CarSorted Verdict:
- Cheapest: BYD Atto 1 Essential at $19,990 drive-away to 15 December, or the five-seat Geely EX2 at $26,490 RRP.
- Small hatch: BYD Dolphin ($28,888 drive-away to 15 December) or the GAC Aion UT ($31,990 RRP, 430 km, eight-year warranty).
- Electric SUV: Leapmotor B10 from $37,888, five stars; the GAC Aion V does 510 km for $42,590.
- Family and range: Leapmotor C10 ($49,888, 546 litres), Sealion 7 and Zeekr 7X; the IM5 goes furthest at 655 km.
- Seven seats: XPeng X9 from $89,900, five stars (2026).
- Wait for: the Leapmotor B03X (priced), Lepas L6 (priced), Zeekr 7GT wagon and Jolion Max EV (reported for early 2027).
Of the electric cars we list at $40,000 or less, 24 of 26 come from Chinese brands, and heading into 2027 the pace hasn't slowed. In the past few months BYD put the Atto 1 on a $19,990 drive-away offer, Leapmotor priced the B03X, Lepas priced the L6, smart priced the #5 and Zeekr updated the 7X for 2027 without changing the price. Prices move fast and so do the line-ups. So the useful question isn't only “which is best?”. It's also “is something cheaper or newer about to land?”.
This guide works from 76 electric cars on sale in our directory on 12 November 2026 from 14 Chinese brands and 36 nameplates: hatches, SUVs, sedans, people movers, a convertible and a ute. Vans are left out. If you want the five quick category winners, our 2026 Chinese EV guide still stands. This one gives you one pick per question, who it suits, what to watch, and a short “buy now or wait” call. The facts, side by side. Your decision.
The picks at a glance
One row per question, with the figure from our row for that car on 12 November 2026 and its price basis. RRP is before on-road costs; drive-away includes them. Detail and runners-up for each are below.
| Question | Pick | Winning figure | ANCAP on record | Buy now or wait? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest (drive-away) | BYD Atto 1 Essential | $19,990 drive-away | 5 stars (2025) | Now; offer to 15 Dec |
| Cheapest five-seater (RRP) | Geely EX2 Complete | $26,490 RRP, 252 km | 5 stars (2026) | Now |
| Small hatch | BYD Dolphin Essential | $28,888 drive-away | 5 stars (2023) | Now; offer to 15 Dec |
| Cheapest electric SUV (RRP) | BYD Atto 2 Dynamic | $31,990 RRP | Hasn't been rated | Wait: B03X priced below it |
| Cheapest five-star electric SUV (RRP) | Leapmotor B10 Style | $37,888 RRP, 490 L | 5 stars (2025) | Now |
| Cheapest 500 km car (RRP) | GAC Aion V Premium | 510 km for $42,590 | 5 stars (2025) | Now |
| Family SUV under $50k (RRP) | Leapmotor C10 Design LR | $49,888, 546 L, 510 km | 5 stars (2024) | Now |
| Longest range | MG IM5 Platinum 100 | 655 km WLTP | 5 stars (2025) | Now |
| Cheapest to run (home charging) | MG MGS5 Essence 49 | About $655 a year | 5 stars (2025) | Now |
| Sedan | BYD Seal Premium | $52,990 RRP, 570 km | 5 stars (2023) | Now |
| Seven seats | XPeng X9 Standard Range | $89,900 RRP, 535 km | 5 stars (2026) | Now |
| Towing | MG U9 EV | 3,500 kg, $78,990 RRP | Unconfirmed for the EV | Now |
Compare these picks side by side
6 of them on 200+ specs, price, safety and running cost in one view.
Each price is that car's stored figure with its basis and check date. Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Buying now or waiting: how to use this guide
Chinese electric line-ups are changing fast. Some of what's coming is already priced: Leapmotor has put the B03X small SUV at $26,990 before on-road costs with a launch drive-away price for cars delivered by 31 December, Lepas has priced the L6 at $47,990 MSRP and smart has priced the #5 from $58,900 with deliveries from November. Some is reported but not priced: GWM is reported to have the Haval Jolion Max EV due in the first three months of 2027, and local media report the Zeekr 7GT wagon with deliveries from early 2027. And some is further out, like Changan's Avatr 07L, targeted for the first half of 2027.
Our rule of thumb: buy now when the car isn't changing, the price is on the manufacturer's list or on a drive-away offer you can use before it ends, and it holds a current ANCAP result if that matters to you. Wait when something cheaper or better in the same size is priced or confirmed and close. Negotiate when an update is coming and the outgoing car is still in stock.
“Confirmed” and “reported” aren't the same, and we keep them apart. Confirmed means the manufacturer has said it on its Australian site or in an Australian release. Reported means Australian motoring media have it, often from the manufacturer's local people, but the manufacturer hasn't put it on its own page. Neither gives you a price until the price list is out.
