2019 is a great year for electric vehicles in Australia. After almost a decade of EVs in the country, the number of entrants is exploding with EVs now a seriously viable option for your next vehicle.
The biggest determiner of which vehicle you buy differs greatly based on your personal preferences and circumstances. Some people prioritise price over everything, while others have a minimum range in mind for an EV to be practical in their lives.
Below is the list of available EVs in Australia in 2019, ordered in various ways to enable a quick and easy decision.
The latest entrant in the EV space will be the 2nd-gen Nissan Leaf when it goes on sale from the start of August. The Leaf won’t have long in the market before facing some serious competition with the Tesla Model 3 SR+ and Performance variants also launching in August.
With the rollout of fast charging locations across the country (mainly the east coast) most daily commutes and weekend road trips are now viable with EVs. The amount of flexibility and planning you need to put in for longer trips is a direct result of the range available on a single charge, combined with the charging infrastructure along that route.
Chargefox is rapidly changing that equation thanks to a network of 22 ultra-rapid charging locations which can inject power at up to 350kWh. While charging standards on EVs have typically been a nightmare, these dual-connector chargers (made by QLD company Tritium) allow up to 400km of range in just 15minutes, as long as the car can take it.
Ordered by Price (Lowest to highest)
| Model | Prices From | Battery Size | Rated Range | Fast Charging type |
| Hyundai IONIQ EV | $44,990 | 28 kWh | 230km | CCS Type 2 |
| Renault Zoe | $47,490 | 40 kWh | 300km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Nissan Leaf (gen 2) | $54,482 | 40 kWh | 270km | CHAdeMO |
| Hyundai Kona | $59,990 | 64 kWh | 449km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| BMW i3 | $68,700 | 33 kWh | 260km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Tesla Model 3 SR+ | $72,818 | 50 kWh | 460km | CCS Type 2 |
| Tesla Model 3 Performance | $96,510 | 75 kWh | 560km | CCS Type 2 |
| Tesla Model S | $124,961 | 75 kWh | 565km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Jaguar I-Pace | $119,000 | 90 kWh | 470km | CHAdeMO |
| Tesla Model X | $136,334 | 100 kWh | 594km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
EVs ordered by range (highest to lowest)
| Model | Prices From | Battery Size | Rated Range | Fast Charging type |
| Tesla Model X | $136,334 | 100 kWh | 594km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Tesla Model S | $124,961 | 75 kWh | 565km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Tesla Model 3 Performance | $96,510 | 75 kWh | 560km | CCS Type 2 |
| Jaguar I-Pace | $119,000 | 90 kWh | 470km | CHAdeMO |
| Tesla Model 3 SR+ | $72,818 | 50 kWh | 460km | CCS Type 2 |
| Hyundai Kona | $59,990 | 64 kWh | 449km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Renault Zoe | $47,490 | 40 kWh | 300km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Nissan Leaf (gen 2) | $54,482 | 40 kWh | 270km | CHAdeMO |
| BMW i3 | $68,700 | 33 kWh | 260km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Hyundai IONIQ EV | $44,990 | 28 kWh | 230km | CCS Type 2 |
EVs ordered by fast charging type
| Model | Prices From | Battery Size | Rated Range | Fast Charging type |
| Hyundai IONIQ EV | $44,990 | 28 kWh | 230km | CCS Type 2 |
| Tesla Model 3 SR+ | $72,818 | 50 kWh | 460km | CCS Type 2 |
| Tesla Model 3 Performance | $96,510 | 75 kWh | 560km | CCS Type 2 |
| Nissan Leaf (gen 2) | $54,482 | 40 kWh | 270km | CHAdeMO |
| Jaguar I-Pace | $119,000 | 90 kWh | 470km | CHAdeMO |
| Renault Zoe | $47,490 | 40 kWh | 300km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Hyundai Kona | $59,990 | 64 kWh | 449km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| BMW i3 | $68,700 | 33 kWh | 260km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Tesla Model S | $124,961 | 75 kWh | 565km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| Tesla Model X | $136,334 | 100 kWh | 594km | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
As good fast as the EV landscape in Australia is changing, we are behind the rest of the world. Having a competitive market of affordable EVs available to buy in Australia is ultimately a great thing for consumers and the planet.
We can expect the number of EVs on sale to continue to grow through 2020 and beyond including the Audio E-tron, Mercedes EQC, Volkswagen ID.3, Polestar 1 and 2, Porsche Taycan, Rivian 4WD/Ute and many more.
The current estimates put ICE and EV price crossover somewhere around 2025, so the best time to buy is really a personal decision, based on price, range, performance and features.
If you want in early, like most things, you’ll pay an early adopters tax (not literally, but a EVs are still a premium price) for the privilege. Sales of EVs now encourages automakers to ship global products to Australia and traditionally we have done well as a country in terms of early adoption.
