Hands up … how many brands has General Motors sold in Australia over the years?

Holden, of course, was the main one, before it was ruthlessly dispatched in 2020. Saab, too, was incorporated under the GM operations umbrella back in 2005, before sputtering to a halt in 2013.

There was also a short-lived and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to roll out the Opel brand in 2012 – a decision that was overturned within 10 months.

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Cadillacs were also sold in Australia from the early 1930s through to 1969 in various guises, with many early models being assembled in Adelaide by Holden.

The US luxury brand then made a false start in 2008, launching at the Sydney Motor Show under the GM Premium Brands umbrella, though its attempted revival came to naught with the onset of the global financial crisis the following year.

Fast forward to 2023 and more than 60 brands fight for a slice of the annual 1.1 million-slice pie that is the Australian new car market. As consumers, we have more choice in new vehicles than exponentially larger markets like the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany.

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And that number is only set to grow. Think of the influx of Chinese brands like MG, Chery, Haval, GWM and BYD, and consider that there are many, many more sizing up our shores for a potential roll-out.

Now that the news is official and Cadillac is indeed returning, it begs the question … just why is General Motors bringing the Cadillac brand to Australia?

It wouldn’t be out of order to suggest that – despite the success of the Chevy Silverado ute – GM is still a bit on the nose with Aussie buyers, after the acrimonious departure of Holden not too long ago.

The market position of Cadillac, too, is interesting. Best known as GM’s luxury flagship, it’s now being repositioned as an electric vehicle bastion for the US’s biggest carmaker – no doubt without losing its lustre as a premium marque.

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And on the surface, ‘electric’ and ‘premium’ are perfect bedfellows.

The effortless, silken smooth and silent power delivery of a decently sized electric motor matches perfectly with the more settled ride of a vehicle with its mass mounted low in the chassis.

But what’s the next stage of EV adoption going to look like? Overseas, companies like Volkswagen are winding back on EV production in the face of lower than expected demand, with the early adopter markets finally sated and the task of convincing everyday buyers still ahead of the industry.

While Tesla is making hay in our market with its Model 3/Model Y double act, mass take-up of electric vehicles is yet to occur in Australia, though MG and BYD’s more affordable models are doing their best.

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And this is where the Cadillac business case gets interesting. The money is on a three-strong electric SUV line-up, starting with the large-sized Lyriq which will likely cost $120,000-ish in base trim. Affordable? Not so much.

There are whispers of state government fleet orders already in the works, which will sweeten the pot at the factory level when it comes to building right-hookers in quantity (an easier prospect with EVs in general, thanks to steer-by-wire tech and smaller powertrains under the bonnet).

But ask any of the existing players in the market and expensive EVs are not only hard to source (thanks to raw material shortages and cost), they’re tough to sell into a market with no incentives, a fledgling charging network and an economy tilting towards a slowdown.

It’s also worth considering how well Cadillac’s take on Tesla’s direct sales model will fare. Will just three Cadillac Experience Centre outlets be enough to deliver a new-to-Australia brand significant traction?

Only time will tell.

A better, faster and more resolved Tesla Model 3 Performance will hit virtual showroom floors in 2024, the company has confirmed.

Tesla claims that driving enthusiasts have been involved in the process of engineering the Model 3 Performance, and that the company intends to realise the potential it left on the table when the first version hit the road five years ago.

No timetable or pricing has been confirmed, but expect to see more from the Model 3 Performance before the end of the year, before a claimed on-sale date of early 2024.

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The admission comes on the eve of the roll-out of the 2024 Tesla Model 3 revamp, which lobs in Australian Tesla stores this weekend.

Top brass from the US EV company in Australia for the launch – who cannot be directly quoted – confirmed that the previous iteration of the Performance was underbaked.

Difficulties meeting manufacturing quotas for the more basic version of the Model 3 meant that the focus fell on fulfilling customer orders, not refining an upmarket, go-fast version.

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The company says that the next version will be “pretty special” and will focus on the areas left undone with the first one.

Expect the 2024 Model 3 Performance to be based on the current dual-motor powertrain, which remains physically unchanged for the facelifted version of Australia’s best-selling electric car.

