AUSTRALIA’S end-of-financial-year sales battle has escalated into one of the most aggressive discounting and incentivising new car sales campaigns seen in recent memory.

 

Most manufacturers are deploying combinations of cash incentives, driveaway pricing, subsidised finance, fuel cards, free servicing, and charging solutions in a bid to sway buyers and move metal before 30 June.

 

Although consumer confidence remains fragile with, among other things interest rates still elevated and showroom competition at an all-time high, many brands are increasingly abandoning traditional discounting strategies in favour of tailored offers designed to appeal to specific buyer groups.

 

In the red-hot BEV market for example, buyers are being lured with free home chargers and heavily subsidised finance, hybrid shoppers are being tempted with cashback and driveaway pricing, while ute customers are being targeted with fuel cards, servicing packages, and sharp reductions on slow-moving stock.

 

The extensive number of offers currently available highlights the intensity of competition in Australia’s crowded new vehicle market, where more than 70 brands are fighting for market share.

 

Among the most aggressive campaigns is Hyundai’s sweeping EOFY offensive, which spans almost its entire model range as it pushes back against competitors for market share.

 

The South Korean manufacturer has repositioned its Kona Electric and Ioniq 5 line-ups with price reductions of up to $8000, while separate driveaway offers on EV stock slash as much as $14,500 from selected Kona Electric variants.

 

Hyundai’s broader EOFY campaign also covers the i30, Kona (petrol), Tucson, Santa Fe Hybrid, and Staria ranges.

 

Volvo has similarly sharpened its electric vehicle proposition, reducing EX30 pricing by up to $11,300 ahead of the arrival of the EX60. Additional driveaway pricing and subsidised finance rates are also being used to stimulate demand.

 

Chinese brands continue to lead the charge when it comes to aggressive incentive programs.

 

Geely has launched a 0.88 per cent comparison rate offer on its EX5 Extended Range EV and Starray EM-i hybrid SUV, while bundling a complimentary home charging unit with EV purchases.

 

Omoda Jaecoo is offering up to $5000 cashback across its range, including the J7 and J8 SUVs, while JAC has opted for a more practical approach, providing buyers of its T9 ute with a $4000 fuel voucher.

 

GWM has taken a multi-pronged approach, combining driveaway discounts, low-rate finance offers, and free charging hardware across its Haval, Tank, Cannon, and Ora line-ups.

 

The strategy reflects a broader shift in the way manufacturers are competing for buyers.

 

Where once EOFY campaigns focused largely on discounting, brands are now packaging ownership benefits into their offers.

 

Free servicing, roadside assistance, charging infrastructure, fuel cards, and finance incentives are increasingly being used to differentiate products in highly contested segments.

 

The still-dominant ute market exemplifies how keen manufacturers are to make a sale in particular Kia which has dramatically reduced pricing on 2025-built Tasman dual-cab variants, cutting up to $14,000 from driveaway prices in a bid to accelerate sales of its first one-tonne ute.

 

The flagship Tasman X-Pro now starts from $64,990 driveaway, positioning it directly against volume-selling rivals from Ford, Toyota, and Isuzu.

 

Toyota, traditionally reluctant to discount, has entered the fray with a rare EOFY campaign for the Tundra. Buyers of selected stock built prior to July 2025 receive complimentary on-road costs and a $10,000 cash bonus, equating to savings of approximately $20,000.

 

Ford is offering fuel card incentives worth up to $5000 across selected Ranger and Everest variants, while Mitsubishi has rolled out fuel card bonuses and free servicing packages across Triton and Outlander models.

 

And it seems even premium brands are feeling the pressure…

 

BMW is effectively paying the GST on selected SUV models, Audi is covering Luxury Car Tax liabilities on nominated vehicles, while Mercedes-Benz is offering discounted finance and drive-away pricing across multiple model lines.

 

Industry observers say the scale of incentives reflects a market characterised by increasing supply, growing inventory levels and softer retail demand.

 

While overall new vehicle sales remain historically strong, the arrival of new brands, rapid growth of Chinese manufacturers and changing consumer preferences have intensified pressure on established players.

 

Electric vehicles have emerged as a particular battleground.

 

With dozens of new EV models arriving in Australia over the past 24 months, brands are increasingly using pricing and finance incentives to maintain competitiveness.

 

Home charging equipment, discounted novated lease programs, and ultra-low finance rates have become common tools in the fight for market share.

 

The result is reputedly a buyers’ market unlike anything seen in recent years.

 

For consumers, the current EOFY period presents one of the strongest opportunities to secure substantial savings across a broad range of vehicle types, from affordable city cars and family SUVs through to premium EVs and heavy-duty pick-ups.