The state of Chinese electric cars heading into 2027
The 76 rows split into 45 SUVs, 16 hatches, seven people movers, five sedans, two convertibles and one ute. MG (including its IM range) has the most variants, then BYD, but the spread of brands is the story: Geely, Leapmotor, GAC, Zeekr, XPeng, smart, Deepal, Chery, GWM, Jaecoo, Forthing, Denza and MG (including its IM range) all sell at least one electric car here. Range has crept up too. 64 of the 75 rows with a WLTP figure claim 400 km or more.
Safety ratings are mostly good news: 58 of the 76 rows hold five stars from ANCAP and none holds fewer. But 18 rows hold no confirmed result, including the BYD Atto 2, GWM ORA 5, Jaecoo J5 EV and Deepal E07. A missing rating isn't a bad result. It's no data, and we won't borrow another model's stars to fill it.
Pricing is the other story. The floor is now below $20,000 drive-away, through BYD's Atto 1 offer, and many drive-away prices are campaigns with end dates. In this guide we quote the end date wherever the manufacturer or our dated story prints one, and we flag prices we know have lapsed.
CarSorted Manufacturer offer
Geely Australia has an offer on the EX2 until 14 November 2026
Offer from Geely Australia, checked 12 Nov 2026
How we picked
What counts as Chinese. A brand whose parent company is headquartered in mainland China and sells under its own badge here, the same list our 2027 Chinese cars guide uses. Polestar, Volvo and Lotus are Geely-owned but sold as European brands, and Tesla and MINI build cars in China but aren't Chinese brands, so all of them are out. Electric vans from Farizon and LDV are out too; this guide is about cars.
Prices. An RRP is before on-road costs; a drive-away price includes them. We never rank one against the other. RRP picks only use prices whose source on our row is the manufacturer's own configurator, price page, list or release: 38 of the 76 rows. Rows with an RRP we estimated from a drive-away price, or with no named source, appear in the tables but don't win a price pick. That's the same rule as our 2027 mid-size SUV guide, so the two guides agree.
Running costs. We use the same sum as our car pages: 15,600 km a year (300 km a week), the official energy figure and 30 cents a kWh charging at home. Range is the WLTP figure on our row. Both are lab figures; real use is usually worse, especially on the highway and in winter.
Safety. We show the ANCAP result our row holds and its year. Where we hold none, we say ANCAP hasn't rated it or we have no data. Nothing here is called the safest (ANCAP explained).
CarSorted
Shortlisting already?
Compare any two side by side or see this month's manufacturer deals. Figures come from manufacturers' own published documents.
Cheapest Chinese electric car: BYD Atto 1 and Geely EX2
On drive-away: BYD Atto 1 Essential, $19,990. BYD Australia cut the Atto 1 Essential to $19,990 drive-away nationally from 15 September, and the offer runs to 15 December 2026 unless BYD extends it (Atto 1 story). It holds five stars (2025), a 30 kWh battery, 220 km of WLTP range and a 308-litre boot. It costs about $725 a year to charge at home on our sums, around $14 a week. The catch is the cabin: it seats four, with no middle rear belt.
On a published RRP: Geely EX2 Complete, $26,490
Why. The EX2 Complete is $26,490 before on-road costs on Geely's Build & Price, the lowest manufacturer-sourced RRP of any Chinese electric car we list. It has five seats, a 375-litre boot, rear-wheel drive, 252 km of WLTP range and five stars from ANCAP (2026). The EX2 Inspire at $30,990 steps up to a bigger battery and 345 km. Next on a published RRP is the Atto 1 Premium at $27,990, with 310 km but still four seats.
Who it suits. A second car, a city commuter or a starter EV for someone who can charge at home. What to watch. DC charging peaks at 60 kW on the Complete and 80 kW on the Inspire on our rows, so long trips take patience. Geely's warranty on our row is seven years. Our EX2 launch story has the equipment list.
Our take: if four seats and 220 km really are enough, the Atto 1 offer is the cheapest new car we can find. If you carry five or drive further, the EX2 is the better buy even at a few thousand more once on-roads are added. Atto 1 vs Dolphin | Atto 1 vs MG3.
Buy now or wait? If you want the Atto 1 at $19,990, buy before 15 December, or ask whether BYD has extended it. If you'd rather an SUV, wait a few weeks: Leapmotor has priced the B03X at $26,990 before on-road costs, with launch drive-away prices from $29,990 for cars in one colour delivered by 31 December (B03X story). Chery's small Q hatch is reported for 2027, but Chery Australia hasn't announced it (Chery Q story).