Refinements to the updated Model 3’s body and suspension set-up will lend themselves very well towards a performance version, with revised dampers and bushings promising a more compliant ride and a new focus on aerodynamic performance.

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Larger rims with high-performance tyres, more sophisticated shocks that could potentially offer adjustable damping and larger, multi-piston brakes are a given, along with further sports-orientated revisions to the interior makeover rolled out for the 2024 car.

Significant software updates and physical hardware changes are also anticipated; necessary if the new Performance is to outstrip the current 0-100km/h time of 3.3 seconds achieved by the previous version, which launched in the US in 2017 and in Australia two years later.

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As with all EVs, weight will be a factor; the 2024 version of the Model 3 gains a handful of kilograms over its predecessor thanks to the addition of stronger, heavier doors and acoustic glass throughout the car.

It’s possible that the new Performance could shed a few kilos by way of lighter body panels, more svelte (and expensive) forged rims and the use of a smaller battery pack to favour punch over distance, but at worst it will be within a few percentage points on the scales as the stock Dual Motor.

Suzuki Australia is jumping on the Black Friday sale bandwagon by offering 10 per cent off new and demo cars for a limited, two-hour window tomorrow.

The deal window applies to all cars in stock and will take place between 12pm and 2pm local time at official Suzuki Australia dealers.

The biggest saving available is $4449 on the S-Cross AllGrip Prestige (pictured below), which takes the compact SUV’s starting price before on-road costs to $40,041.

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Suzuki’s 10 percent offer also creates a rare sub-$20K model, if for two hours only. The Black Friday price for the Ignis GL manual is $19,341, down from its usual $21,490 RRP.

Two Jimny models start from below $30,000 with the discount: the Lite manual and regular manual are priced in the sale from $27,441 and $28,741, respectively.

The automatic Jimny is discounted to $30,141, though the new five-door Jimny XL model isn’t available yet with its launch set for early December.

The Vitara small SUV and Swift hatchback are also on sale.

Suzuki has followed Hyundai as an auto brand looking to capitalise on the Black Friday sales phenomenon. Hyundai’s saving offers on its Ioniq 6 electric sedan are greater, while its deals run for three whole days.

It’s six years since the i30 N emerged as a hot-hatch that finally convinced keen drivers Korea could build a bona fide performance car.

The IONIQ 5 N, however, has a different mission: to persuade highly sceptical petrolheads that an electric car can be similarly entertaining.

The regular-sized five-door and the oversized hatchback – or crossover if you prefer – share a mutual project leader: Albert Biermann. There’s some full-circle symmetry, too, as where the i30 N was the German’s first N car, the IONIQ 5 N will be the 66-year-old’s last before a belated retirement.

Biermann has a clear, no-nonsense view on performance cars of the future: they will/must be electric and there’s little point mourning combustion cars.

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The 5 N certainly looks the part. Its stance is aided by a 2cm-lower ride height and a 5cm-wider body necessitated by 275mm-wide Pirelli P Zero rubber.

Aerodynamics-focused appendages – front splitter and rear diffuser –add 8cm to the 5’s overall length and modify its silhouette (along with an extended roof spoiler).

There are more exterior differentiators to ensure it’s impossible to mistake the N for a regular IONIQ 5.

Bright-orange striping features on all four sides, including the skirting line that expands into an aeroplane-style tail-fin by the rear wheel arch. There are more vents for battery and brake cooling, and the first electric N sits on boldly styled 21-inch forged-alloy wheels.

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Nine palette options include two exclusive colours: Soultronic Orange and the Performance Blue famous from other N models.

Performance Blue is also available as a matte finish (along with Atlas White) for an extra grand. Otherwise, a $2000 ’Vision’ panoramic roof is the sole option.

Changes not so visible include revised suspension and steering tuning, upgraded front and rear subframes, and a body-in-white that has been stiffened through more than 40 additional welds and an extra 2.1 metres of adhesives.

