If you're searching "electric car reviews" you probably want the honest version: which EVs under about $43k are genuinely good to live with, which ones are all spec sheet and no substance, and what you'll actually pay. So here it is. Every car below is on sale right now in Australia, and I've pulled the real prices (all RRP, so before on-road costs unless I say otherwise) and specs straight from our database. No marketing fluff, no invented range figures.
The short answer: the sweet spot for a first EV in Australia sits around $30k to $42k. Under that you're buying a small-battery city car. Over it you start getting into proper 400km-plus range SUVs that can genuinely replace the family petrol car. Let me walk you through the ones worth your shortlist.
The cheapest way into an EV
- BYD Atto 1 Essential - $23,990 RRP. This is the cheapest new EV in Australia right now. It's a four-seat hatch with 65kW and 220km of claimed range. That range is the catch: 220km is a round-town-only number, and by the time you factor in real-world driving and cold mornings you're charging often. As a second car or a short-commute city runabout, fine. As your only car, no.
- Geely EX2 Complete - $26,490 RRP. A rear-wheel-drive small sedan with 60kW and 252km range. Cheap, 5-star ANCAP, but again modest on both power and range.
- BYD Atto 1 Premium - $27,990 RRP. For four grand more than the base Atto 1 you jump to 115kW and 310km range. That's a far more usable car and honestly the version I'd point most city buyers at. Still four seats though, so no good if you regularly carry three in the back.
- BYD Dolphin Essential - $29,990 RRP. Five seats, 70kW, 340km range. The Dolphin is the first car on this list I'd call a proper everyday small car rather than a city-only tool. The power figure is modest but it's a comfortable, roomy little hatch.
The honest take on this price band: these are commuter EVs. If you've got off-street parking and a second car for road trips, they make brilliant financial sense because the running costs are tiny. If you're trying to do everything with one sub-$28k EV, you'll find the range frustrating.
The $30k to $36k sweet spot
This is where most people should be shopping, and it's where the segment gets genuinely competitive.
- GWM ORA Lux - $31,990 RRP. Five seats, 126kW, 347km range, 5-star ANCAP. The ORA has retro styling that people either love or ignore, but it's well equipped and nicely finished inside for the money.
- BYD Atto 2 Dynamic - $31,990 RRP. Same price as the ORA but in small-SUV shape. 130kW, 345km range, five seats. If you want the higher seating position and SUV look, this is the entry point.
- MG MG4 Urban Essence 54 - $32,990 RRP. The MG4 is one of the better-driving small EVs on sale. This base 54 version gives you 118kW and 5-star ANCAP. The MG4 genuinely handles well, which not many cars at this price can claim.
- GWM ORA 5 Lux - $30,900 RRP. A five-seat SUV with 150kW, 435km range and a 750kg tow rating. That 435km range for just over $30k is strong value, and it's one of the few EVs down here that'll tow a small trailer.
- Chery E5 Ultimate - $35,150 RRP. Five-seat SUV, 155kW, 430km range, 5-star ANCAP. Chery has been pricing aggressively and the E5 is a lot of SUV for the money.
- Leapmotor B05 Design LR - $35,990 RRP. This one's interesting. Rear-wheel drive, 160kW, and a 482km range figure which is the longest on this list until you get to the $42k GAC. A hatch with that kind of range at this price is worth a serious look.
- BYD Dolphin Premium - $36,990 RRP. The step up from the Essential Dolphin brings 150kW and 427km range. The extra power and range transform it from a city car into something you can comfortably take interstate.
My pick of this band for most families is the GWM ORA 5 Lux or the Leapmotor B05 Design LR. The ORA for value and tow capability, the Leapmotor if range matters most to you.
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 modelsThe $37k to $43k end: proper range, proper SUVs
Push your budget into the low $40s and the cars start to feel like genuine one-car-household material.
- BYD Atto 3 Essential - $39,990 RRP. Five seats, 150kW, 345km range, tows 750kg, 5-star ANCAP. The Atto 3 is one of the best-selling EVs in the country for good reason: it's a well-sorted family SUV. The range isn't class-leading but it's a mature, easy car to live with.
- MG MG4 Essence 64 - $39,990 RRP. The long-range MG4 with 140kW, 435km range, rear-wheel drive and even a 500kg tow rating. This is my enthusiast pick. It drives better than almost anything near the price and the range is genuinely usable.
- Leapmotor B10 Design LR BEV - $40,888 RRP. Five-seat SUV, 160kW, 434km range, 5-star ANCAP, rear-wheel drive. Leapmotor is the newer name here but the spec and the pricing are competitive.
- Geely EX5 Complete - $41,990 RRP. 160kW, 475km range, 5-star ANCAP. One of the longest-range SUVs on this list and priced sharply for what it offers.
- BYD Atto 3 EVO Dynamic - $41,990 RRP. The updated Atto 3 bumps range to 420km while keeping the 750kg tow rating. If you like the Atto 3 but want more range, this is the version.
- GAC Aion V Premium - $42,590 RRP. Among the longest-range options on this list at 510km, five-seat SUV, 150kW, 5-star ANCAP. If maximum range for your dollar is the priority, this is the one to beat.
A quick word on the Hyundai Inster at $37,500 (Standard Range, 327km) and the Extended Range at $42,500 (360km). These are the only cars here with a four-star ANCAP rating rather than five, and the range-per-dollar isn't as strong as the Chinese rivals. Hyundai's dealer network and reputation are real advantages, but on paper the newcomers undercut it hard.
How to actually choose an EV
Start with range, honestly. Every range figure on this page is a WLTP claim. In the real world, knock off roughly 15 to 25 percent, more in winter or on the highway. So a 345km car is really a 260 to 290km car day to day. If you do a 40km commute and charge at home, even the 220km BYD Atto 1 is plenty. If you have no home charging or you road trip regularly, aim for 430km-plus cars like the GAC Aion V, Geely EX5 or MG MG4 Essence 64.
Home charging is the whole game. The reason EVs are cheap to run is that charging at home overnight costs a fraction of petrol, and even less if you've got solar. No home charging and relying on public chargers removes a big chunk of the savings. Sort out your charging situation before you sort out the car.
Don't overpay for power. Even the "slow" EVs here feel brisk around town because electric torque is instant. You don't need 160kW for the school run. Power matters more if you'll do a lot of highway merging or load the car up, but for most people the gap between a 115kW and a 150kW EV is barely noticeable in daily driving.
Check the ANCAP rating. Most cars here are 5-star. The two Hyundai Insters are 4-star, which isn't bad, just not best-in-class.
Factory tow ratings are modest. A few here tow 750kg (Atto 3, ORA 5) and the Jaecoo J5 EV Summit at $35,990 tows a healthier 1250kg. If towing matters, these are your short list, but none of these are heavy-tow vehicles.
Running costs favour the EV, but factor in depreciation. Servicing and "fuel" are cheap. The newer Chinese brands are the value play, but they're unproven on resale here, so the long-game ownership cost is still a question mark. Established names carry a premium for a reason, even if the spec looks worse.
For most Australian buyers wanting one car to do everything, I'd land on the BYD Atto 3 EVO Dynamic, Geely EX5 Complete or GAC Aion V Premium. For a sharp city car, the BYD Atto 1 Premium or BYD Dolphin Essential. For driving fun, the MG MG4 Essence 64.