Top EV models launching in 2023

BYD is a new car brand in Australia but in under 12 months, it has produced over 10,000 vehicles for drivers in Australia.

It all started with BYD launching the Atto 3 SUV, which at the time was Australia’s most affordable ground-up electric car in 2022. A ground-up electric car is a car that’s engineered to be an electric car, rather than a conventional car that has been converted into an electric car.

Now, BYD has announced Australia’s most affordable EV. It’s the new BYD Dolphin with a starting price of $38,890 before on-roads. The on-road costs include state and territory stamp duty, number plate and luxury car tax costs when applicable. The top of the range model is priced at $49,990 before on-roads.

The base model is powered by a 70kW single motor that can offer up to 180Nm of torque, making it quite zippy around town. The top-spec models bump that up to 150kW and can sprint from 0-100 km/h in 7 seconds.

The battery in the more affordable variant includes a 44.9kWh pack, which can deliver up to 340 kilometres of range on the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). This is one of the standards used to see how far an electric car can travel on a single charge.

The higher-end variants offer a larger 60.48kWh battery pack, which can deliver up to 427 kilometres of WLTP range.

Dimensions of this car put it just a tad bit shorter than a Toyota Corolla hatch, coming in at 4,290mm in length.

On the inside, there is a 12.8-inch rotatable screen in the centre console, which can be rotated from portrait to landscape with the press of a button on the steering wheel.

The Dolphin comes in four colours and interested buyers can order one online with first deliveries expected to start in October 2023.

MG has won over thousands of car owners in the years it has been selling cars in Australia. Now MG has plans to deliver a new, affordable and stylish EV, the MG4, to thousands of customers in the coming months.

Starting with its base price of $38,990 before on-roads, gets you the 51 Excite variant of this electric hatchback with a 125kW motor. This is powered by a 51kWh battery that can deliver up to 350 kilometres of WLTP range.

The top-spec Long Range version offers a more powerful 180kW motor. This also comes with a larger battery 77kWh pack that can drive up to 530 kilometres on a single charge.

On the size front, the MG4 is 4,287mm long, which is only slightly shorter than the BYD Dolphin, 3mm to be exact.

When it comes to what’s on offer on the inside, there’s a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. This makes it easier to mirror compatible maps or music streaming apps.

Safety-wise, the MG4 comes with MG Pilot, it's very own safety suite, which is available on the base variant as well as the top-spec models.

The MG4 will be available in seven colours with first deliveries expected before the end of 2023. Interested buyers can secure a place by registering their interest on the MG4 website.

Continuing with the electric hatchbacks, Great Wall Motors (GWM) has an electric car that has only recently launched in Australia. It’s the GWM Ora.

In Australia, it has been launched with a starting price of $43,990 before on-road costs, making it one of the more affordable options.

The Ora comes in two variants with the entry-level Standard variant delivering up to 126kW of power and 250Nm of torque. This makes the Ora quite fun and zippy around town.

When it’s paired with the 48kWh battery, this electric hatchback can travel up to 310 kilometres on a single charge. The Extended variant with a larger 63kWh battery can bump that range up to 420 kilometres.

Dimensions of the Ora put it at 4,235mm in length. On the inside, there is a 10.25-inch infotainment screen that comes with Apple Carplay. This is a good size screen and goes well with the clean interior of the Ora.

Safety-wise, the Ora has received the maximum five-star rating from ANCAP. The Ora model can be ordered from GWM dealers with deliveries expected to follow shortly.

Ford Mustang is one of the most well-known models in automotive history. First being produced back in 1964, the American muscle car has now gone electric with the launch of the Mustang Mach-E.

The entry-level Select variant of the Mach-E is priced at $79,990 before on-roads. It comes with a 198kW motor that puts out 430Nm of torque. This variant has a 71kWh battery pack, which can deliver up to 470 kilometres of driving range.

The top-spec GT version bumps the price up to $108,990 before on-roads, but delivers 358kW of power and 430Nm of torque. This power propels the Mach-E GT from 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds.

On the outside, the Mach-E is 4,739mm in length, which also makes it longer than the other hatchbacks in this list of upcoming EVs.

Moving to the inside of the Mach-E, there’s a large 15.5-inch main infotainment screen.

The Mach-E also comes with a five-star ANCAP rating and is expected to arrive at Ford dealers in late 2023.

Renault was one of the first few car brands to bring an electric car into Australia with the launch of the Renault Zoe. Since then the model has been removed from the Australian market and now Renault is preparing to launch its larger, Megane E-Tech European electric hatchback.

This EV is powered by a 160kW motor and paired with a 60kWh battery pack. That should provide it with up to 450 kilometres of driving range.

Size-wise, it’s 4,199mm long making it smaller than the BYD Dolphin and MG’s MG4 hatchback.

On the inside, there’s a large infotainment screen that is angled slightly at the driver.

The Megane E-Tech pricing hasn’t been announced. Interested buyers can register their interest on Renault Australia’s website with first deliveries expected before the end of 2023.

With electric cars becoming more popular, the number of EV models is expected to rise in the coming months.

Various affordable electric cars also form part of this mix allowing greater accessibility to more drivers.

This will provide more options for prospective car buyers who may be ready to make the switch to quieter and more environmentally friendly vehicles.