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About half of the modes are designed or recommended for track use

While the 5 N shares its 800-volt ‘e-GMP’ architecture, it adopts a bigger, 84kWh battery and its dual motors – creating the first all-wheel-drive N vehicle – produce a combined 448kW and 740Nm. Or 478kW and 770Nm via a temporary Boost mode.

Called N Grin Boost, it’s one of a dozen or more N-labelled features or functions.

We’re already on a freeway out of Incheon, near Seoul, without any time for familiarisation with the touchscreen menu, and initially trying to locate specific functions is N-Oying.

About half of the modes are designed or recommended for track use, which at least simplifies matters, and it’s not too long before we’ve figured things out.

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It’s here that we should point out that while we’re in Korea during the 5 N’s international launch, we broke free from the official program for an exclusive road drive.

The downside is that we missed out on a racetrack experience to try out some of the more extreme features, such as N Drift Optimiser and N Launch Control (both self-explanatory), as well as N Pedal (an extreme-regen-braking interpretation of lift-off oversteer, essentially).

There’s also N Race, which includes Sprint and Endurance options (respectively, to go full power for a limited time or have limited peak power for longer lapping), and N Battery Conditioning that can prep the battery temperature for either the fastest acceleration possible (30-40 degrees) or sustained lapping (20-30 degrees).

The upside is that we got to spend a good couple of days with the 5 N, with full freedom to explore some suitably curvaceous roads.

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A glorious, hillclimb sequence of hairpins is up first, and is equally savoured by our accompanying video crew and Wheels photographer Ellen.

By now I’ve long located the menu pages for Customisation 1 and 2, which via the left ‘N’ button on the steering wheel provides a shortcut to the driver’s favoured settings.

I opt for my Customisation 1 set-up, which has steering, electric motors, suspension and electronic limited-slip rear differential in their most aggressive settings, and the ESC in Sport mode.

And for the car’s two most distinctive features – at least in our view – we’ve engaged N e-Shift (via the right-side N button on the steering wheel) and selected ‘Ignition’ out of three options provided by N Active Sound Plus.

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Working together to mimic the feel and sound of the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine and eight-speed dual-clutch auto found in the i30 N, they’re far less gimmicky and far more entertaining than we were expecting.

The rorty engine note provided by ‘Ignition’ mode isn’t that surprising in this era of speaker-enhanced combustion motors; the clever part is how the car’s e-Shift software introduces slight jolts to what, for an EV, would normally be totally seamless acceleration as you flick the paddle levers for ‘upshifts’.

Most comically – in a good way – is the power delivery stutter if you bounce off the artificial 8000rpm ‘limiter’. (As an aside, the electric motors spin significantly faster than any conventional combustion engine – up to 21,000rpm.)

The sound isn’t limited to the cabin, either. External speakers – front and rear – can be switched on to try and fool passers-by.

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There are two other buttons of note on the steering wheel – and you can’t miss them; finished in the N-customary Performance Blue.

The left ‘Drive Mode’ button cycles through default Eco, Normal and Sport modes. The right-side ‘NGB’ stands for the aforementioned N Grin Boost.

Press this, floor the throttle, and the 5 N maximises power and torque for a 10-second burst – delivering a claimed 0-100km/h of 3.4 seconds.

Biermann and his N team, however, have consistently stressed that their cars are not about straight-line shenanigans.

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It wasn’t promising when we learned the IONIQ 5 N weighs about 2.2 tonnes – about 10 percent heavier than the regular 5 and 50 percent heavier than an i30 N auto hatch.

Yet that kerb weight proved hard to believe on our hillclimb. Hyundai’s first electric N model behaves very much like an i30 N on steroids – bigger and beefier (and sounding similar thanks to ‘Ignition’ mode) but capable of attacking corners with deft precision.

A rear motor that’s more powerful than the front motor lends an inherent rear-drive feel, though the driver can also adjust the AWD system’s torque distribution (yes, another area of customisation).

The steering, given more directness, is satisfyingly accurate – and the Alcantara covering is a tactile delight.

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Overall, I was far less conscious about weight-transfer management than anticipated, even if trail-braking is a good tactic for achieving the best turn-in.

And on the subject of brakes, there are three ways of slowing the IONIQ 5 N (and it probably doesn’t hurt to have options for a car that can have you arriving at a corner at a very rapid rate).

