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Australia EV Sales April 2026: 16.46% | May Market Recommendations

Australia EV Sales April 2026: 16.46% | May Market Recommendations

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About this episode

April 2026’s Australian EV surge is front and center: “16.46% of all new car sales in Australia were battery electric vehicles, which is a new record,” with BYD climbing to “the second largest selling brand in Australia, just behind Toyota.” From there, the hosts move into buyer guidance by segment and drivetrain—pushing responsive Model Y variants, weighing LFP value (including BYD’s “82 kilowatt hour LFP battery”), and recommending specific models to test like the “LeapMotor C10 Sports Plus.” They also frame comfort tradeoffs (torsion beam vs multi-link) and urge shoppers to consider EVs over ICE.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Concept

battery electric vehicles (BEVs)

"Welcome to the BEV, Battery Electric Vehicles Sales Figures update for the month of April 2026... 16.46% of all new car sales in Australia were battery electric vehicles"

A battery electric vehicle is an EV that runs on electricity stored in a battery. You charge it like a phone—there’s no gasoline engine.

Car

Zeekr Zika 7X

"...owed by Geely EX5, which is nice to see, and then Zika 7X as well doing very well, almost a thousand delive..."

The Zeekr 7X is an electric car. The podcast says it’s been selling well, with deliveries close to about a thousand in the period mentioned. It’s brought up as proof that more EV models are gaining traction.

Car

Galaxy Geely Ex5

"... April BYDC Line 7 topped the charts, followed by Geely EX5, which is nice to see, and then Zika 7X as well d..."

The Galaxy EX5 is an electric vehicle. The podcast mentions it because it was doing well in sales charts for a particular month. It’s included to show which EVs are becoming popular.

Brand

BYD

"But what's astounding too is that in April 2026 BYD was the second largest selling brand in Australia, just behind Toyota. That's phenomenal, honestly, what they've achieved."

BYD is the brand the hosts say became the second-biggest seller in Australia for April. They point out that BYD mostly sells EVs, which helps explain why their EV market share is growing.

Term

all wheel drive

"But I think for looks, definitely for all rounder, all wheel drive, then yeah, you can't go past the Zika 7X. [248.5s] Yeah, the Tesla Model Y is under three. It's a very twitchy drive quality, very responsive."

All-wheel drive means the car sends power to more than just the rear or front wheels. The hosts are using it to describe which EV SUV feels best and most capable overall.

Term

lag

"Push the accelerator, just go straight away. There's almost no lag. And the interior is a little bit bland."

“Lag” is the delay between you pressing the pedal and the car actually responding. The hosts are saying the Tesla Model Y reacts almost immediately.

Car

Tesla Model Y

"And obviously the Model Y just performance and the long range in the rural drive as well. It'll be a big month for Tesla."

The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV. The host is talking about different versions of it—one aimed more at quicker acceleration (“performance”) and another aimed more at going farther on a charge (“long range”).

Term

LFP battery

"But if you want an LFP battery, that's performance as well, then I think it's worth a look."

An LFP battery is a type of EV battery chemistry. The host is bringing it up because it can affect cost and how the car performs as a daily EV.

Car

LeapMotor C10 Sports Plus

"And one car I'm looking forward to actually testing very soon is the LeapMotor C10 Sports Plus. It's like the all wheel drive version of the LeapMotor C10."

LeapMotor’s C10 Sports Plus is a version of the C10 with all-wheel drive. The host wants to test it to see if it drives better than the regular C10.

Car

Chevrolet C10

"...rd to actually testing very soon is the LeapMotor C10 Sports Plus. It's like the all wheel drive versio..."

The Chevrolet C10 mentioned here is an EV model called the C10 Sports Plus. It’s described as an all-wheel-drive version, meaning it can send power to more than one set of wheels. It’s being talked about as something new to watch for soon.

Car

BMW X5

"Zika 7X, Tesla Model Y still up there. Geely X5, we count that as in the next segment, which is t..."

The BMW X5 is a luxury SUV. It’s built for comfortable driving and space, and it’s the kind of car many people consider when they want a premium family vehicle. It may be brought up as a reference point for what buyers are used to.

Brand

X-Peng

"and Tesla for my top two anyway. Yeah, look, for me, I still love the X-Peng, you know, ... But I think personally for X-Peng, I would probably just wait a bit until I sort those issues out."

XPeng is an electric-car brand. The hosts are basically saying that, in Australia, there have been some problems around the brand, so it might be smarter to wait a bit before buying.

Term

drive away

"And for good reason, they're still very well priced. $58,000 drive away in New South Wales, at least, for an 82 kilowatt hour LFP battery."