 

Whether the discounts continue beyond 30 June remains to be seen.

 

But with manufacturers under pressure to hit volume targets and clear stock ahead of the new financial year, industry analysts expect the EOFY sales war to remain fiercely contested right up to the closing bell.

When starting off in the Z9GT, the first thing you notice are its electric doors. All four open and close at the touch of a button, and then the driver’s seat slides back to ease access – all of which adds a bit of flamboyance to the start-up process. 

Being an EV, the Z9GT sets off in a smooth, silent manner and at low speeds all the controls feel well calibrated – in particular the steering. At 5.2 metres long and two metres wide, the Z9GT might not seem the best fit for urban areas, but there’s rear-wheel steering here up to 8.5 degrees, and this gives the big Denza a supermini-like turning circle. 

The Z9GT can also perform pivot turning, where the front wheels lock in place and the rears turn and steer, for occasions when incredibly tight manoeuvres are needed. There’s also a ‘crab-walk’ function, where the car will drive diagonally up to 8.5 degrees. We experienced these from behind the wheel and the Denza completed the manoeuvres as quickly as we could do them ourselves.

There’s also a self-parking feature that can be activated  through the car or even an app on your phone – although if you have to use all those features regularly, you might want to reconsider if a huge shooting brake is the right car for you.  

Around town, the Z9GT doesn’t feel particularly unwieldy, although our car came with the optional digital wing mirrors, which work just about as well as any others we’ve tried, but still take time to get used to. Due to the swoopy shape of the Z9GT’s back end, visibility is poor through the rear view mirror. However you can flick the screen to the digital wing mirror, although unlike the one used in the Polestar 4, there’s no scope to pan across when indicating or adjustability of any sort. 

We dig into the IEA’s latest Global EV Outlook which says ICE vehicles peaked in 2017, BYD’s move to build its own export armada, and why legacy car makers are being dragged into a price war they may not be built to win.

You can find previous episodes of The Driven here, or on your favourite podcast platform.

 

 

The Driven Podcast is proudly brought to you by the Australian Electric Vehicle Association – Australia’s leading voice for EV consumers. AEVA members get access to a nationwide community of EV drivers, expert advice, local events, and the latest insights on electric transport. 

Electric vehicle sales in March reached an all-time high in Australia, reaching a record number of 15,839 and a record share of 14.5 per cent – nearly double the share in the same month last year – as consumers searched out EVs amid the global fuel crisis.

The EV sales were led by China’s BYD, which once again overtook Tesla in total brand sales, but could have been higher were it not for many companies running out of stock. Tesla last week promised more ships, and more deliveries, after the wait time for its Model Y electric SUV blew out to several months.

BYD, which has a number of different models, sold a total of 4,206 EVs in March, beating Tesla with 3,485, although the Model Y regained its position as the top selling EV with 2,818 – which would put it at number 3 in the overall list behind the popular Ford and Toyota diesel utes.

Other EV makers also boosted sales, helped by multiple incentives that were already in place in March before Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, soaring prices and concerns about fuel supply as many servos ran out of fuel.

In March last year, EVs accounted for only 7.5% of total new car sales.

EV Sales Breakdown – March 2026

FCAI vFacts	12,194
EVC (Polestar + Tesla)	3,645
EV Sales Total (FCAI + EVC)	15,839
Total Vehicle Sales (FCAI + EVC)	108,703

For the first three months of the year, EV sales have doubled in Australia. Last year they totalled 17,901, and 2026 already shows 34,382 new electric cars made it onto the road.

In March, PHEV sales increased from the previous month, with 8,215 PHEVs sold, up from over 5,000 in February.

Looking into the EV models that made up the top 5 Tesla sales, the Tesla Model Y stayed at the top spot with 2,818 sales. The Sealion 7 SUV came in the second spot with 1,970 sales. 

The third spot went to Zeekr’s 7X, raking in 679 sales during the month. Tesla Model 3 and Geely EX5 made up the rest of the top 5.

Other notable mentions include the BYD Atto 1, Australia’s cheapest EV, which saw 488 sales in its best month to date. Omoda Jaecoo J5 EV also showed solid growth in the SUV segment, surpassing 500 sales in the month.

The best-selling EVs in March 2026 were:

• Tesla Model Y – 2,818 sales
• BYD Sealion 7 – 1,970 sales
• Zeekr 7X – 679 sales
• Tesla Model 3 – 667 sales
• Geely EX5 – 606 sales
• Kia EV5 – 587 sales
• BYD Atto 2 – 572 sales
• Omoda Jaecoo J5 – 569 sales
• BYD Atto 1 – 488 sales
• MG S5 – 475 sales
• BYD Atto 3 – 466 sales
• Kia EV3 – 461 sales

The Driven is waiting to hear back from various manufacturers regarding sales of some EV models, and this will be updated once they are received.  You can see our detailed data here: Australian electric vehicle sales by month in 2026 – by model and by brand

FCAI CEO Tony Weber said it is too early to determine whether this represents a structural shift in the market. “More consumers are considering EVs due to the disruption to fuel supply caused by conflict in the Middle East, along with the review into the fringe benefits tax concession for EVs,” he said in a statement.