There’s an N Regen regenerative braking system which can generate up to 0.6g of deceleration. And an N Pedal function with three different levels essentially brings extreme weight transfer – especially Level 3, we’re told – to help the car turn into corners.

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Hyundai recommends N Pedal for racetracks only – and is one of a few functions requiring the driver to click ‘Okay’ to a warning disclaimer – so we stuck mostly to the third stopping option: using the regular brakes.

We say ‘regular’, but the front brakes feature four-piston calipers and 400mm-diametre discs. The rear brakes aren’t small, either – 360mm, with single piston.

We’re pleased to report there’s good pedal feel to complement strong and progressive braking.

It’s too early to tell if the ICE powertrain impersonations will be a novelty that wears off, but we can say we found they complemented the driving experience – and even helped judge speed better than a regular EV.

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And over two days, I never felt inclined to turn the ‘Ignition’ mode off.

You can turn the 5 N into a whisper-quiet EV just like the regular IONIQ 5, and this helps deliver the dual character found in the best all-round performance cars.

As does the ride comfort. Although the 5 N is undoubtedly stiffer than the stock model, we found the suspension sufficiently relaxing during one long day. We’re told the Australian-spec tune will be softer again below 30km/h.

Criticisms are few, then, at this stage, though the N bucket seats are very hard, if excellent at keeping the driver in place when cornering.

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There’s a complexity to all the N modes and systems that demands homework from owners who want to get the most out of the car, and range is also a question mark.

Hyundai is estimating a WLTP-rated max distance of about 450km, but our experience in Korea suggested this figure could be highly optimistic – and we suspect impossible without driving like Miss Daisy in Eco mode.

A $111,000 price tag (or about $118K with on-roads) isn’t cheap, either (Australian deliveries start in Jan) – more than double the price of an i30 N and arguably not in keeping with Hyundai N’s mission to deliver “accessible performance”.

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Perspective is always important, though, because the IONIQ 5 N delivers similar performance to a Porsche Taycan Turbo that costs about $300,000 (before adding the inevitably long list of options).

There’s more to the equation, too. Because while Hyundai’s performance division created one of the world’s best hot-hatches with its i30 N, it’s now built the world’s best electric driver’s car.

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Hyundai IONIQ 5 N specifications

Ahead of its arrival in Australia, Jez jetted off for a good spin in the hot new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N – a ‘hot SUV’ styled and tuned to be more of a big hot hatch.

Watch Jez’s video review above or below, and stay tuned for his full written review!

Pricing and features

Available to order since September already, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N is priced from $111,000 before on-road costs. Customer deliveries will begin in early 2024.

Hyundai IONIQ 5 N specifications

PHOTOS: Ellen Dewar

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Workers at Tesla’s enormous gigafactory in Austin are reportedly facing unsafe work conditions that includes fist fights, explosions and even being pinned down by giant robots claws.

The grisly details have emerged in a new report by The Information, which used injury data and interviews with former and current employees to paint a picture of a workplace plagued with safety issues.

According to data sourced from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), one in every 21 employees at the gigafactory was reportedly hurt last year.

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Physical fights and frequent verbal altercations also take place, according to The Information, who also reported an incident of an explosion in the Austin factory’s metal casting area around New Year’s 2023.

Tesla employs more than 20,000 workers at its factory in Austin, where production of the Cybertruck is currently being scaled up.

Perhaps the most graphic injury, however, is alleged to have occurred in 2021 when an engineer was gored by one of the factory’s manufacturing robots. The Information reports the robot, which was inadvertently left on by the workers during maintenance, pinned the engineer against a surface and pierced his body. The worker then fell into a scrap metal collection chute, leaving a trail of blood behind him, according to witness accounts.

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This isn’t the first time Tesla has come under fire for unsafe work conditions. In September this year, similar reports of a high frequency of serious injuries and even amputations emerged from the company’s gigafactory in Germany.

Tesla’s Fremont factory in California also has a high rate of worker injuries and there are also allegations of Tesla attempting to cover up workplace injuries by failing to report them.