“Drive-away” price is what you pay so you can drive the car off the lot. It usually includes the extra fees, not just the car’s base price.

Car

Leap Motor C10

"Okay, so that's the mid-sized SUV. Obviously, there are other cars as well in that category. So, IM6, Deep LSO7, Leap Motor C10, still very good cars to look at."

The Leap Motor C10 is an electric SUV they suggest you look at. It’s mentioned as one of the good options in the mid-sized SUV EV space.

Concept

break these up sizes rather than prices

"Next one is the small to mid-sized SUV. Now, you might wonder why we break these up sizes rather than prices."

They’re saying it’s easier to compare EVs by how big they are, not just by how much they cost. That’s because bigger cars usually feel more practical in similar ways, even if prices differ.

Car

Leapmotor B10

"“...the caveat to that, the asterisk is that if you want a rear wheel drive car, then the Leapmotor B10...”"

Leapmotor B10 is recommended here mainly because it’s available with rear-wheel drive. The hosts say that if you insist on rear-wheel drive, other cars in this category can get much more expensive.

Car

Geely X5

"“...this is the small to mid-sized SUV category, 4.5 to 4.7 meters in length... you've got Leapmotor B10, you've got Geely X5, which is I think probably the class leader in this category...”"

Geely X5 is one of the SUV models the hosts think is a standout in the “small-to-mid SUV” size range. They also mention it as a top choice unless you need rear-wheel drive.

Car

Alpina B10

"...re, particularly from China, you've got Leapmotor B10, you've got Geely X5, which is I think probably t..."

The Alpina B10 is a luxury car that’s tuned to feel more powerful and sporty than a standard model. It’s meant for drivers who want comfort plus performance. In this podcast, it’s likely referenced as a benchmark for the premium-performance side of the market.

Car

Aion Gac Ion V

"...think probably the class leader in this category, GAC Ion V, and then some of the Japanese offerings, Nissan ..."

The Aion V is an electric car. The podcast mentions it while talking about which EVs are doing well in its category. It’s included because it’s one of the models people are considering.

Car

Toyota bZ4X

"“...Japanese offerings, Nissan Aria, Toyota BZ4X, and some of the European ones too...”"

Toyota BZ4X is one of the EV SUVs mentioned as a candidate in this size range. The hosts list it among several brands rather than focusing on it here.

Car

Nissan Aria

"...C Ion V, and then some of the Japanese offerings, Nissan Aria, Toyota BZ4X, and some of the European ones too, ..."

The Nissan Ariya is an electric crossover, meaning it’s an EV with an SUV-like shape. The podcast lists it as one of the Japanese EV options people can choose from. It’s mentioned to show the range of EVs available in that category.

Car

Volkswagen Id4

"“...you're paying like a massive price premium, like for the next, like the next cheapest one is what? Like we're looking at BW ID4 or Skoda...”"

Volkswagen ID.4 comes up as an example of a more expensive option if you specifically want rear-wheel drive. The point here is the price gap, not a detailed review of the ID.4.

Term

rear wheel drive

"Geely X5 for a rear wheel drive car, if that's your thing. Now, the rear wheel drive in the B10 is, you know, I don't think you can kind of compare it with like a, you know, like a Model Y or a Zika 7X, but you know, it's still going to be, you know, grippier and like, you know,"

Rear-wheel drive means the back wheels get the power. The host is saying that can help the car feel more stable and easier to accelerate out of turns.

Term

front wheel drives

"They're both front wheel drives I know, but the Ion V seems to be more stable. I think just pips the EX5,"

Front-wheel drive (FWD) means the car sends power to the front axle. The host compares FWD EVs by feel, arguing that even with the same basic drivetrain layout, stability and traction can differ between models.

Car

Hyundai Ion

"...we've added some of the Korean cars back like the Hyundai Ion X5, the E5 was always there as well. So, yeah, lo..."

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an electric SUV-style car. The podcast mentions it as part of the lineup of EVs that are doing well or coming back into focus. It’s included because it’s a recognizable option for many buyers.

Car

Aura Gwm Aura

"GWM Aura 5 just debuted at the, is that it word? Debuted? Last month. But yeah, we're still getting through them in our reviews."

GWM Aura 5 is a new EV model the host says just debuted. They’re noting that it’s part of the wave of fresh cars coming into this SUV size class.

Car

Audi S5

"...d out? Okay, well, I mean, firstly, we have an MG S5 EV. So, obviously, we're going to be biased towar..."

The Audi S5 is a sporty version of an Audi sedan/coupe-style model. It’s usually aimed at drivers who want a more performance-focused drive. In this podcast, it’s likely referenced to help compare what people expect from that style of car.