“The automotive industry would welcome a sustained shift to EVs, given its substantial investment in bringing more than 100 EV models to the Australian market and the industry’s efforts to meet ambitious NVES targets.

 “A long-term shift to EVs will require Australian governments to sharpen their focus on public charging infrastructure, particularly in regional areas and locations where home charging is not practical.”

Will the recent growth in interest and EV lead times being pushed out for brands like Tesla and others impact upcoming monthly sales? Time will tell.  

See full details of EV sales for each month of the year in our database here.

After pulling up on my street with the Leapmotor B10 for the first time, my neighbour wandered over and asked if I’d bought a new Peugeot. Then he paused, squinted at the rear of the car, and revised his guess: “Actually… is that some sort of cheap Porsche Macan?”

It wasn’t the worst observation. The rear three-quarter angle in particular does have a hint of Macan about it. Up front though, things are more generic EV: a smooth nose, slim LED light bar stretching across the bonnet, and the sort of minimalist face now shared by half the electric SUVs arriving in Australia.

The design feels contemporary without being overdone: an upright front end gives it a practical stance, while a gently sloping roofline softens the profile. Spend a bit more time with it though, and the B10 begins to develop its own identity.

The next question people tend to ask is: what exactly is a Leapmotor? Fair question. The B10 is only the second model from the Chinese brand to arrive in Australia, following the launch of the larger C10 in late 2025, making Leapmotor one of the newer names entering an already crowded EV market.

Behind the scenes, however, there is a familiar name involved. Leapmotor has backing from Stellantis, the global automotive group that already sells brands such as Jeep, Peugeot, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati in Australia. So while the badge may be new, the company helping bring it here has been operating locally for decades.

The price of $38,990 drive-away for the base spec, $41,990 for the Design spec is why people will likely start pay more attention. This pricing places it right in the midst of Australia’s most affordable electric SUV vehicles.

The B10 looks modern, but not overly out there. A sensible upright silhouette at the front is complimented with a slight slope at the roofline.

Climb inside and you’re greeted by a sea of grey. Not unpleasant, but certainly not colourful. The cabin leans heavily into the minimalist EV playbook with a large central screen, very few physical buttons, and an overall vibe that feels a bit like sitting in a spaceship simulator.

One detail that initially caught me off guard sits directly in front of the passenger seat. At first glance it looks as though the factory simply forgot to finish assembling that section of the dashboard. In reality, it’s a deliberately designed as a kind of blank canvas where owners can attach accessories and customise the space however they like.

Some buyers may enjoy that level of flexibility. Personally, I suspect mine would remain exactly as it was delivered – empty and looking slightly unfinished.

This being the upper Design spec, the cabin does get a few welcome upgrades. The seats are trimmed in higher-grade synthetic (“silicone”) leather and the front occupants get both heating and ventilation, along with a heated steering wheel for colder mornings.

The doors are also treated to softer materials rather than the hard plastics often found in cars at this price point, which lifts the sense of comfort and gives the cabin a faint hint of luxury.

And while the daytime interior is largely shades of grey, things brighten up after dark thanks to the ambient lighting. Like many modern EVs, the B10 lets you cycle through a range of colours to give the cabin a bit more personality at night.

A 14.6-inch touchscreen sits at the centre of the dashboard and controls almost everything in the car, aside from a couple of Tesla-style scroll wheels on the steering wheel. It fits with the minimalist approach adopted throughout the cabin, although I still find myself missing the reassurance of a physical button, particularly for climate control and other everyday functions you want to adjust without digging through menus.

Ahead of the driver, the instrument display is relatively small but surprisingly effective. Despite its size it presents the key information clearly, and there’s a degree of customisation available, allowing you to add things like navigation prompts or efficiency data alongside the speed readout.

Wireless Apple Carplay & Android Auto are welcome and necessary features, but in my experience about 25% of the time my car did not connect wirelessly. While I can’t rule out the issue being with my phone rather than the car, it’s not an issue I’ve experienced before on other vehicles.

The ride is comfortable and well suited to everyday driving, with acceleration more than adequate. Flick it into Sport mode and the instant torque delivers a brief moment of thrill before the reality of Sydney’s 40–50 km/h streets quickly brings things back to earth.