Musk is infamous for his hardline approach to output, having previously pushed workers through “production hell” when the Model 3 sedan was introduced.

A recent Reuters investigation [↗] also revealed a high number of injuries at Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, that included crushed limbs, head wounds and even electrocutions.

Ford’s big all-electric F-150 Lightning has been spotted testing on Australian roads.

Wheels reader Mehmet spotted the F-150 Lightning ‘left-hand-drive engineering evaluation vehicle’ in Campbellfield, near Ford Australia’s Melbourne product development centre.

It follows pictures of the same test vehicle at a public charging station posted to social media, below.

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“Ford’s Australian Product Development team work on a wide variety of global vehicle programs, including many left-hand drive only vehicles for overseas markets,” said a Ford Australia spokesperson.

“The F-150 Lightning spotted on Melbourne roads recently is in Australia for engineering evaluation, and is not an indicator of Lightning being developed for the Australian market.

“Lightning remains left-hand drive only, and unavailable for sale in Australia.”

At the recent launch of the locally re-manufactured F-150 line-up, Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic said the brand was “looking at” the electric version, but it remains focused on successfully launching the petrol models.

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The local conversion process, completed by Thai-based RMA Automotive at a facility in Melbourne’s outskirts, commenced recently with the first customer vehicles delivered this month.

Ford has trademarked the F-150 Lightning name in Australia, adding further fuel to speculation that the 386 to 515-kilometre all-electric range full-size pick-up would soon hit Aussie showrooms.

“Are we looking at it? Yes,” confirmed Birkic. “Is there a confirmed product program? Have I rung up Trevor [the GM of RMA Automotive] and said I need another line? No.”

“That will come in the fullness of time. Not whether I say yes or no but in terms of we need to do further analysis and we just need to prove that we can do the conversion [on regular F-150], that we can do it with a lens on quality.

“So let’s just do that first. And then we’ll have a yarn about Lighting.”

RMA Automotive general manager Trevor Negus confirmed there is capacity to add Lightning and other Ford models into production should Birkic give the green light.

“Absolutely. The whole facility has been built with other products in mind, I guess,” said Negus. “So we’ve got the capacity to take larger F Series. We’ve got the capacity to take other vehicles.”

Other models understood to be considered for conversion are the Ford Bronco SUV and the larger F Series Super Duty.

Ford-owned F-150 Raptor and Bronco vehicles have also been spied in Victoria, though – like the Lightning – the brand claims the local existence is solely for global vehicle program development.

A Climate Council study has revealed that 71 per cent of Australians have reduced their car use amid record high fuel prices.

The survey, commissioned by the non-profit environmental organisation, found most of the 1150 participants said they have attempted to reduce car-related expenses, including driving less, avoiding holidays using their car, and skipping servicing and maintenance.

According to The Guardian [↗], fuel prices spiked again in late September due to production cuts of crude oil driven by Saudi Arabia and Russia.

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Participants also noted that they have considered switching to an electric vehicle, with 54 per cent believing forthcoming ‘fuel efficiency standards’ would help save them money.

A previous report commissioned by the Climate Council and Electric Vehicle Council lobby groups highlighted Australians could save hundreds in running costs on a more fuel-efficient internal combustion engine vehicle or thousands by making the switch to a full EV – provided the emissions reduction policies are strict.

However, only 49 per cent supported the new mandate, which would put a cap on the average carbon exhaust emissions of all new vehicles each automaker sells per year, or risk being financially penalised.

The aim is to encourage car brands to sell more fuel-efficient and lower exhaust-emission engines, and supply more pure electric vehicles, as the emissions threshold lowers each year.

The federal government has previously promised to introduce the fuel efficiency standards this year, after industry consultation.

Parliament will sit for the last time this year on December 7.

The BBC has axed its world-famous Top Gear car show following last year’s crash involving presenter Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff.

The former England cricketer suffered “life-altering signficant injuries” after a three-wheeler car he was driving rolled at high speed.

A BBC statement today said the hugely popular show would not return “for the forseeable future”.

“We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do,” the statement continued.

“All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing.