Best small electric hatch: BYD Dolphin, and the GAC Aion UT
Why. The Dolphin Essential is $29,990 on BYD's Build & Price and $28,888 drive-away nationally on a BYD offer that runs to 15 December 2026 with delivery by 31 December (Dolphin story). It holds five stars (2023), five proper seats, 340 km on our row and a 345-litre boot. At 15.2 kWh/100km it costs about $711 a year to charge, among the lowest of any Chinese EV here. The Dolphin Premium at $36,990 has 427 km and a far stronger 150 kW motor.
The alternative. GAC's Aion UT Premium is $31,990 before on-road costs on GAC's price page, with 430 km WLTP, a 60 kWh battery and an eight-year warranty with no kilometre limit on our row. ANCAP gave it five stars in 2026 under the newest test rules (ANCAP story). GAC is running a $31,990 drive-away offer on Premium orders to 31 December, per its model page. The boot is 321 litres.
Also worth a look: the Leapmotor B05 hatch (401 km, five stars 2026, rear drive; its launch drive-away prices ended on 30 September, so get today's figure), the MG4 Essence 64 (452 km, five stars 2022, 10-year warranty) and GWM's ORA (five stars 2022). The MG4 Urban drive-away price on our row came from a September offer that has ended.
Our take: the Dolphin is the safe small-car buy on price, especially while the offer runs. The Aion UT gives you more range and the longer warranty for a few thousand more. Dolphin vs MG4.
Buy now or wait? Buy now. None of these has a replacement announced, and the Dolphin offer has a firm end date. If a Dolphin and a B03X are both on your list, price both before 15 December.
Best electric SUV for the money: Leapmotor B10
Why. The B10 Style is $37,888 before on-road costs on Leapmotor's Australian pricing, the cheapest five-star (2025) electric SUV from a Chinese brand on a published RRP. It has a 490-litre boot, rear-wheel drive, 361 km of WLTP range and 140 kW DC charging on our row, and costs about $805 a year to charge at home. The B10 Design Long Range is $40,888 with 434 km. It's the same B10 our mid-size SUV guide picks as its cheapest five-star EV.
Who it suits. A small family stepping into electric that wants a real boot and a current five-star result. What to watch. Leapmotor's warranty on our row is six years or 150,000 km, shorter than GAC's or Chery's. We hold no towing figure for the B10.
The cheaper and the drive-away options
The BYD Atto 2 Dynamic is cheaper at $31,990 on BYD's Build & Price, with 345 km and a 380-litre boot, but ANCAP hasn't rated it on our record. On drive-away, the cheapest five-star electric SUV on our rows is the Chery E5 Ultimate at $37,990 (five stars, 2022, 430 km, seven years of warranty with no kilometre limit), though our E5 story says that price was an offer that ended on 31 October, so ask for today's figure; and GWM's ORA 5 Lux is $33,990 drive-away in Victoria with 435 km but no ANCAP result yet. The Jaecoo J5 EV is $35,990 RRP on Jaecoo's offers page with an eight-year warranty, also unrated. Step up and the Atto 3 EVO Dynamic is $41,990 with 420 km, and the Geely EX5 $41,990 with 475 km, though its 302-litre boot is small for the class.
Our take: the B10 is the one we'd put on the shortlist ahead of the others on figures. The E5 is worth pricing if you value the warranty and can live with an older (2022) rating, but check whether a new offer is running. B10 vs Atto 2 | Atto 3 vs EX5.
Buy now or wait? This is where 2027 brings the most choice. The Leapmotor B03X sits under the B10 at $26,990 RRP. GWM is reported to have the Haval Jolion Max EV due between January and March 2027, with about 400 km and no price (Jolion Max story). Chery has detailed a MY27 E5 with a bigger screen and ventilated seats but no price or date (E5 story), so negotiate on current E5 stock.
Ways to buy
For the 4 cars on this page.
Compare 6Finance
From ≈$88/wk(≈$381/mo)
Estimate on the BYD Atto 1 at $23,990 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Lease the Geely EX2Best family electric SUV: Leapmotor C10, GAC Aion V, Sealion 7, Zeekr 7X
Most range for the money: GAC Aion V Premium, $42,590. The Aion V is the cheapest Chinese electric car with 500 km or more on a published RRP: 510 km WLTP, five stars (2025), a 75 kWh battery, a 427-litre boot and an eight-year warranty with no kilometre limit, on GAC's price page. GAC's own estimate puts it at $46,180 drive-away in Melbourne. We hold no towing figure above zero for it, so it isn't one for a trailer.
Biggest boot under $50,000: Leapmotor C10 Design Long Range, $49,888. The C10 has a 546-litre boot, the biggest of any Chinese electric SUV on a published RRP at or under $50,000 on our rows (the MG S6 EV holds 581 litres at $49,990, but our row doesn't name that price's source), plus 510 km, five stars (2024) and a 1,500 kg towing rating. It costs about $772 a year to charge. Our C10 story covers the update that brought the longer range.
