024 MGs have a 10-year/250,000km deal. Best to buy a 2017 or later EV because the technology improved dramatically. The average cost of a replacement battery is $15k-$25k. Generally, the more exotic the car the more the battery will cost, although Volvo batteries are very pricey.
● Until there are more fast chargers in more places, you will have range anxiety. EVs are a great city car. You can even drive from Sydney to Melbourne with a few stops in some. But most owners charge them at home. This means if you live in an apartment, check whether the strata council will let you play with power or risk a battery fire in the common garage. Expect to take nine to 13 hours to home charge. The colder it is and the more hills, the less range.
Download a charging app so you can see where the nearest charging station is. Good luck.
● As with all used cars, buy the latest model you can afford. Older EVs have worse reliability than hybrids and real cars. But some of the newer brands (the ones with weird names) have a wide range of tech problems.
● Check the EV has all the updates. It’s usually done online.
● Buy a brand that has been around for longer than last month, has real dealers and service people. So don’t buy a GWM.
● Check the tyres. EVs chop through rubber faster than those persons who go drifting before they commit other crimes.
Aussie grand prix
Here’s our Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2025 form guide and tips.
The $70m Melbourne grand prix run over 306km next Sunday has drawn together a small but select field of 20 mostly weight-for-age runners and here is our form assessment of each.
● Leaping Lando. Came a handy second overall last season. His car is best suited for the first race of the season. His record over the distance here is a handy third and he’ll be at his peak now. Verdict: Odds on to win.
● Chuck Leclerc: Second here last year but will be in the shadow of Hamo in the Brit’s first outing for the prancing horse team. He dethroned King Max in three starts last year. Verdict: will fight Max and Hamo for a podium.
● Mad Max: Last year’s season’s winner and shooting for a fifth consecutive title. But only one win on the Melbourne track. Ongoing battles with the stewards particularly about the use of Australian adjectives. Verdict: Back for a place.
● Hamo: The punter’s favourite. Most wins (two) at Albert Park. His first race for Fezzer. Verdict: Will be there at the finish.
● The rest of the field: Keep an eye on Aussie Oscar and soap dodger Georgie Russell. The rest will make up the numbers.
News just in
A Mercedes-AMG One Order Turned Out to Be $8m Scam, Suit Claims. A California businessman is trying to get his money back after authorities said the French exotic car dealer he was ordering from was actually a con artist from Texas. (Road & Track)
Why are Range Rovers still popular if they’re so unreliable? You either love the British 4x4s or loathe them. Or is it more about the image of their drivers? In these uncertain times, having the ability to liquidate any asset is always useful. And there seems to be a roaring trade in stolen Range Rovers. So, insure yours for more than it’s worth and when times are hard, simply plan a trip to London. (Telegraph London)
Amelia Island auctions start today. Will be an important test for the higher end of the market. Keep an eye on Broad Arrow Auctions for the famous 1954 factory Works Jaguar D-Type “OKV 2”, one of the most important sports racing cars of all time. Valued at $10m.
If you are unhappy about anything (within reason) I have written or you have picked up one of the many errors I plant to catch you out or you run a company I have been unkind to, my email is below. The two worst things you can do are: 1. Have a friend or employee who clearly is not one of our 20 readers write and abuse me. 2. Offer me a bribe unless is it around the price of a Ferrari 296.
jc@jcp.com.au
Can BYD blow away HiLux and the Ranger with an electric ute?
There has been a lot of frothing excitement about BYD bringing this, the first-ever PHEV ute, to market. Prepare to be surprised by what this ‘quiet giant’ has to offer.
Inside Ferrari’s revved-up profit machine
Ferrari has proved that you don’t actually need to make a lot of cars to become one of the world’s most profitable carmakers. Here’s how Maranello does it.
New figures show that sales of electric vehicles are going down faster than my enthusiasm for Dry July by July 2.