“[The BBC] remains committed to [presenters] Freddie, Chris [Harris] and Paddy [McGuinness] who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them. We will have more to say in the near future on this.”

Top Gear has been running for 46 years, having debuted in the UK in 1977, though its popularity went global after Jeremy Clarkson revived and revised the show format. Co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond joined Clarkson as household names.

Hammond was left in a coma after suffering serious head injuries after he crashed a jet-powered dragster at more than 500km/h in 2006.

The trio left the show in 2015 after Clarkson was dropped by the BBC following a “fracas” with a member of the show’s production team. They went on to create the rival The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime.

Flintoff, Harris and McGuiness became the new established trio of presenters in 2019 after previous post-Clarkson series disappointed with polarising stars such as Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc.

Flintoff was filming for the 34th series of Top Gear in December when the accident occurred.

He was reportedly paid £9m ($17m) in compensation by the BBC.

It was recently announced that a localised version of Top Gear would return for Australia in 2024, featuring three new hosts: Mighty Car Mods co-host Blair “Moog” Joscelyne, former rugby league player Beau Ryan, and actor Jonathan LaPaglia.

The show will air on online streaming platform Paramount+.

Here’s your guide to keeping your EV charged, at home and away

A key challenge for buyers making the electric vehicle switch is breaking old habits and understanding the concept of charging.

For most people, adding driving range to your vehicle has been as easy as stopping at a fuel station and getting back on the road within minutes.

However, for an electric car, it seemingly isn’t as simple on the surface. There’s terms such as kilowatts (kW) and kilowatt-hours (kWh), the difference between AC and DC, charging speeds (or levels), and various plug types.

Charging an EV may never be as quick as rapidly pumping combustible fuel, but it doesn’t have to take forever – and, for many, it is more convenient or desirable than stopping at a fuel station.

JUMP AHEAD

• ? What is kW and kWh?
• AC⚡️DC charging and levels
• ✋ 80 is the charging limit
• ? Plug types
  • ✅ Type 2 / CCS2
  • ?? CHAdeMO
  • ? Modified Type 2
  • ? Other international plugs
• ? Battery size: Gross vs net
• ? Charging is simple
• ? Time to make the electric switch?

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? What is kW and kWh?

Kilowatt (kW) denotes the charging speed rate, while kilowatt-hour (kWh) measures the energy capacity of the battery.

• Kilowatt (kW) = charging power speed
• Kilowatt-hour (kWh) = battery size

This is equivalent to the fuel tank size (measured in litres) for a traditional internal combustion (ICE) engine vehicle.

Theoretically, a larger battery means longer driving range on one charge, but it depends on the EV’s energy efficiency (measured in kWh/100km).

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AC⚡️DC charging and levels

EV charging speeds are separated by AC and DC power types.

• Alternating current (AC) = slow charging
• Direct current (DC) = fast charging

➡️ DC: Mostly found at public charging stations, when a faster top-up is required to continue driving, similar to a fuel station.

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Charging source levels

• 1️⃣ Level 1 (~1.8kW AC) – ‘trickle charging’ from a standard three-pin domestic plug, typically 240 volts.
• 2️⃣ Level 2 (7kW AC or 11-22kW AC) – installed single-phase or three-phase wall box station respectively.
• 3️⃣ Level 3 (25-350kW DC): 400- or 800-volt class public fast charging station.

Trickle charging from a standard domestic plug (the same one that powers your appliances) should replenish enough driving range for most Australians’ daily driving needs overnight.

Installing a single-phase 7kW AC wall box can guarantee a full recharge in one night for most models – if you really need to use the full driving range capabilities every day (typically 200 to 600km, depending on the model).

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✋ 80 is the charging ‘limit’

Car brands generally recommend against owners fully charging their EVs to 100 per cent every day – but why?

Similar to pouring water into a cup, the internal resistance of a battery rises as the percentage increases. After an initial burst, the BMS gradually slows down the kilowatt rate until the battery reaches about 80 per cent full.

Therefore, automakers often quote a 10 to 80 per cent charge time, as this is most time efficient for the range added.