Above $50,000: BYD Sealion 7 and Zeekr 7X
The Sealion 7 Premium is $54,990 on BYD's Build & Price with 482 km, a 500-litre boot and five stars (2025). It's the thirstiest of the mid-size picks at 19.9 kWh/100km, about $931 a year. The Zeekr 7X RWD is $57,900 before on-road costs with five stars (2025), a 539-litre boot and a 450 kW peak DC figure on our row. Zeekr Australia now lists the MY27 7X with more power (335 kW in the rear-drive grades) and up to 627 km WLTP at unchanged prices, with a launch offer for orders to 31 December (7X story). Our rows still hold the earlier 310 kW and 615 km figures.
Also in this space: the MG S6 EV (530 km, 581 litres, five stars 2025 and MG's 10-year warranty; our row and our launch story disagree on whether its $49,990 includes on-road costs, so ask), the XPeng G6 (571 litres, five stars 2024), the smart #3 (five stars 2023) and the Deepal S07 (475 km, five stars 2024).
Our take: under $50,000 the C10 is the family pick on space and the Aion V on range per dollar. Above it, the 7X has just been improved at the same price, which makes it the one to price before the others. Sealion 7 vs Model Y | G6 vs Model Y | Atto 3 vs Sealion 7.
Buy now or wait? Mostly buy now, but check two things. smart has priced the mid-size #5 from $58,900 before on-road costs with deliveries from November (smart #5 story), and Lepas has priced the L6 at $47,990 MSRP with test drives from early November, though ANCAP hasn't rated it (Lepas L6 story). Geely has shown an updated EX5 in China, but Geely Australia hasn't given a date (EX5 story).
Longest range: MG IM5, and the sedans
The IM5 Platinum 100 sedan holds the longest WLTP range of any Chinese electric car on our rows at 655 km, on a 100 kWh battery with a 396 kW peak DC figure. It's $69,990 drive-away on IM's national launch pricing, per our IM5 and IM6 story, and holds five stars (2025). The longest-range SUV is the Zeekr 7X Long Range at 615 km on our row, $63,900 before on-road costs. The IM6 Platinum SUV is rated at 555 km.
If you just want a sedan, the BYD Seal Premium is $52,990 on BYD's Build & Price with 570 km, five stars (2023) and one of the lowest energy figures here at 14.6 kWh/100km, about $683 a year. The Seal Performance adds a second motor and 390 kW for $61,990. At the top, the IM5 Performance has 572 kW for $80,990 drive-away.
Our take: WLTP range is a lab figure. At 110 km/h with the air-con on, plan on noticeably less, and more so with a roof box or a full car. Range matters more if you can't charge at home or regularly drive between cities. Seal vs Model 3.
Buy now or wait? Buy now for the sedans; nothing replaces them on our record. For a long-range wagon, wait: Zeekr Australia lists the 7GT as coming, and Avatr's 06T wagon is reported for the second half of 2027 (06T story).
Cheapest to run: MG MGS5, S6 EV and BYD Seal
On our sums the MGS5 Essence 49 is the cheapest Chinese EV to charge at home: 14.0 kWh/100km on our row, about $655 a year or $13 a week. Then the MG S6 EV Essence RWD at $679 and the BYD Seal at $683. The thirstiest is the Denza D9 people mover at 25.6 kWh/100km. In practice the gap between most of these is small: nearly every Chinese EV in the set costs $13 to $18 a week at home on our numbers, against about $39 a week in petrol for an MG ZS Vibe.
The bigger swing is where you charge. Our figures assume a home tariff of 30 cents a kWh. On a cheap overnight or solar rate you'll pay less; on a public fast charger you can pay several times more. If you can't charge at home or work, run your own numbers with the calculator below before you assume an EV saves money (EV charging guide).
Seven seats: XPeng X9
Why. The X9 Standard Range is $89,900 before on-road costs on XPeng's configurator, the cheapest seven-seat Chinese electric car on a published RRP. It has 535 km WLTP, a 721-litre boot on our row and five stars from ANCAP (2026); our ANCAP story covers the child-seat notes worth reading for a family. The X9 AWD Performance is $109,900. The Zeekr 009 is $135,900 and ANCAP hasn't rated it, and the Denza D9 is on sale but our row holds no price.
What to watch. Our X9 row holds a towing figure of zero, so don't plan on a trailer. For seven-seat SUVs, Chinese brands mostly use plug-in hybrids for now; our 2027 seven-seat hybrid and electric guide covers the Sealion 8, Tiggo 8 and the rest.
Buy now or wait? XPeng Australia has opened early access for the G9L large SUV with “two powertrain options” but no price or date (G9L story), and LDV's MIFA 7 people mover is listed as coming. If you need seven seats this summer, the X9 is the one with a price and a rating.