Car

MG S5 EV

"Okay, well, I mean, firstly, we have an MG S5 EV. So, obviously, we're going to be biased towards that. Again, for the same reason I mentioned the lead mode of B10 in that it's a rear-wheel-drive car"

The host says they’re biased toward the MG S5 EV because it’s their favorite. They also mention it’s rear-wheel drive, which they think helps the car feel more stable and grippy when driving hard.

Car

Land Rover Range Rover

"...oking car on the outside if you like that sort of range Rover look. And the interior is definitely, you know, v..."

The Land Rover Range Rover is a high-end luxury SUV. It’s known for a premium interior and a very recognizable exterior design. People mention it when they’re talking about what “luxury SUV” means to buyers.

Term

pre-orders

"Our friend RIST tells us there are 6,000 pre-orders already of this car and which thousands have been delivered so far."

Pre-orders are when people reserve a car before it’s fully available in stores. The host is using the number of pre-orders to argue that the JQJ5 is already in high demand.

Term

connectivity

"but a lot of inclusions for that car. I don't think there's connectivity yet. That's one thing that viewers have told us."

In EVs, “connectivity” usually refers to how well the car links to apps and services—things like remote functions, live traffic/route data, and over-the-air updates. The speaker says they don’t think the JQJ5 has connectivity “yet,” suggesting some connected features may be missing or not fully enabled at the time of purchase.

Topic

haggling dealer pricing

"but perhaps with all the other cars now, you might be able to go to a dealer and get like a better deal rather than what's sort of listed as the price on this page. So, go and haggle the price down and go like, hey, look, we can, you know, for this price, you can get blah, blah, blah"

They’re suggesting you try to negotiate the price at the dealership instead of paying the listed amount. The idea is to get a better deal on these EVs.

Car

Volvo EX30

"Volvo EX30 and the Mini Countryman, like those don't need explaining, isn't it?"

The Volvo EX30 is Volvo’s smaller electric SUV. It’s the kind of EV people cross-shop when they want something compact for everyday driving.

Car

Mini Countryman

"Volvo EX30 and the Mini Countryman, like those don't need explaining, isn't it?"

The Mini Countryman is Mini’s bigger, crossover-like car. The hosts mention it as part of the same “small premium” shopping conversation.

Term

key FOB

"you know, the, what do you call it? The FOB, the key FOB. So, everyone knows that you're driving"

A key fob is the small remote you keep in your pocket. It lets the car recognize you so you can unlock it and usually start it without using a traditional key.

Car

MG4 EV Urban

"the GAC IRNUT and the MG4 EV Urban. That's an interesting one. I, I think personally the, the IRNUT drives a bit like a go-kart... If you want a more sensible, no-nonsense, very stable drive, the MG4 EV Urban,"

The MG4 EV Urban is an electric hatchback meant for normal daily driving. The host says it feels steadier and easier to live with than the more playful option.

Car

Mercedes-Benz GLE

"...China, most recently in our trip to Hangzhou with GLE. This is the best-selling car in a few countries,..."

The Mercedes-Benz GLE is a luxury SUV. It’s designed to be comfortable and premium, and it sells well in several countries. The podcast brings it up to show how popular this type of SUV is.

Term

torsion beam

"Look, to be fair, the torsion beam is probably the most austere inclusion for a small car. You [1182.5s] obviously won't be as comfortable as a multi-link suspension."

A torsion beam is a simpler type of suspension used on many small cars. It usually costs less, but it can ride less smoothly than more complex suspension designs.

Term

multi-link suspension

"You [1182.5s] obviously won't be as comfortable as a multi-link suspension. So if you've got some mobility issues"

Multi-link suspension is a more complex suspension system that helps the wheels move more independently. The hosts say it generally rides more comfortably than simpler designs.

Car

Tesla Model 3

"... this category, I think probably either the Tesla Model 3 or the BYD Seal, for me, probably take it out in ..."

The Tesla Model 3 is an electric car in the sedan (car) category. It’s made for everyday driving and is popular because it’s widely available. It often comes up when people talk about which EV makes the most sense for many buyers.

Car

Byd Seal

"...hink probably either the Tesla Model 3 or the BYD Seal, for me, probably take it out in this, in this lo..."

The BYD Seal is an electric sedan, meaning it’s a car with a traditional trunk and sedan shape. The podcast talks about it as a top choice in its group of EVs. It’s being considered by people who want an EV that isn’t an SUV.

Car

Zeekr Zika 009

"... town. I think we have to give a shout out to the Zika 009. Yes. Oh my goodness. That is, that is the, that ..."

The Zeekr 009 is an electric vehicle. The podcast highlights it as something special, likely because of its size and how it’s set up for comfort. It’s mentioned to show that EVs aren’t only small cars—there are bigger options too.

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