Apparently strong one-pedal driving isn’t especially popular in China, which may explain the tuning here. But for Australian drivers who’ve become used to smoother and more predictable systems in other EVs, it could feel a little underwhelming. Even the strongest regenerative braking mode outside of one-pedal is relatively mild compared with what many other electric cars now offer.

The Design LR gives you a 67.1 kWh LFP battery with a claimed NEDC range of 516 km, while the base Style uses a smaller 56.2 kWh pack rated at 442 km. Real-world figures will be a bit lower as they always are. But even allowing for highway speeds, warmer weather, multiple passengers, and air-conditioning, the B10 still offers a comfortable driving range. In the week of driving I had the B10 I averaged an impressive 14kWh/100kms.

Both variants support up to 11 kW AC charging, while DC fast charging reaches 140 kW on the base Style and up to 168 kW on the Design LR.

I left the ADAS (driver attention monitoring system) on its default settings and, while it clearly keeps a close eye on both your gaze and your speed, the dulcet tones it uses to remind you of your driving responsibilities are thankfully not overly obnoxious.

Not too long ago, when you thought about electric SUVs in Australia, you were usually looking at $50,000 to $60,000. Within that bracket there are now plenty of excellent options, but it still meant EVs sat firmly above the price of many comparable petrol models.

More recent arrivals such as the Jaecoo J5, BYD Atto 2, and now the Leapmotor B10 are beginning to shift that equation. They’re bringing genuine choice to the more affordable end of the market and offering reassurance that a well-equipped electric SUV can be just as  approachable as its combustion-powered counterparts.

The B10 is a compelling addition to this growing segment, and yet and another reminder that real value has already started arriving in Australia’s EV market.

View the full specs sheet here.

 

Chinese automaker GAC has confirmed full Australian pricing and specifications for its electric hatchback Aion UT, with the entry-level Premium grade starting from $31,990 RRP (before on-roads) – adding to the growing number of EVs priced at the lower end of the market.

Order books are open now, and the brand is sweetening the deal with a pre-order drive-away price of $30,990 for the first 600 customers. That price makes it straight away one of the more compelling budget EV propositions to land in Australia.

The Aion UT becomes GAC’s second BEV model in Australia, joining the Aion V, having only arrived on Australian shores in late 2025.

Both the base Premium and higher-spec Luxury models are powered by the same 150kW/210Nm front-mounted electric motor and 60kWh battery pack delivering a WLTP-rated 430km of range, a good number in this segment where some competitors are still trading in the 300km territory.

The Luxury model is priced from $35,990 before on-roads (or drive away if you are one the first 600 to pre-order before April 9), and adds a powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof with electric sunshade, wireless phone charging and a ventilated driver’s seat.

Pre-order buyers of either variant also receive a bonus 10A portable charger and a 22kW wall charger, which adds an extra $1,500 to $2,000 in value to the offer.

GAC is backing the car with its now-standard 8-year unlimited kilometre warranty, while the Magazine Battery 2.0 pack is covered for 8 years/200,000km. Five years of roadside assistance is included, subject to servicing at one of GAC’s 19 dealerships nationally. First deliveries are expected from Q2 2026.

The Aion UT enters at a time of unprecedented uptake of electric vehicles in Australia, with interest only expected to increase with the rise of oil prices.

Battery electric vehicle sales in Australia accounted for nearly 12% of the total market in February 2026, nearly doubling the 5.9% share recorded in the same month last year.

BEV sales in 2026 so far stand around 50% ahead of the same period in 2025. Thanks to their established presence in the Australian EV market, last month marked the first time China overtook Japan as the largest source of new vehicles sold in Australia.

The small electric hatchback segment in particular is heating up, with the likes of the BYD Dolphin, MG 4 and GWM Ora being the established rivals, and with the Aion UT now joining the fray alongside an incoming MG 4 Urban and the Geely EX2, all expected later in 2026.

The benchmark for outright price remains the BYD Atto 1, which holds the title of Australia’s most affordable EV at $23,990 plus on-road costs. The Aion UT isn’t trying to beat that, instead targeting a slightly more premium rung.

A fair comparison is to the range-topping BYD Dolphin Premium, given the Aion UT’s 150kW motor and 430km of range put it a clear step above the base Dolphin’s 70kW motor and 340km range.

On that basis, $30,990 drive-away for the pre-order Premium is a genuinely competitive number. The wall charger inclusion removes one of the more common friction points for first-time EV buyers, and the 430km (WLTP) range figure gives the UT real-world credibility.

The Aion UT appears to be part of an aggressive local growth strategy from GAC Australia. President Kevin Shu has confirmed plans to bring more than 10 models to Australia over the next five years, with ambitions to grow to 100 dealers nationally by 2030.