Towing with a Chinese EV
The MG U9 EV dual-cab is rated to tow 3,500 kg on MG's figures, the most of any Chinese electric vehicle we list, at $78,990 before on-road costs. Our launch story says the electric U9 hasn't been rated by ANCAP, so we treat the result on our row as unconfirmed, and 430 km of range is MG's figure per our U9 EV story, which also notes a reported payload under a tonne. Among the SUVs, the smart #1 and #3 are rated to 1,600 kg, and others including the Leapmotor C10, MG S6 EV, XPeng G6, Zeekr X, MG IM6, the Deepal S07 and E07 and the Atto 3 EVO Premium to 1,500 kg.
Towing a heavy trailer can roughly halve an EV's range, so plan your stops, and remember many fast-charging bays need the trailer unhitched. If you tow a caravan more than a few times a year, a plug-in hybrid or diesel is still the easier answer; see our towing guide.
Charging speed: what the peak figures mean
On the peak DC figures our rows hold, the XPeng X9 (up to 542 kW), XPeng G6 Long Range (451 kW) and Zeekr 7X (450 kW) sit at the top, then the IM5 and IM6 100 kWh cars (396 kW), the Deepal E07 (240 kW) and Zeekr X (230 kW). At the other end, the Geely EX2 Complete and Dolphin Essential peak at 60 kW. Peak figures need a charger that can deliver them, and most Australian public chargers can't, so for most people anything above about 150 kW makes little real difference. For a city car charged at home, a 60 kW peak is fine.
Pick two
Any two of the picks, side by side
Tap two to compare price, energy use, range and safety.
| Spec | Geely EX2 Complete | BYD Atto 1 Essential |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $26,490RRP, before on-roads | $23,990RRP, before on-roads |
| Fuel use | N/Abattery electric, no fuel figure | N/Abattery electric, no fuel figure |
| Driving range | 252 km | 220 km |
| Seats | 5 | 4 |
| Braked towing | No data | No data |
| ANCAP | 5 starstested 2026 | 5 starstested 2025 |
| Warranty | 7 yrunlimited km | 6 yr150k km |
| Service interval | No data | 20,000 km |
Figures come from our car database, which is built from Australian manufacturer documents. A blank field reads “No data” rather than a zero or a dash.
Cars in this story
7 cars
Price shown is each car's stored figure with its basis and check date. Images: GAC Australia.
See all BYD modelsChinese electric car comparison table
The picks and the main rivals, read live from each linked row. The figures update when the manufacturer's price or specification changes.
| Electric car | RRP | Drive-away | Energy use | Range (WLTP) | Boot | ANCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Atto 1 Essential | $23,990 RRP | $19,990 drive-away (VIC) | 15.5 kWh/100km | 220km | 308L | 5 stars (2025) |
| Geely EX2 Complete | $26,490 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 15.9 kWh/100km | 252km | 375L | 5 stars (2026) |
| BYD Dolphin Essential | $29,990 RRP | $28,888 drive-away (VIC) | 15.2 kWh/100km | 340km | 345L | 5 stars (2023) |
| GAC Aion UT Premium | $31,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 16.4 kWh/100km | 430km | 321L | 5 stars (2026) |
| BYD Atto 2 Dynamic | $31,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 16.8 kWh/100km | 345km | 380L | no data |
| GWM ORA 5 Lux | $30,900 est. RRP | $33,990 drive-away (VIC) | 15.5 kWh/100km | 435km | 362L | no data |
| Leapmotor B10 Style | $37,888 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 17.2 kWh/100km | 361km | 490L | 5 stars (2025) |
| Chery E5 Ultimate | $34,550 est. RRP | $37,990 drive-away (VIC) | 15.5 kWh/100km | 430km | 300L | 5 stars (2022) |
| BYD Atto 3 EVO Dynamic | $41,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 16 kWh/100km | 420km | 434L | 5 stars (2022) |
| Geely EX5 Complete | $41,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 16 kWh/100km | 475km | 302L | 5 stars (2025) |
| GAC Aion V Premium | $42,590 RRP | $46,180 drive-away (VIC) | 16.7 kWh/100km | 510km | 427L | 5 stars (2025) |
| Leapmotor C10 Design LR | $49,888 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 16.5 kWh/100km | 510km | 546L | 5 stars (2024) |
| MG S6 EV Essence RWD | $49,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 14.5 kWh/100km | 530km | 581L | 5 stars (2025) |
| BYD Seal Premium | $52,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 14.6 kWh/100km | 570km | 400L | 5 stars (2023) |
| BYD Sealion 7 Premium | $54,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 19.9 kWh/100km | 482km | 500L | 5 stars (2025) |
| Zeekr 7X RWD | $57,900 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 17 kWh/100km | 480km | 539L | 5 stars (2025) |
| MG IM5 Platinum 100 | $63,650 est. RRP | $69,990 drive-away (VIC) | no data | 655km | 457L | 5 stars (2025) |
| XPeng X9 Standard Range | $89,900 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 20.2 kWh/100km | 535km | 721L | 5 stars (2026) |
“No data” means our row doesn't hold the figure yet, not that the car lacks it. Range is the WLTP figure; real-world range is usually lower.