Charging past 80 per cent also isn’t healthy for the longevity of typical lithium-ion batteries, particularly in excessively cold or hot climates. However, the lower cost lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery type can be fully charged without excessive degradation concerns.

Charging an EV from 80 to 100 per cent can effectively double your waiting time, since it slows down significantly – especially on public DC fast charging stations.

Of course, owners may need their EV’s full driving range on longer drives, so you can fully charge occasionally if you’re willing to wait.

While not all carmakers recommend an everyday charging cap, the general rule-of-thumb is 80 per cent for lithium-ion nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) or 100 per cent (no limit) for LFP type batteries.

• Tesla Model 3 and Model Y (RWD): 100%
• Tesla Model 3 and Model Y (Long Range and Performance): 90%
• BYD Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal: 100%
• MG 4 (Excite 51): 100%
• MG 4 (Excite/Essence 64 and Long Range 77): 80%
• Polestar 2: 90%
• Volvo EX30: 90%
• Cupra Born: 80%

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? EV charging plug types

Most new electric cars use the same charging plug in Australia today, but some are outliers and can be confusing, especially if you buy used.

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✅ Type 2 / CCS2: The Australian standard

➡️ Type 2: This type, also known as Mennekes, is the European-standard EV plug for slow AC charging, with a seven-pin design.

➡️ DC charging: For fast charging, it’s called the CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2), by extending the bottom of Type 2 with two additional pins.

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?? CHAdeMO: The Japanese standard

Some Japanese-made EVs in Australia have a CHAdeMO (CHArge de MOve) port for DC fast charging via four large pins.

However, for slower AC charging, models typically feature a separate Type 2 connector.

While the CHAdeMO connector will continue to be supported by public charging networks for the foreseeable future, some newly-installed stations have already phased it out in favour of the more common CCS2 in Australia.

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? Modified Type 2: The old Tesla standard

Some older Teslas in Australia have a Type 2 connector, but modified with a notch at the top to prevent rival EV models accessing Tesla’s V2 Supercharging network.

Unlike regular Type 2, the single seven-pin design is used for both AC and DC charging.

However, since most public DC fast charging stations only offer the CCS2 plug, an adapter is required to use them.

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? Other international plugs

• ➡️ Type 1 / CCS1: Also called J1772, it was previously used in older BMW i3 and original Nissan Leaf examples in Australia, and was the standard in North America until the impending transition to NACS. It’s also used in South Korea.
• ➡️ NACS: The North American Charging Standard was originally developed by Tesla and will soon be the common plug type for almost all EVs in the continent from around 2025.
• ➡️ GB/T: The charging connector standard for EVs sold in China only.

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? Battery size: Gross vs net

It’s important to know if a quoted electric car battery size number – measured in kWh – is ‘gross’ or ‘net’.

• Gross (nominal): The total battery size for storing energy, including buffers
• Net (usable): The actual battery size and energy that can be used by owners, excluding buffers

Therefore, only the usable number should be looked at – especially when doing any charging sums – since owners will never be able to utilise the entire gross battery size.

That’s because there are top and bottom buffers in place to ensure safe operation – avoiding the risk of ‘overcharging’ – and to protect the battery health.

As cells degrade over time, the EV will automatically use the buffers (unused cells) to offset the impact of reduced driving range.

Unfortunately, some carmakers only quote the gross number in marketing and press material – which is misleading.

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? Charging is simple

Maybe it doesn’t sound like it, but trust us: charging your electric car is simple.

Plug in at home (if possible), set it to charge when electricity is cheapest overnight or when there’s solar energy, and you’ll replenish enough driving range for typical daily needs.

When using public charging infrastructure, know the plug types and AC/DC charging speed outputs offered by the station and, importantly, the AC/DC limits of what your EV model can input.

And, remember to practise good etiquette.

It may not be as easy nor as fast as stopping at a fuel station, but charging an EV can be even more convenient as it can fill up when it’s parked and not in use at home or at the shops.

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? Is it time to make the electric switch?

EVs are not for everyone (for now), but they are right for most.

Charging costs, public infrastructure reliability, and battery longevity remain key perceived issues. For more, check out our Electric hub guides below.

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