Running costs: charging per week, warranty and servicing
Electricity only, on our arithmetic from each row on 12 November 2026: 15,600 km a year, the official energy figure and 30 cents a kWh at home. Price, energy and warranty cells read our rows live.
| Electric car | Price | Energy use | A year (est.) | A week (est.) | Warranty | 5-yr capped servicing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geely EX2 Complete | $26,490 RRP | 15.9 kWh/100km | $744 | $14 | 7yr / unlimited km | no data |
| BYD Atto 1 Essential | $23,990 RRP | 15.5 kWh/100km | $725 | $14 | 6yr / 150,000 km | no data |
| BYD Atto 1 Premium | $27,990 RRP | 16 kWh/100km | $749 | $14 | 6yr / 150,000 km | no data |
| BYD Dolphin Essential | $29,990 RRP | 15.2 kWh/100km | $711 | $14 | 6yr / 150,000 km | no data |
| GAC Aion UT Premium | $31,990 RRP | 16.4 kWh/100km | $768 | $15 | 8yr / unlimited km | no data |
| BYD Atto 2 Dynamic | $31,990 RRP | 16.8 kWh/100km | $786 | $15 | 6yr / 150,000 km | no data |
| Leapmotor B10 Style | $37,888 RRP | 17.2 kWh/100km | $805 | $15 | 6yr / 150,000 km | no data |
| Chery E5 Ultimate | $34,550 est. RRP | 15.5 kWh/100km | $725 | $14 | 7yr / unlimited km | $1,145 |
| GAC Aion V Premium | $42,590 RRP | 16.7 kWh/100km | $782 | $15 | 8yr / unlimited km | no data |
| BYD Atto 3 EVO Dynamic | $41,990 RRP | 16 kWh/100km | $749 | $14 | 6yr / 150,000 km | no data |
| Geely EX5 Complete | $41,990 RRP | 16 kWh/100km | $749 | $14 | 7yr / unlimited km | $1,316 |
| MG MGS5 Essence 49 | $42,990 drive-away (VIC) | 16.9 kWh/100km | $655 | $13 | 10yr / 250,000 km | $1,508 |
| MG S6 EV Essence RWD | $49,990 RRP | 14.5 kWh/100km | $679 | $13 | 10yr / 250,000 km | no data |
| Leapmotor C10 Design LR | $49,888 RRP | 16.5 kWh/100km | $772 | $15 | 6yr / 150,000 km | $1,839 |
| BYD Seal Premium | $52,990 RRP | 14.6 kWh/100km | $683 | $13 | 6yr / 150,000 km | $1,661 |
| BYD Sealion 7 Premium | $54,990 RRP | 19.9 kWh/100km | $931 | $18 | 6yr / 150,000 km | no data |
| Zeekr 7X RWD | $57,900 RRP | 17 kWh/100km | $796 | $15 | 5yr / unlimited km | no data |
| XPeng G6 Standard Range | $51,800 RRP | 16.6 kWh/100km | $777 | $15 | 5yr / unlimited km | $2,064 |
| XPeng X9 Standard Range | $89,900 RRP | 20.2 kWh/100km | $945 | $18 | 7yr / unlimited km | no data |
| Zeekr 009 AWD | $135,900 RRP | 23.5 kWh/100km | $1,100 | $21 | 5yr / unlimited km | no data |
On warranty, MG leads at 10 years or 250,000 km on our MG4, MGS5 and S6 EV rows, provided the car is serviced to the owner's manual by a qualified repairer (MG's IM5 and IM6 rows hold seven years). GAC and Jaecoo give eight years with no kilometre limit, Chery and GWM seven years with no limit, Geely and Deepal seven, BYD and Leapmotor six years or 150,000 km, and Zeekr, smart and XPeng's G6 five. Battery warranties are usually separate and often longer, so check the kilometre limit and the state-of-health figure for the exact car. Electric cars need less servicing than petrol ones, but not none: capped totals on our rows run from $685 (GWM ORA) to $2,064 (XPeng G6) over five years where the manufacturer publishes one.
Weekly fuel cost at a glance
Put in your own week: commute, school run, weekend trips. The calculator prices the same driving in the EX2, B10, Sealion 7 and Seal. Cars without the figure it needs sit out rather than run on a made-up one.
- Geely EX2 Complete
$454 a year, rated 15.9 kWh/100km (stored figure)
$9 a week
- Leapmotor B10 Style BEV
$491 a year, rated 17.2 kWh/100km (stored figure)
$9 a week
- BYD Sealion 7 Premium
$568 a year, rated 19.9 kWh/100km (stored figure)
$11 a week
- BYD Seal Premium
$417 a year, rated 14.6 kWh/100km (stored figure)
$8 a week
Lowest
Assumes 20 km each way, 10 trips a week, mild weather and the official combined road mix; unleaded at $1.95/L, home charging at 27c/kWh (VIC reference price (Victorian Default Offer, Jemena flat rate (the middle of the five Victorian zones, 25.96c to 31.98c))). Plug-in hybrids are costed with the battery not charged. Fuel only.
Repayments at a glance
What three of the picks cost a week on finance. The rate and term are assumptions you can change, not a quote or advice.
- Geely EX2 Complete
$26,490 RRP, ≈$99 a week
≈$431/mo
Lowest - Leapmotor B10 Style BEV
$37,888 RRP, ≈$152 a week
≈$659/mo
- BYD Sealion 7 Premium
$54,990 RRP, ≈$231 a week
≈$1,002/mo
Assumes $5,000 deposit over 5 years at an assumed 7.5% p.a. Estimate only, not an offer of credit or a quote; your rate and repayments will differ.
Estimates only. Based on standard assumptions. Not financial advice. Individual results vary.
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
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Budget bands: what your money buys
Here's how the set splits by price. We use the manufacturer's RRP where its source is named, otherwise the drive-away figure, so each band mixes the two bases. Three rows hold no price and sit outside the bands. Treat the edges loosely.
| Budget | Rows | Nameplates | Five-star rows | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | 5 | 4 | 5 | Atto 1, EX2, Dolphin |
| $30,000 to $40,000 | 19 | 14 | 13 | Aion UT, Atto 2, B10, E5, B05 |
| $40,000 to $50,000 | 16 | 12 | 14 | Aion V, C10, EX5, Atto 3, Zeekr X |
| $50,000 to $70,000 | 22 | 12 | 21 | Seal, Sealion 7, 7X, G6, IM5 |
| Over $70,000 | 11 | 8 | 6 | X9, U9 EV, IM5 Performance |
The pattern: under $40,000 you can choose from hatches and small SUVs from BYD, Geely, GAC, Leapmotor, Chery and GWM, nearly all with five stars. Between $40,000 and $50,000 is where the 500 km cars start. Above $50,000 you're paying for size, power and charging speed rather than more range.
Who should buy what
- Lowest price, four seats is fine: Atto 1 Essential, $19,990 drive-away to 15 December.
- Lowest price, five seats: Geely EX2 on RRP or Dolphin on drive-away.
- Longest warranty in a small car: GAC Aion UT, eight years with no kilometre limit.
- First electric SUV with five stars: Leapmotor B10.
- Country trips on a budget: GAC Aion V, 510 km for $42,590.
- Family with a pram and a dog: Leapmotor C10, 546 litres.
- Longest range: IM5 Platinum, or the 7X Long Range as an SUV.
- Seven seats: XPeng X9.
The safety picture: what ANCAP has and hasn't rated
Every Chinese electric row we list with a confirmed ANCAP result holds five stars. The ratings span 2022 to 2026, though: the MG4, ORA, Chery E5, Atto 3 and smart #1 were rated in 2022, which on our rows runs to the end of 2028, while the EX2, Aion UT, B05 and X9 were rated in 2026 under the current rules. A 2026 five stars has passed a tougher test than a 2022 one.
No ANCAP result on our rows: the BYD Atto 2, Jaecoo J5 EV, GWM ORA 5, Deepal E07, Forthing Taikon 5 EV, MG4 XPower, Zeekr 009, Denza D9 and MG Cyberster, and our launch story says the electric MG U9 hasn't been rated. Of the coming cars, Lepas says nothing about a rating for the L6, and ANCAP hasn't rated it.
Our take: between two otherwise equal cars, the more recent rating is a fair tiebreaker. If a car you like has no rating, ask the dealer whether one is scheduled; don't assume stars carry over from a related model.
What's coming for Chinese electric cars through 2027
Confirmed means the manufacturer has said it on its own Australian site or in an Australian release. Reported means it's in Australian motoring media but not yet on the manufacturer's own pages. None of these is in the picks above.
| Coming | Type | Timing and price, as stated | Status and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leapmotor B03X | Small electric SUV, up to 382 km WLTP | $26,990 RRP; dealers from November | Confirmed (Leapmotor Australia), our story |
| Lepas L6 | Mid-size SUV, 440 km WLTP | $47,990 MSRP; test drives from early November | Confirmed (Lepas Australia), our story |
| smart #5 | Mid-size SUV, up to 590 km WLTP | From $58,900 RRP; deliveries from November 2026 | Confirmed (smart Australia), our story |
| Zeekr 7GT | Electric wagon | Deliveries from early 2027 reported; no price | Listed as coming by Zeekr Australia; timing reported, our story |
| GWM Haval Jolion Max EV | Small SUV, about 400 km | January to March 2027; no price | Reported, our story |
| XPeng G9L | Large SUV, two powertrains | No price or date | Early access open (XPeng Australia), our story |
| Chery E5 (MY27) | Update, same 430 km | No price or date | Confirmed (Chery Australia), our story |
| Avatr 07L | Large SUV | Deliveries targeted for the first half of 2027; no price | Reported, quoting Changan Group Australia, our story |
| Avatr 06T | Electric wagon | Second half of 2027; no price | Reported, quoting Changan Australia, our story |
| iCaur V25 | Electric SUV | First deliveries expected in 2027; no price | iCaur Australia site, our story |
Already here and new since the 2026 guide: the Geely EX2, GAC Aion UT, Leapmotor B05, MG S6 EV, the IM5 and IM6 from MG's new IM range and the Atto 3 EVO. Further out, a wave of new Chinese brands (HQ, Exlantix, Luxeed and more) is lined up; our new Chinese brands guide sorts them by parent group, and 2027 new cars month by month covers every body type.
What could change these picks
BYD's Atto 1 and Dolphin offers end on 15 December 2026, and GAC's Aion UT and Zeekr's 7X offers on 31 December. When the Leapmotor B03X and smart #5 move to on sale in our directory, the B03X would become the cheapest electric SUV on a published RRP and could take the small-SUV picks. An ANCAP result for the Atto 2, ORA 5 or Lepas L6 would change how we show them. We'll update this guide when any of these happen, or when a price we quote changes.
Other Chinese electric cars on sale
The picks above aren't the only choices. Also in the set, from the variant linked: Zeekr X, smart #3, smart #1, Deepal S07, Deepal E07, MG MGS5, MG IM6, Forthing Taikon 5 EV, Jaecoo J5 EV, MG Cyberster and XPeng G6. The electric vans (Farizon SV and V7E, LDV eDeliver 5, 7 and 9) are on sale too but outside this guide; see our van guides if you need one.
How to choose a Chinese electric car: six checks
- Sort out charging before anything else. Home or work charging makes an EV cheap to run. Without it, price public charging into your sums.
- Count seats and boot, not just range. The Atto 1 seats four; the EX5's boot is 302 litres.
- Check the ANCAP year, or whether there is one. Several newer arrivals hold none yet.
- Compare on one price basis. Get a drive-away quote in your postcode for each car on your list, and ask when any offer ends.
- Read the warranty terms. Years, kilometres and the servicing conditions differ by brand.
- Drive the shortlist. The figures narrow it down; a test drive tells you about the seats, the ride and the software. Our EVs under $50k guide is a good next read.
Keep reading
Head-to-heads: Atto 1 vs Dolphin | Dolphin vs MG4 | B10 vs Atto 2 | Atto 3 vs EX5 | Sealion 7 vs Model Y | G6 vs Model Y | Seal vs Model 3 | MGS5 vs Model Y
The brands: BYD | Geely | Leapmotor | GAC | MG | Zeekr | XPeng | Chery | GWM | smart | Deepal | Jaecoo
More guides: Best Chinese Electric Cars (2026) | Best Chinese Cars (2027) | Best Mid-Size SUVs (2027) | Best 7-Seater Hybrid and Electric SUVs (2027) | Cheapest Electric Cars (2026) | Best Luxury Chinese EVs
Compare what's on sale now
Head-to-heads with the cars this story is about and their closest rivals on sale now, plus the buying guides that cover them.
- BYD Atto 1 vs BYD Dolphin
- BYD Atto 1 vs GAC Aion UT
- BYD Dolphin vs GAC Aion UT
- BYD Seal vs MG IM5
- GAC Aion V vs Leapmotor C10
- GAC Aion V vs Leapmotor B10
- BYD Sealion 7 vs Tesla Model Y
- BYD Sealion 7 vs Kia EV5
Buying guides
- MG Electric Car: Range, Prices and Best Picks
- Best Electric SUVs in Australia 2026
- Best 7-Seater Hybrid & Electric SUVs Australia 2027: Buy or Wait?
- Best Electric Luxury SUV Australia 2026
Or pick any two cars on our compare page, or browse the full car directory.
MORE:BYD Ti7 Seven-Seat Plug-In Hybrid Type-Approved for Australia, No Launch Date or Price Yet
MORE:Every New Car Coming to Australia in 2027 and Beyond, Brand by Brand
Shopping for an EV now?
The facts, side by side. Your decision.
Disclaimer: Figures are from the manufacturers' Australian documents as held in the CarSorted directory on 12 November 2026, with prices on the basis stated beside them. Electricity estimates are our arithmetic on official figures, not your real-world use. Campaign prices change and have end dates. Timing for coming models is as the manufacturer or Australian media stated it, and can slip. ANCAP results are shown as our rows hold them, with their year. This is general information, not advice. Confirm price and specification with the dealer before you buy.
